No ‘external pressure’ for action against Waheeda: ECP

Dispels speculation that SC had pressed the ECP into imposing the ban, cancelling by-poll results.

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has dispelled reports that the decision to bar Pakistan Peoples Party’s Waheeda Shah from contesting elections for two years was taken under external pressure.

On Wednesday, the ECP had imposed the ban and cancelled the results of the Tando Muhammad Khan by-polls during which Shah was caught on tape slapping a polling staffer. The Supreme Court, subsequently, took suo motu notice of the incident.

“All actions were taken by the ECP on its own and without any external pressure,” said an official statement issued by the ECP on Friday, rejecting media speculation that the commission was under pressure from the SC.

The statement read that it is a matter of record that the ECP came into action the moment the incident came to its knowledge.

“The incident attracted the attention of three ECP members – Justices (retd) Riaz Kayani, Shahzad Akbar Khan and Fazlur Rehman. They immediately contacted the ECP secretary and asked him to direct the relevant district returning officer and returning officer, through the election commissioner of Sindh,” the statement said.

It further stated that as February 26 was a Sunday, the three members met at the head office in Islamabad on February 27 and perused reports received by the provincial election commissioner, district returning officer and returning officer. They directed the returning officer to take immediate notice of the matter, hold an inquiry, hear versions of all parties and pass orders within seven days.

The statement further stated that official results of the by-elections were also ordered to be withheld until the inquiry was completed. The same day, Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Hamid Ali Mirza and Justice (retd) Mohammad Roshan Essani directed that an FIR be registered against Shah.

The CJP, it added, took notice of the incident on February 29 on the application of Anita Turab, an officer of the District Management Group, and fixed the matter for hearing on March 2.

Representatives of the ECP also appeared before the court and apprised it of action taken by the commission.

The statement also states that, on a complaint filed on February 27 by another contesting candidate Mushtaq Ali Talpur, notices were issued to parties to appear before the commission on March 6 in Islamabad.

Harsh round of criticism

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUIF) General Secretary and opposition leader in Senate Maulana Abdul Ghaffor Haideri criticised the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday saying that it has failed to implement laws regarding elections.

Addressing a public meeting in Khazana area of Peshawar, Haideri said that those sitting in parliament do not meet the criterion enshrined in constitution, He said that ECP silently approves nomination papers of dacoits, thieves and murders, and allows them to contest elections.

“If the ECP had implemented laws in letter and spirit, then pious people would have been sitting in parliament and Islam system have been the governing  law of the country”, he  remarked

Haideri added that “institutions should refrain from interfering in the upcoming elections”.

Criticising the current government, he said political parties should endeavor to prevent the democratic process from derailment but they should also review their poor performance. (With additional reporting by our correspondent in Peshawar)

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2012.