ECP blasts PTI for hurling accusations against CEC

Election watchdog advises former ruling party to focus on polls rather than accusing ECP for violating Constitution

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rebutted on Friday a statement of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) demanding that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja should be held accountable for delaying polls, saying PTI should focus on preparing for general elections instead of maligning ECP and CEC.

The ECP spokesperson’s statement has come on the heels of PTI spokesperson’s statement that CEC should be held accountable for his “criminal deviation” from the Constitution for not holding polls in the country within 90 days after the dissolution of the assemblies.

“It is better that the party chief should concentrate on the preparation of the general elections instead of making accusations on the election commissioner and the election commission,” ECP spokesperson stated.

His statement comes just a day after President Dr Arif Alvi and ECP unanimously decided that general elections would be held in Pakistan on February 8, 2024.

Though, CEC had previously refused to even meet the President, he reached presidency on Thursday on the instruction of Supreme Court to finalise the date for polls pending for months.

The ECP while referring to the statement of PTI spokesperson said that the statement “circulating in print and electronic media circles is baseless and contrary to the facts regarding the chief election commissioner in particular and the election commission in general.”

Read More: PTI withdraws contempt plea against CEC, others

It said that PTI should remember that during the by-elections on July 17 and on October 16, 2022, ECP’s neutrality was exemplary and it proved the transparency of the election by its actions, saying the transparency of the by-elections was appreciated at all levels back then.

“The said party [PTI] should also remember that the election commission and the chief election commissioner did not come under any pressure during their tenure and will not come under any pressure in the present or in the future,” the statement read.

The national poll body said that the ECP and CEC will continue to perform their duties only under the Constitution and law without any pressure and without fear or fervour.

“At a time when the date for the general elections has been agreed upon,” the ECP said, “such a statement is a failed attempt to spoil the atmosphere.”

Read More: CEC rebuffs ‘level playing field’ concerns

It maintained that a constitutional body like ECP cannot be suppressed by such high-handed tactics.

Remember, it continued, in the upcoming elections neither ECP nor its chief will come under the pressure of any party and ensure that the upcoming elections are conducted in a fair and transparent manner as per the Constitution and law.

On Thursday, PTI Central Information Secretary Raoof Hasan said that Supreme Court ordering CEC to meet the President to decide the date of elections was welcome, but not enough, demanding the apex court should hold the CEC accountable without delay for being the contemnor of the Constitution so as to put an end on the tradition of violation of the Constitution.

Hasan said that SC’s decision has put a stamp on Sikandar’s “criminal character”, who had earlier rejected the president’s invitation for meeting. However, he alleged that it was not enough because CEC had been guilty of violating the Constitution several times, making him “a criminal of the state as well as people of the country.”

Therefore, Raoof pleaded that if the top court did not punish the CEC, the tradition of violation of the Constitution would become a norm. “Sikandar Sultan is a contemnor of the Constitution four times over: He failed to hold by-elections to the vacant national assembly seats; he failed to hold elections for the dissolved provincial assemblies of Punjab and K-P; and he delayed the holding of national elections within 90 days of the dissolution of assembly,” he added.

Hasan contended that the chief election commissioner had knowingly and consciously violated the Constitution for which he had rendered himself liable to punishment as prescribed in the Constitution.

The PTI's information secretary said: “He [the CEC] also owes an apology twice over to the office of the President who is the Supreme Commander of the armed forces and a symbol of the federation, and to the whole nation whose right to vote as enshrined in the Constitution was denied to them.”