ECP versus the caretakers

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) exclusively focused on ensuring free, fair and transparent elections had directed the Caretakers not to allow diversion of funds from the budgeted allocations as it may be construed as pre-poll rigging and to dismiss or remove all those appointed with partisan leanings in a position to manipulate the elections.
While the caretakers mandate is also to ensure that elections are held in a free and fair manner yet the state of the economy as well as the security situation prevailing in the country on 25 March when Khoso took oath as the caretaker Prime Minister required him to take measures that may be deemed to be over and above the caretakers mandate by some to ensure that their impartiality is not brought in question.
There are two major decisions with major financial implications on the common man that have been taken by the caretakers recently. First and foremost in an attempt to ensure that load shedding is minimised to forestall the expected public show of anger against load shedding, the caretakers have already diverted billions of rupees to Pakistan State Oil (PSO) to enable it to procure the fuel necessary to allow the power sector to operate at 100 percent operational capacity. This implies that the associated reforms notably compelling federal and provincial governments/ministries/departments to clear their energy bills, eliminate private sector's non-clearance of dues/theft and improve governance thereby ensuring that there is sufficient liquidity for PSO to pay for fuel imports has been left to the next government.
The second directive of the ECP was to ensure that all those with partisan leanings are dismissed. The courts have already given directions to remove some key officials in some provinces though their directives have not yet been implemented entirely specially with reference to Sindh.
There is little doubt that the ECP had been issuing directives based on the concerns as voiced by contesting candidates while the caretakers have to take note of other factors that may impact on the voting patterns notably the state of security and the threats to the coalition partners who recently completed their constitutional term namely PPP, MQM and ANP as well as load shedding that could disrupt elections if mobs in various parts of the country get violent as they have done in previous years. The constitution is silent on the responsibility that devolves on the caretakers other than holding free and fair elections but there is a need to further refine their role in the event of a crisis in some sectors as is clearly a requirement today.