ISLAMABAD: Following the culmination of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja’s tenure on January 26, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday demanded the government to immediately appoint a credible, impartial, and neutral CEC, in consultation with the opposition.
“This appointment should be made in consultation with PTI to restore the severely damaged integrity of the electoral body and to guarantee the functioning of democratic process,” said PTI spokesman Sheikh Waqas Akram.
He asserted that the outgoing CEC’s dark era left an indelible mark on the country’s electoral landscape, therefore it was incumbent upon the government to ensure the timely and a consensus CEC and other members of the commission to shield the institution from further destruction.
He said that the outgoing CEC’s tenure severely damaged the reputation of the ECP and allowing him to continue in the position would be a gross injustice, not only to the institution but also to the nation.
He emphasised that his controversial tenure has had far-reaching and detrimental consequences for Pakistan’s democratic processes, adding that the government should appoint impartial and competent individual through a transparent and consultative process, as mandated by the Constitution to restore the ECP’s credibility and integrity.
He recalled that the Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Omar Ayub and the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate Shibli Faraz had already written letters to the Speaker of the National Assembly and the Chairman of the Senate, respectively for the immediate appointment of a new CEC.
He urged the government to constitute a parliamentary committee without any delay to oversee the appointments, as stipulated in Article 213 of the Constitution.
He noted that the appointment of an impartial and credible person as a new CEC would be the first step towards healing the wounds inflicted on Pakistan’s democracy and rebuilding nation’s trust on the electoral watchdog.
Akram warned that the inordinate delay in this crucial appointment could trigger a constitutional crisis and further erode public trust in the democratic system, as the Supreme Court also exposed the CEC’s biasness and partiality in the detailed judgment of Adil Bazai disqualification case.
He emphasised that PTI would not accept Raja in the position for even a day as he severely damaged the ECP’s credibility during his controversial tenure.
Meanwhile, he dismissed the reports of internal rifts within the PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, emphasising that the party remained a cohesive and unified force under the leadership of Imran Khan.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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