CEC Sikandar Sultan has not yet accepted the secretary\u2019s resignation, say sources
\nISLAMABAD
\nElection Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Omar Hamid Khan stepped down from his post citing health issues, sources told Geo News on Sunday.
\nThe sources revealed that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan has not yet accepted Khan\u2019s resignation as the electoral body\u2019s secretary.
\nThe development comes just a few weeks before the general elections scheduled to take place on February 8 amid allegations of lack of level playing field by key political players including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
\nEarlier today, ECP Special Secretary Dr Syed Asif Hussain rejected the PTI\u2019s allegation that it was not being provided a level playing field to partake in election-related activities
\nIn a written response submitted to the Supreme Court on PTI\u2019s plea seeking contempt proceedings against the electoral body, the ECP asked the apex court to \u201cdismiss the contempt petition with a cost\u201d.
\nThe PTI\u2019s petition sought contempt of court proceedings against the ECP secretary, inspector generals of police (IGPs), chief secretaries of the four provinces and secretary of interior ministry for \u201cnon-compliance\u201d of SC order passed on December 22, 2023.
\nECP secy on \u2018medical rest\u2019
\nWith rumour mills continuously churning to create doubts regarding the timely conduct of February 8 polls, the election commission issued a clarification for the sudden development.
\n\u201cECP Secretary Omar Hamid Khan is an intelligent and hardworking officer, who is performing his duties with diligence. He is currently on medical rest due to some health issues. He will return to his duties immediately after his health recovery,\u201d the ECP spokesperson said in a statement issued soon after the secretary\u2019s resignation.
\n\u201cSpecial Secretary [Dr Syed Asif Hussain] is fulfilling [election-related] tasks in the absence of the secretary,\u201d he added.
\nAddressing queries regarding forthcoming general elections, the commission clarified once again that the top electoral body was fully functional and facing no hurdles in performing its tasks.
\nIt added that all ECP offices were functional even in the holidays ahead of the general polls.
\nMeanwhile, caretaker Federal Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs Murtaza Solangi also refuted rumours surrounding the alleged resignation of the commission\u2019s secretary.
\nHe said in a statement that people must avoid paying attention to the rumours.\u201cKhan is currently ill and we pray for his early health recovery,\u201d he added.
\nThe minister further clarified that the top electoral body was not facing any kind of crisis and fully functional to complete preparations for the forthcoming February 8 polls.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CEC Sikandar Sultan has not yet accepted the secretary\u2019s resignation, say sources ISLAMABAD Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) Secretary Omar Hamid Khan stepped down from his post citing health issues, sources told Geo News on Sunday. The sources revealed that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan has not yet accepted Khan\u2019s resignation as the electoral […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":379309,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-379294","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n