ECP rejects plea seeking Fawad Hasan Fawad's removal as caretaker minister

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday rejected a plea seeking the removal of Fawad Hasan Fawad, the caretaker federal minister for privatisation and minister for inter provincial coordination, from the post.

The ECP said the plea, which sought the removal of "biased ministers" from the caretaker government ahead of the general elections next year, appears to be a result of a personal grudge.

According to Geo News, the electoral body said that Fawad is the privatisation minister; therefore, he cannot influence the election process.

The ECP added that the minister has been serving in important positions in the past.

Advocate Syed Aziz Uddin Kaka Khel filed the petition with the ECP on September 29 against caretaker federal cabinet members Ahad Cheema and Fawad. While Cheema has been removed from his post, the latter's position remains intact.

Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar inducted the former bureaucrat into the interim cabinet on September 12. The appointment was also approved by President Arif Alvi under Article 224 (1A) on the advice of Premier Kakar.

During his career, Fawad held highly sensitive and important positions in Pakistan and abroad. Before his retirement, his last post was director general of the Civil Service Academy in Lahore.

He also served as principal secretary to the then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif as well as the Punjab chief minister. He also served as secretary to various offices including Excise and Taxation, Communication and Works, Health, and S&GAD with the Punjab government. He had also served as deputy commissioner Quetta and Lahore.

After Nawaz’s ouster from office and indictment in the Avenfield corruption case, Fawad was also arrested by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for his alleged involvement in the Rs14 billion Ashiana-e-Iqbal Housing Scheme scam in 2018. However, in February 2023 he was acquitted in the case.