ISLAMABAD: The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) has fired ECP’s spokesperson for his statement about ECP’s possible line of action as per law and constitution in case the two provincial assemblies are dissolved, as announced by Chairman PTI Imran Khan in his November 26 Rawalpindi public gathering.
Also read: ECP denies issuing any statement about countrywide by-elections
PTI Chairman Imran Khan on November 26 had announced not to remain the part of current system anymore and decided to quit from all provincial assemblies at a date to be announced later with the consultation of parliamentary parties.
When approached by a few journalists to react over the possible scenario if the assemblies were dissolved, the ECP spokesperson Haroon Shinwari was quoted as saying “we will hold by-elections on the vacant seats if PTI MPAs resign from the assemblies.”
TV channels even quoted the ECP spokesperson as saying that cost of holding election in an provincial constituency would stand between Rs50 million to Rs70 million, and that the total cost of elections for Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies would stand around Rs22 billion.
However, on the same day, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) denied issuing any statement to media about holding by polls in case of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) quitting the assemblies.
Also read: 64% vacant PA seats will pave way for general elections: Fawad Chaudhry
ECP spokesperson Shinwari had said “although it is difficult to hold provincial elections and national elections in the same year, we are bound by the law.”
He was later served a show cause notice for issuing a statement regarding holding by-elections in the provinces of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in case of dissolution of assemblies without the consent of the CEC.
Taking notice the other day, the CEC Sikander Sultan Raja expressed his displeasure at the spokesperson for issuing the ‘premature’ statement and not only sacked the ECP spokesperson but directed him to report to Establishment Wing.
The Chief Election Commissioner also stopped the commission’s media wing from giving unnecessary reactions to the political situation.
