Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja has accused the federal government of attempting to sabotage Islamabad’s local government elections by withholding staff, while vowing the Dec 20 polls will go ahead as scheduled. The ECP also warned officials over alleged NA-77 by-election violations
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Raja says Centre’s refusal to provide teachers for polling staff threatens electoral process
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CEC insists polls will be held as scheduled despite alleged government interference
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ECP warns ministers, PML-N MPAs and Gujranwala DC over alleged code violations in NA-77 by-election
ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja on Thursday made it clear that local government elections in Islamabad would be held as scheduled, accusing the federal government of attempting to “sabotage” the polls by refusing to provide staff for the electoral exercise.
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has scheduled the local government elections in the federal capital for Dec 20, nearly five years after the previous local government’s term expired in February 2021. The commission was required to hold the elections within 120 days of the expiry of the term. However, the federal government and the ECP have spent the intervening years carrying out delimitations and announcing election schedules, only to postpone the polls subsequently.
The CEC made these remarks while heading a three-member bench hearing a case concerning alleged violations of the electoral code of conduct during the NA-77 by-election.
During the proceedings, he said the federal government had ordered that teachers should not be assigned duties for the Islamabad local government elections.
“Where will the ECP bring staff from?” Raja asked.
It may be recalled that Raja continues to serve as CEC under the 26th Amendment, although his constitutionally mandated five-year term expired on Jan 26, 2025.
He said the commission issued directions to the prime minister and the government, but the government did not respond to its directions.
Taking notice of the Centre’s order, he alleged: “The federal government wants to sabotage the Islamabad local government elections.”
“I make it clear that local government elections will be held in Islamabad,” Raja asserted.
During the hearing, ECP Secretary Omar Hamid recalled that a candidate of the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) had submitted an application to the district returning officer, alleging that Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and Farooq Tarar had visited the NA-77 constituency.
Special Secretary Zafar Iqbal said the application alleged that the information minister had visited the constituency in violation of the code of conduct.
‘TARAR CAN BE SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR VIOLATING COD’
“Attaullah Tarar can be sentenced to two years for violation of the code of conduct. The [ECP] should take strict action. MNAs and ministers holding office kept roaming in the constituency,” he said.
The CEC asked where the information minister was, noting that he had been summoned in his personal capacity.
Tarar’s counsel, Sajeel Swati, said the minister was currently on an official foreign visit, accompanying the prime minister to Türkiye.
“These are serious allegations. The Commission is held in great respect,” the counsel said.
CEC Raja remarked that the information minister had only “had to do media coverage on the visit; what else was he to do”.
The CEC also took up the case of PML-N MPA and office-bearer Asma Naz, telling her that she had repeatedly moved around inside a polling station.
“Your position as MPA can go. Such tactics do not increase votes; they decrease them. You are smiling; it seems you have no remorse. A notice of contempt of the [ECP] can be issued to you,” he warned.
MPA Qudsia Batool, who was also accused of violating the election code, said she had been in her car and was about to leave when the video was recorded.
The Gujranwala deputy commissioner also appeared before the commission and said his office had no information about Tarar’s visit to the constituency.
The CEC observed that the minister had arrived by helicopter and that a helipad must have been prepared for the landing.
“How are you a DC that you do not even know that a minister is coming?” he asked.
The DC replied that the helicopter had landed in the cantonment, which did not fall within his jurisdiction. The CEC questioned whether the DC was unaware of his powers in the cantonment, telling him: “Go and read the law. We have also held these offices.”
Raja said a fact-finding inquiry had been conducted into the alleged violation of the code of conduct during the by-election, and a copy of the report would be provided to all concerned.
“You will all be given that order. You respond to the report; the commission will pass an appropriate order against you, DC. Action will be taken against all three, the DC, the [returning officer] and the [district monitoring officer],” he said.
On the request of Tarar’s counsel, the CEC granted him 10 days to respond, saying: “On the next hearing, all members will appear in person.”
The hearing was adjourned until Dec 1.