PPP urges election commission to take notice of dc Sialkot’s transfer after by-election schedule announcement

Liaquat Ali

Islamabad: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) has written a letter to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), requesting it to take notice of the transfer of the Deputy Commissioner of Sialkot following the announcement of the by-election schedule.

According to the letter, sent by PPP Parliamentarians’ Secretary-General Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari, all institutions are bound by the Constitution of Pakistan and the Election Act to ensure free and fair elections. Bukhari stressed that the Election Commission is obligated to conduct transparent elections.

The letter highlighted that the notification for the by-election in constituency PP-52 Sialkot was issued on April 18, and the PPP candidate has also submitted nomination papers for the election.

Bukhari further stated that under the Election Act, 2017, no government officer can be appointed or transferred without the prior approval of the Election Commission once the election schedule has been announced. However, on April 26, the Punjab government appointed Saba Ali Asghar as Deputy Commissioner of Sialkot, ignoring the legal provisions.

The PPP has requested the Election Commission to take immediate notice of this violation of the Constitution and the Election Act by the Punjab government.