NA body recommends lifting ECP ban on recruitment

ISLAMABAD: The Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs Thursday expressed concern over imposition of ban on recruitment and development schemes by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and recommended lifting of the ban. Additional Secretary ECP briefed the committee regarding the imposition of ban on recruitment and development schemes. He informed that under Article 218(3) and 220 of the Constitution, the ECP imposed ban on recruitment and development schemes to prevent pre-poll rigging in the upcoming general elections.

He said that all kind of recruitment, except recruitment which made by the federal and provincial public service commissions, has been banned by the ECP. Representatives from all the provinces were of theview that notification regarding the ban should be issued in consultation with the federal and provincial governments. The representatives also showed apprehension on imposition of ban on recruitment.

Malik Ihtebar Khan, Sardar Ashiq Hussain Gopang, Nadeem Abbas Rabaira, Ch Salman Haneef Khan, Arifa Khalid Parvez, Belum Hasnain, Shazia Sobia, Nafeesa Inayatullah Khan Khattak and Naeema Kishwer Khan attended the meeting. The meeting was also attended by senior officers of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, ECP and representatives from the government of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The joint secretary of the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs briefed the Committee regarding the comprehensive report on implementation status of the previous recommendations of the committee. He informed that the ministry has compliance on the directions of the committee and also sent letters to the concerned department for implementation on the direction of the committee.

The committee considered “The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2017” moved by Naeema Kishwer Khan. After discussion, the committee recommended that the amendment proposed in Section 41 may be passed by the National Assembly.