Daily Times

Supreme Court Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Monday administered oath of the office to Jalal Sikandar Sultan as chief election commissioner at a simple but dignified ceremony.

Judges of the Supreme Court, attorney general for Pakistan, officers of Election Commission of Pakistan, Federal Judicial Academy, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, prominent lawyers and law officers also attended the ceremony.

Supreme Court registrar conducted the proceedings of oath taking ceremony. Officers and staff of the Supreme Court were also present on the occasion.

The Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs had notified Sikandar, a former bureaucrat, as the chief election commissioner on Friday for a five-year term.

Moreover, oath taking ceremony of the two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) was scheduled to be held at the ECP head office in Islamabad. Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan was to administer oath to Nasir Durrani and Shah Jatoi as members of the ECP from Sindh and Balochistan provinces respectively.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad High Court on Monday dismissed a petition regarding appointment of CEC and two members of ECP after the government’s reply about appointments. The federal government in its reply informed the high court that the government and the opposition have agreed over the names of the CEC and two members of the ECP.

Petitioner Mohsin Ranjha during the hearing said the credit goes to the court. “The credit goes to the people of Pakistan,” Chief Justice Athar Minallah responded. “The parliament is supreme institution, which comprises representatives of the people. A strong parliament will make Pakistan strong,” the top judge remarked. The court on January 15 had granted 10 days to the government to finalise the ECP appointments.