ISLAMABAD: Less than two months before the retirement of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja, the position of the ECP spokesperson has been reshuffled yet again-for the sixth time in over a year-with the appointment of a new spokesman.

In over a year, Haroon Shinwari, Nadeem Haider, Hamid Raza Wattoo, Nighat Siddique and Duriya Aamir were the officers who served as Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) spokespersons before the appointment of Nazar Abbas on this position earlier on Thursday, announced on Friday.

The trend of frequent reshuffle at the ECP spokesperson position has raised eyebrows in the media circles.

Reports indicate that the outgoing CEC has remained “perturbed” over the media coverage related to the ECP, especially in the aftermath of 8 February general elections that saw allegations of unprecedented rigging.

Moreover, the media reports highlighting the ECP’s failure in holding local government elections in Punjab and Islamabad, and media reports about electoral body’s handling of the matters related to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have also not gone down well with the CEC, it is learnt.

CEC Raja is going to compete his five-year term at the ECP on 27 January 2025.

Abbas, the new Spokesperson, also holds the position of Additional Director General (Media Coordination and Outreach) at the ECP.

He previously served as Regional Election Commissioner (REC) Rawalpindi, besides serving on other field and staff positions, it is learnt.

Abbas has replaced Duriya Aamir, an officer from the Information Group, who has been appointed in the ECP as Public Relations Officer (PRO) for a three-year period on deputation basis since 4 December last year.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024