Islamabad:
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday demanded that the government should immediately and transparently appoint an honest, impartial and neutral Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in consultation with PTI to revitalize the electoral watchdog and ensure continuity of democratic processes.
The PTI’s demand has come as CEC incumbent Sikandar Sultan Raja’s term is set to expire on January 26, but he can continue to perform his duties until a fresh appointment is made under the 26th Amendment of the Constitution.
“The dark era of the outgoing CEC left an indelible mark on the electoral landscape of the country,” said PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram.
He stressed that it was up to the government to ensure timely and consensus-based appointments of CEC and two other provincial heads of the electoral body “to protect the institution from further destruction.”
The PTI Information Secretary said that the tenure of the outgoing CEC had severely damaged the reputation of the ECP, allowing him to continue in the position would be a grave injustice, not only to the institution but also to the nation.
PTI has had a difficult relationship with the ECP under Raja’s leadership, marked by legal challenges and public disputes. Tensions peaked during the 2024 general elections, where PTI alleged widespread rigging and vote rigging after ECP-led litigation stripped the party of its iconic electoral symbol – the cricket bat.
The party has repeatedly accused Raja of delaying election results and manipulating vote counts, allegations that the ECP has consistently denied. PTI has also called for Raja’s resignation, alleging that his actions have eroded confidence in the ECP’s ability to conduct fair elections.
Under Raja’s rule, several key electoral issues have not been resolved, including the postponement of Senate elections for 11 seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the allocation of reserved seats due to a standoff between the Supreme Court and Parliament, and delays. in local government elections in Punjab and Islamabad.
In his statement, Waqas further lamented that Raja’s “controversial tenure” has had far-reaching and damaging consequences for Pakistan’s democratic processes.
He added that “the government should appoint impartial and competent individual through a transparent and consultative process” as mandated by the Constitution to restore the credibility and integrity of the ECP.
PTI’s latest call for a new CEC has come on the heels of letters written by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Omar Ayub and Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz to the NA President and the Senate President, respectively, for The immediate appointment of a new CEC.
Waqas urged the government to constitute a parliamentary committee without any delay to oversee the appointments, as stipulated in Article 213 of the Constitution. He noted that the appointment of an impartial and credible person as a new CEC would be the first step in healing the wounds inflicted on Pakistan’s democracy and rebuilding the nation’s trust in the ECP. The PTI spokesperson warned that excessive delay in the crucial appointment could trigger a constitutional crisis and further erode public confidence in the democratic system. He said the Supreme Court also exposed the bias and bias of the ECP in the detailed trial of MNA Adil Bazai’s disqualification case.
Waqas emphasized that PTI would not accept Sikandar in the position even for a day because he severely damaged the credibility of the ECP during his controversial tenure.
The false image of PPP resistance
Meanwhile, he criticized the PPP for its “duplicity and hypocrisy”, saying that the party always tried to deceive the public by claiming to make substantial changes to anti-public or anti-democratic laws. In reality, he added, the party only made cosmetic adjustments, as compensation.
He accused the party of falsely projecting an image of resistance while secretly facilitating “tailor-made laws” for political mileage. He argued that the PPP’s reform claims were simply cosmetic, as the party had always worked behind the scenes to protect undemocratic laws for its own benefit.
He said PTI would continue to fight for constitutional supremacy, rule of law and true independence irrespective of the obstacles and challenges they faced.
No internal division
Furthermore, Waqas dismissed reports of internal divisions within the PTI’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter, saying the party remained a cohesive and unified force under the leadership of Imran Khan.
He stressed that the PTI founder was the only binding force holding the party together.
