The Election Commission of Pakistan on Thursday rejected a petition seeking the removal of caretaker Federal Minister for Privatisation and Inter-Provincial Coordination Fawad Hasan Fawad from the caretaker cabinet, deciding that the official would remain in his position.
The petition was filed in October seeking the removal of “biased” members of the federal cabinet to ensure the conduct of free, fair and transparent general elections in February next year.
The verdict of the electoral watchdog comes days after the ECP ordered the removal of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema from his post in the same case.
On Thursday, the ECP pronounced its reserved verdit, stating that Fawad’s role could not exert influence on the elections.
The watchdog noted that the respondent’s role as a minister for privatisation did not have a significant impact on the electoral process.
The ECP said the arguments of the petitioner were not supported by any evidence and he did not convince the bench regarding interference of the respondent in the ongoing election process.
“The matter cannot be decided in favour of the petitioner on the basis of apprehensions,” it said. “Civil Servants are liable to serve in any field assigned to them during their service and this fact does not prove that the civil servants have political affiliations.”
