ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday responded to the criticism leveled against it by the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party in the wake of the recent Senate elections, saying it could not overlook the legal and constitutional requirements of the country while holding elections “to please anyone.”
Prime Minister Imran Khan had blamed the ECP on Thursday for “damaging democracy in the country” by holding Senate elections through secret ballot after one of his party candidates was defeated by an opposition alliance in a crucial contest on a general seat in Islamabad.
The outcome of the election was followed by demands for prime minister’s resignation since the opposition claimed that his administration had lost its majority in the National Assembly of Pakistan.
In an official statement issued on Friday, the ECP said it was an independent institution that always used legal and constitutional benchmarks while performing its duties.
“The election commission listens to everyone,” said the statement, “but fulfills its responsibilities within the legal and constitutional framework. It acts independently and takes decisions without getting under pressure to promote democracy among the people of Pakistan.”
The ECP criticized the government for only accepting favorable election outcomes while pointing out that “every individual and political party should have the ability to accept defeat.”
“Let us do our job,” added the statement, “and do not indulge in mudslinging against state institutions.”
Discussing the ECP’s statement in news conference, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry called the election commission’s “rebuttal” to the prime minister’s speech “inappropriate,” saying “it will be criticized.”
Chaudhry said that the government respected all institutions of the state and was willing to support them, but they should display “freedom and impartiality through their actions, not press releases.”
He reiterated the prime minister’s claim that the ECP could not hold fair and transparent Senate elections due to its refusal to make ballot papers traceable.
Khan had slammed the election commission for refusing to hold the Senate polls through open ballot during a Supreme Court hearing ahead of the elections.
The opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Sharif, however, defended the ECP during a media briefing, saying that the election commission was not presenting its personal stance on the matter in front of the court but explaining its constitutional position.
“The ECP’s position was also upheld by the apex court,” she noted
The PML-N leader condemned Prime Minister Imran Khan for “targeting” the election commission in his address to the nation, claiming that the PTI administration was trying to put it under pressure by making it “politically controversial.”
Election commission rejects PM Khan's accusations of partisanship
https://arab.news/8rs6y
Election commission rejects PM Khan's accusations of partisanship
- The commission issued a hard-hitting statement after Prime Minister Imran Khan criticized it for ‘damaging democracy’ in Pakistan
- The government calls the commission’s response ‘inappropriate’ while the opposition slams the PM for putting the ECP under pressure
Pakistan announces national Islamic scholarship competition focused on youth
- Contest invites books, essays, poetry in multiple languages, with awards for men and women
- Best entries to be published digitally and in print, submissions due by March 31
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Ministry of Religious Affairs on Wednesday announced a nationwide competition for books, poetry and academic papers focused on Islamic scholarship, as part of efforts to promote religious discourse addressing modern social challenges, particularly among younger generations.
The annual competition will cover works on Seerat — the biography and teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) — as well as Na’at, a traditional form of devotional poetry praising the Prophet, alongside broader Islamic research and literary contributions published in Pakistan and abroad.
“Ministry of Religious Affairs ... remains committed to addressing contemporary challenges through the guidance of the Seerat-e-Tayyaba (the life of the Prophet Muhammad), describing the national competition as an important step toward promoting Islamic teachings in society,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The initiative serves as an effective platform to encourage writers and researchers working on Seerat and Islamic subjects.”
For 2026, the ministry has set the central theme for Seerat research papers as “Protection, development and character-building of the younger generation in the light of the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).”
Officials said the focus aims to encourage scholarly engagement with issues such as ethics, social responsibility and education in a rapidly changing society.
The competition will award separate cash prizes and certificates to male and female writers at national and provincial levels, while selected research papers will be published in both digital and printed formats, the statement said.
According to the ministry, works published in national, regional and foreign languages will be eligible, with eight dedicated categories covering Seerat authors and Na’at poets. Separate categories have also been introduced for women writers, journals and magazines, expanding participation beyond individual book authors.
The ministry said the competition is intended to strengthen Islamic literary traditions while encouraging new voices to engage with religious subjects in a contemporary context.
The deadline for submission of books and research papers is March 31, 2026, it added.
