Pak Election Commission directs Khyber Pakhtunkhwa interim CM to “denotify” ministers “involved in politics”

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 1 (ANI): The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Monday asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) caretaker Chief Minister Muhammad Azam Khan to immediately “de-notify” ministers, advisers and special assistants “involved in politics,” Pakistan-based Geo News reported.

The ECP issued the directions in a letter sent by Secretary Omar Hamid Khan on behalf of the election organising authority to the interim chief minister. In the letter, the ECP informed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caretaker CM regarding Article 218(3) and the role the caretaker setup plays in holding elections.
In the letter, Omar Hamid Khan noted, “The caretaker government including cabinet members, advisers, special assistants and other relevant functionaries can only provide an objective environment if they do not involve themselves in politics and election campaigns in violation of provisions of Section 230 (1)(d) and 2(g) of the Elections Act, 2017,” according to Geo News reported.

The electoral watchdog said that it had found that some cabinet members were “appointed on the basis of political affiliations.” It also gave the example of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s former interim transport minister Shahid Khattak, who resigned after he was found involved in “political activities,” Geo News reported.

The ECP noted, “In view of the foregoing, the Election Commission has desired to request you while keeping the interim cabinet members at a minimum, to review the above said appointments (in light of the criteria as laid down in the above-said provisions of the Election Laws) and to de-notify such Ministers, Advisers and Special Assistants which are involved in politics immediately, so that free, fair and transparent elections are ensured for future,” Geo News reported.

Several parties have complained about the caretaker setup in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Most of the caretaker cabinet members are either affiliated with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) or their appointees, Geo News reported citing The News.

Last week, Shahid Khan Khattak submitted his resignation after he faced criticism when he addressed a public meeting in Nowshera. The electoral watchdog asked Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s CM Khattak from his post.