Achakzai urges PM to appoint new chief election commissioner

National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to initiate

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly Opposition Leader Mahmood Khan Achakzai has urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to initiate the process of appointing a new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and fill the vacant positions of two Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) members from Sindh and Balochistan.

Achakzai made the request in a letter addressed to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on August 10. The opposition leader, who also heads the Tehreek Tahafuz Ayeen-i-Pakistan (TTAP) and serves as chairman of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, asked the premier to give immediate attention to what he described as an important constitutional responsibility concerning the composition of the country’s electoral watchdog.

According to Achakzai, the official terms of the Chief Election Commissioner and the ECP members representing Sindh and Balochistan expired on January 26, 2025. He stressed that the vacant positions should be filled without further delay to ensure the commission continues to function effectively.

The opposition leader argued that the timely appointment of officials to these constitutional positions was essential for maintaining the ECP’s operational continuity, institutional independence and credibility.

In his communication, Achakzai referred to relevant provisions of the Constitution that outline the procedure for appointing the Chief Election Commissioner and members of the Election Commission.

He cited Article 213(2A) under which the prime minister is required to consult the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly before forwarding three candidates for the post of CEC to a parliamentary committee. The committee then considers the proposed names before making the appointment through the constitutional process.

Achakzai also referred to Article 218(2)(b), arguing that the appointment of ECP members from the provinces is subject to the same constitutional principle of consultation between the prime minister and the opposition leader.

The opposition leader consequently called on Prime Minister Shehbaz to hold a formal meeting with him so that both sides could consult and agree on suitable candidates for the vacant constitutional positions.

The demand comes against the backdrop of a prolonged delay in completing the composition of the electoral body.

It is worth recalling that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had previously invited former National Assembly Opposition Leader Omar Ayub for consultations regarding the appointment of a new Chief Election Commissioner. The invitation was extended in June last year as part of the constitutional process for filling the position.

However, the parliamentary situation subsequently changed after the National Assembly removed Omar Ayub and several other Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed leaders from important parliamentary positions. The move followed their disqualification by the Election Commission of Pakistan in connection with the May 9 cases in August last year.

As a result, the consultation process concerning appointments to key positions within the ECP remained stalled.

Achakzai’s latest letter has brought renewed attention to the issue, with the opposition leader emphasising that the vacant positions should be filled through the constitutional procedure and without further delay.

The appointment of a CEC and provincial ECP members is considered crucial for ensuring the electoral watchdog remains fully functional and retains public confidence. Achakzai has therefore sought an immediate consultation process with the prime minister to resolve the matter and complete the appointments in accordance with the Constitution.