ECP Rejects ‘Baseless Allegations’ from Individuals and Groups

Islamabad: The Election Commission of Pakistan has responded to allegations against it, the Chief Election Commissioner, and ECP members, dismissing them as baseless claims made by certain individuals and interest groups.

According to Radio Pakistan, the ECP Spokesperson stated that these allegations are intended to spread misleading information. The Spokesperson emphasized that the ECP, the Chief Election Commissioner, and Commission members make all decisions strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law, free from personal interests or external pressures. The Election Commission remains uninfluenced by coercion or undue influence.

The Spokesperson addressed recent comments regarding a meeting between the Chief Election Commissioner and the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, clarifying that such meetings are not unusual for constitutional and administrative officers. The Chief Election Commissioner has previously engaged with former President Arif Alvi on matters like Electronic Voting Machines and Internet Voting, which were outside the President’s constitutional scope. Meetings have also occurred with leaders from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, including Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Asad Umar, Pervez Khattak, and Mahmood Khan, as well as with former Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar on official matters. Routine engagements between Election Commission members and other officials are part of their responsibilities, and any portrayal of these meetings as propaganda is incorrect.

The Spokesperson further stated that no ECP official has met with any individual or political figure for personal matters. Political leaders and parties engaging with the Election Commission on official issues is a standard practice.

Regarding Sahibzada Muhammad Hamid Raza’s recent allegation, the Spokesperson clarified the facts. Raza claimed the Returning Officer did not declare him as a candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council. However, his nomination papers indicated affiliation with the “Sunni Ittehad Council Alliance PTI,” but neither PTI nor Sunni Ittehad Council applied for alliance recognition or a common election symbol. Raza’s papers showed affiliation with PTI-N without an attached party ticket, resulting in him receiving the “Minar” symbol as an independent candidate, in accordance with the law.

The Spokesperson noted that if Raza’s claim were genuine, he would have submitted his party’s ticket with his nomination papers. Additionally, when the Election Commission inquired about female candidates from the Sunni Ittehad Council, Raza confirmed in writing that no candidates contested under its ticket for the 2024 General Election, making the submission of a female candidates list irrelevant.