The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Tuesday suspended all local government functionaries across the country till July 25 to ensure free and fair general election. "All local government functionaries shall remain suspended till July 25, 2018," the ECP said in a notification. "The provincial governments shall ensure that the usual functions of sanitation and cleanliness may not affect during the period of suspension," it said.
The Election Commission said that it is its constitutional duty to organize and conduct elections in terms of Article 218 of the Constitution and to make such arrangements as are necessary to ensure that the election is conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law and that corrupt practices are guarded against.
The suspended local governments' functionaries include all mayors, deputy mayors, chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of all local government bodies across the country.
Moreover, the suspended local bodies' officials include the chiefs of the cantonment boards across the country as well. The Commission had earlier transferred civil servants across the country in order to ensure that no bureaucrat is able to exert influence during the pre-poll and poll process.