Daska fiasco no action on ECP recommendation.

Byline: Malik Asad

ISLAMABAD -- The Establishment Division seems reluctant to implement the Election Commission of Pakistan's (ECP) landmark decision on the NA-75 (Daska) by-election controversy and instead wants the Punjab government to take action against the delinquent officers of the federal government.

The ECP on Feb 25 had declared the NA-75 Sialkot-IV (Daska) by-election null and void where the candidate of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Ali Asjad Malhi was contesting against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar and others.

According to the returning officer's report, presiding officers of at least 20 polling stations had tampered with the results. Deciding the complaint of Ms Iftikhar, the ECP declared the elections null and void and ordered re-polling on March 18.

The commission also issued an unprecedented order of summoning Inspector General of Police Inam Ghani and Punjab Chief Secretary Jawad Rafique Malik on March 4 over negligence in the Daska elections.

Official says instructions from PM Office awaited

In addition, the ECP ordered removal and posting of commissioner and regional police officer of Gujranwala Division and directed the Establishment Division to suspend Sialkot's Deputy Commissioner Zeeshan Javed Lashari, District Police Officer Hassan Asad Alvi and Assistant Commissioner of Daska Asif Hussain.

However, the Establishment Division is of the view that since these officers were working for the Punjab government, therefore, it should have been sent the reference.

The provincial government has reportedly suspended Assistant Commissioner Hussain, DSPs for Sambrial Zulfiqar Ali Virk and Daska Mohammad Ramzan Kamboh. However, the Establishment Division has not yet initiated action against the responsible officials of the federal government.

A senior official of the Punjab government said the Services and General Administration Department in compliance with the ECP's directive had suspended the officials of the provincial service. He, however, said the Establishment Division secretary was empowered to suspend and proceed against the officials nominated by the ECP.

According to Rule 18 of the Civil Servants (Efficiency and Discipline) Rules 2020, 'Where an authority determines to proceed against a civil servant who is on deputation to any other government, department, corporation, body corporate, autonomous or semi-autonomous body, statutory body or any other organisation or institution...