ECP removes ban on government job appointments

ECP also orders replacement of Punjab and Sindh chief secretaries.

The Election commission of Pakistan (ECP) removed the restriction on job appointments by the government on Thursday, Express News reported.

According to ECP Additional Secretary Afzal Khan, the restriction was now removed because the ECP had "full faith" in the new caretaker government, adding that the commission believed that all appointments would be made on merit.

Earlier, the ECP had revoked appointments in all the ministries of the country to prevent people taking advantage of political benefits.

A number of appointments were revoked although several departments had already conducted tests and interviews for the job, all of which were immediately frozen.

The ECP had also placed a ban on announcements of development schemes to make arrangements for free and fair elections. The development schemes ban is still in place.

The commission had said that announcement of new jobs and development schemes with the elections around the corner were tantamount to pre-poll rigging.

Punjab, Sindh chief secretaries to be replaced

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday directed the Establishment Division to replace chief secretaries of Sindh and Punjab.

The ECP, in its directive, ordered the Establishment Divison to replace Chief Secretary Sindh Raja Muhammad Abbas, with Nasir Mehmood Khan Khosa, presently Punjab Chief Secretary.

It further directed appointment of Federal Secretary Education and Training Division Qamaruz Zaman as Punjab Chief Secretary.

The ECP directed the Establishment Division to implement the orders forthwith.