ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s election regulator this week issued notices to Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar and two members of his cabinet, on a petition seeking the removal of the cabinet members on the grounds that they are “biased” for having served at key positions in previous governments.
Advocate Syed Aziz Uddin Kaka Khel filed the petition with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Sept. 29 against cabinet members Ahad Cheema and Fawad Hasan Fawad.
Cheema, who is serving as an adviser to the prime minister on Establishment, served at the same post during former prime minister Shehbaz Sharif’s tenure. Fawad, who is Pakistan’s caretaker privatization minister, has served as former principal secretary to ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).
“Both Ahad Cheema and Fawad Hassan Fawad have served at key positions in previous governments of the same party [Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz],” Kaka Khel told Arab News.
“Therefore, they cannot be considered as neutral caretakers to hold free and fair elections.”
As per law, the ECP can order the removal or replacement of any cabinet member to ensure free, fair and transparent elections. In August, the ECP directed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s caretaker chief minister to remove several ministers, assistants, and advisers for being actively involved in political activities.
The commission, which would hear the petition on Tuesday, issued notices to the caretaker prime minister and the two ministers regarding the petition on Saturday.
Kaka Khel said it was the election commission’s duty to remove the “biased” cabinet members at the earliest to ensure a level playing field, a euphemism for fair competition in elections, for all political parties.
“If these persons are not removed/replaced from such a key post, the very theme of the constitution and election laws will be struck down and abused,” Kaka Khel’s petition read.
The petition said Cheema and Fawad both enjoy “close ties and loyalties with ex-premier [Shehbaz Sharif].” It added that allowing them to “run the show” in a caretaker government squarely falls foul of the concept of neutrality and impartiality required of caretaker set-ups.
The petition urged the ECP to issue directions to the prime minister to remove the two cabinet members over their inclination toward one political party.
It said the election regulator should otherwise remove the prime minister for appointing the cabinet members.
The development comes a day after the ECP issued the election schedule for national polls to be held on Feb. 8.
Kakar’s caretaker government is running the country until the national election is held and a winning party can secure a parliamentary majority and select a new prime minister.
As it stands, questions surround the legitimacy of the election, whenever it is held, as former prime minister Imran Khan, the main opposition leader and arguably the country’s most popular politician, cannot fight this election.
Khan is currently jailed for three years after being convicted on graft charges and is barred from contesting any elections for five years.
