Punjab govt committed to transparent polls, SC told

In response to PTI's contempt plea against ECP, Punjab chief secretary submits detailed reply

ISLAMABAD:

The Punjab chief secretary on Saturday submitted a comprehensive reply to the Supreme Court in response to the PTI's contempt plea against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for allegedly violating the court's Dec 22 orders. In response, the chief secretary stated that the provincial government was commitment to ensuring peaceful, fair, and transparent elections.

"Six hundred CCTV cameras are set to be deployed at sensitive polling stations across 60 national and provincial constituencies. These cameras are equipped for night-time video recording, ensuring continuous surveillance for three days," he said. Besides, he said, 45 candidates, representing various political parties, had submitted their nomination papers in PP-43, with nine of them affiliated with the PTI within the same provincial constituency.

The reply submitted to the Supreme Court underscored that the ECP's directives had been disseminated to all district returning officers (DROs) for immediate implementation. Measures were also taken to ensure candidates could submit their nomination papers without fear, with strict actions against any disruptions to the process.

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“Under Article 220, deputy commissioners received instructions to collaborate fully with the ECP to facilitate peaceful and transparent elections.” Addressing Shoaib Shaheen's request, the Ministry of Interior issued directives, as per the ECP's letter. The local government's report from Punjab indicated an approval rate of 85% for the nomination papers.

Further, 1,195 PTI-affiliated candidates had submitted their nomination papers, as per reports from deputy commissioners.
He stated that the appeals against decisions made by the DROs were currently in progress. “No obstructions have been reported in approaching election tribunals thus far, with numerous steps taken to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.”

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Handbooks outlining election procedures have been distributed across all districts, emphasising equal footing for all candidates, as directed to the ROs. Scrutiny of all candidates' nomination papers was conducted without bias or discrimination, ensuring a fair process. In a recent application, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Khan petitioned for contempt proceedings to be launched against the electoral regulatory body due to its failure to comply with the Supreme Court's directives issued on Dec 22.

Tensions between the ECP and the PTI escalated in recent months, stemming from the commission's revocation of the party's symbol. The PTI raised concerns about the alleged plots aimed at seizing its electoral symbol and sidelining the party from the upcoming Feb 8 general elections. Further, significant figures within the party and its affiliated groups had been disqualified from participating in the electoral race, with approximately "90 per cent of key leaders' nominations" failing to pass the scrutiny process.