ISLAMABAD: Senior leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Fawad Chaudhry has suggested that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should be dissolved, given its inability to hold elections.
His statement came in response to reports that the ECP submitted a report to the Supreme Court yesterday, highlighting the country’s deteriorating law and order and security situation, lack of funds, and inability to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, as ordered by the court.
Interestingly, the Supreme Court had only asked the ECP to submit a report on April 18 to confirm if it had received funds of Rs. 21 billion from the State Bank. In response, the ECP submitted an 8-page report, which covered security aspects, the need for a level playing field for elections held on the same day, and other related matters. However, the report failed to cite any constitutional provision to support its stance.
الیکشن کمیشن کے انتخابات کرانے سے معذوری کے بعد بحیثیت ادارہ الیکشن کمیشن برقرار رکھنے کا جواز ختم ہو جاتا ہے،الیکشن کمیشن کے ممبران اور ذمہ داران کی تنخواہیں فوری طور پر منجمد کر کے دفتر کو تالہ لگا دیا جانا چاہئے تا کہ وسائل کے ضیاع کو روکا جا سکے۔
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) April 19, 2023
Taking to Twitter on Wednesday, Fawad Chaudhry proposed that the salaries of the Election Commission members and officials be frozen immediately and the office be locked to prevent further waste of resources.”
According to the ECP spokesperson, the chief election commissioner was currently residing in a flat, and no money was spent on its renovation.