PM Imran once again suggests names for CEC post.

Byline: Sanaullah Khan

Prime Minister Imran Khan has once again suggested three names for the position of Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan, it emerged on Friday.

In a letter dated January 15 and addressed to PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, the prime minister suggested the names of former federal secretaries Jamil Ahmed, Fazal Abbas Maken and Sikandar Sultan Raja for the post.

The letter also stated that the latest suggestion is an attempt at having "meaningful and result-oriented consultation ... to resolve this long-standing issue".

The government and the opposition have been going back and forth on the issue since early 2019. Both sides have suggested a number of names for the post since then. All of those names have been objected upon by the other side.

On December 5, the Islamabad High Court had issued directions for parliament to resolve the deadlock over the appointment of members of the Election Commission of Pakistan within 10 days. That deadline has passed without any conflict resolution.

On December 6, 2019, retired Justice Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi took...