The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has strongly denied recent allegations regarding a meeting between Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja and Speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Malik Ahmad Khan. In an official press release, the ECP called the accusations “baseless and misleading” and said the meeting was being wrongly portrayed for political purposes.
According to the ECP spokesperson, such interactions are constitutional and routine. The statement emphasized that the CEC and commission members take decisions strictly in line with the Constitution and election laws, adding that the institution operates independently and does not succumb to any form of pressure or blackmail.
The spokesperson further clarified that this was not the first time the CEC had met with political or constitutional figures. “In the past, meetings were also held with former President Arif Alvi and senior PTI leadership in a similar context,” the statement noted.
Responding to a separate claim by Sahibzada Hamid Raza, the ECP dismissed his allegation that he was not recognized as a candidate of the Sunni Ittehad Council. The Commission explained that he neither submitted a party ticket nor provided legal proof of the party’s status. As a result, he was rightly categorized as an independent candidate under existing rules.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to neutrality and transparency, urging political actors not to misinterpret standard procedural engagements for their own narratives.