Daily Times

LAHORE: The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has written a a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), demanding replacement of Punjab Governor Rafiq Rajwana an all assistant returning officers (AROs) for “ensuring free, fair and transparent polls” scheduled for July 25, which would mark the second ever democratic transfer of power in the country.

The letter was written and dispatched to the ECP by PPP central Punjab General Secretary Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmad on the directives of party’s central leadership.

PPP central Punjab Secretary while addressing the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) in his letter reference number 2093-CPS-18 has put forth four demands, including replacement of the incumbent Punjab governor with a neutral and non-partisan and appointment civil judges as assistant returning officer (AROs).

“AROs have a sensitive duty to perform. Nominees from Education Department for the post of AROs cannot be acceptable. We request appointment of civil judges as AROs that will ensure impartiality and non-biasness,” the letter said.

In its third demand, the PPP has called for appointment of officers of federal departments as presiding officer. “Officers belonging to federal departments may kindly be appointed presiding officers.”

Last but not the least; the PPP has called for a major reshuffle in the bureaucracy. “there is a dire need to make bureaucratic changes from chief secretary to patwaris and inspector general to station house officer for ensuing free and fair elections. The desired changes should be applied and reciprocated in both provincial and federal setup. Head of departments and officers need to be replaced.”

In the letter, the PPP expressed hope that its recommendations would be taken seriously

to make ensure that the upcoming announced general elections are held in a transparent manner according to the real spirit of democracy.

Published in Daily Times, June 16^th 2018.