Omar back as ECP secretary

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Thursday accepted the resignation of Secretary Dr Syed Asif Hussain and re-appointed ex-secretary Omar Hamid Khan as the Secretary of the Commission. 

According to a notification issued by the ECP, the resignation of Asif Hussain of Grade-22 officer has been accepted as secretary of the Election Commission and Omar Hamid, a Secretariat Group retired officer of Grade-22 , has been appointed as secretary.

Omar Hamid had previously served as secretary of the Election Commission but had to bow out on account of health issues in January this year.

The notification states that Omar Hamid has been appointed as secretary of the Election Commission for a period of two years, he has been appointed on contract basis in public interest.

“…the Chief Election Commissioner has been pleased to re-employee Mr Omar Hamid Khan, a retired BS-22 officer of the Secretariat Group as secretary, BS-22 with immediate effect for a period of two years in public interest on the standard terms and conditions of contract appointment offered and accepted,” the notification says.

Syed Asif Hussain was given additional responsibilities of secretary after Omar Hamid had resigned on heath grounds. It is pertinent that Dr Asif has now also stepped down on the basis of same reasons, as mentioned in the notification, regarding his resignation.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission Thursday reserved its verdict on the Muttahida Qaumi movement (MQM) reserved seat case, involving a non-Muslim candidate.

A three-member bench of the Election Commission, headed by Nisar Durrani heard the case. MQM and Mohan Manjiani’s lawyers appeared during the hearing before the forum. During the arguments of the parties, the members of the Election Commission remarked that the arguments have been completed in the previous hearings, now there is no need for further arguments.

Nisar Durrani, member of the commission from Sindh, who heads the bench, observed that the bench had been enlarged after difference of views of both members of the previous two-member bench.