Change of office: Justice Shakirullah named acting CEC

Oath of office to be admini­stered on March 24 by chief justic­e of Pakist­an.

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry on Thursday nominated Justice Shakirullah Jan as the acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), according to a press release issued by the Supreme Court (SC).

The incumbent CEC Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza will be retiring today.

“The oath of office will be administered to him by the chief justice of Pakistan on March 24,” the press release said. Shakirullah Jan was named the acting CEC under article 217 of the Constitution. The chief justice said that the acting CEC would be automatically removed after the appointment of a new chief election commissioner.

Meanwhile, Hamid Ali Mirza, the outgoing CEC, paid a farewell call on President Asif Ali Zardari at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The president appreciated his meritorious services, spanning around four decades, in the dispensation of justice and lauded his contributions towards making the electoral process transparent and credible. He labelled the first ever five-year strategic plan of the Election Commission of Pakistan under his tenure a milestone in strengthening the electoral process.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 23^rd, 2012.