LAHORE: Information Secretary of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan, Ameerul Azeem, on Tuesday said that the JI had expressed its reservations in regard to the performance of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) but it had never criticized any EC office or officer by name.
Commenting on the statement of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sardar Raza Khan, he said the JI wanted the Election Commission to be fully independent and autonomous, with an impartial and permanent staff, and vested with the powers to monitor the polls and punish the violators so that the wealthy could not high-jack elections with the power of money.
The JI information Secretary said that all the elections since 1970 had been controversial and the term of rigging was commonly used in this regard both in the parliament and the courts. The results of the 2013 elections were also challenged almost by all political parties.
He however said that the Election Commission should also endeavour to secure maximum powers and autonomy and more resources to be able to hold free, fair and transparent polls.
He said no doubt, every government had tried to curtail the election Commissions powers instead of making the institution autonomous, to protect its political interests, but the Election Commission itself had also been content with ad hoc measures instead of exercising the available powers to come up to the public expectations.
