ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) upheld its decision to impose bans on fresh appointments in government departments and the diversion of development funds.

The commission in its meeting on Friday reviewed requests filed by the government for lifting the ban on recruitment and diversion of development funds.

Chief Election Commissioner Fakhurdin G Ebrahim chaired the meeting. After detailed deliberations, the ECP resolved that the ban on all recruitments and diversion of funds will continue.

It was resolved that some requests for granting permission to make recruitments were genuine and required sympathetic consideration.

The Commission directed that all vacancies which had been advertised on or before August 31 last year were outside its purview and may be filled, in accordance with the rules applicable to such appointments purely on merit.

It directed that institutions set up under the Constitution were exempted from the ban. Requests from Ministries, Divisions, Departments or Institutions of the federal government or any department or institution of any provincial or local government, including health and education departments, will be considered on a case-to-case basis by ECP.

Development projects already in progress may continue without interruption where no diversion of funds is required. Requests from foreign donors’ to divert funds from one project to another will be considered by the ECP on a case-to-case basis.

Diversion of funds in respect of projects of strategic importance will also be considered. No funds will be diverted from an ongoing project to a new or existing development project in any constituency.