ECP decides against removing Fawad Hasan Fawad as minister

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday threw out a petition seeking removal of caretaker Federal Minister for Privatization and Inter-Provincial Coordination Fawad Hasan Fawad from the interim cabinet, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

The plea was submitted in the ECP in October requesting for removal of “biased” ministers from the federal cabinet in order to ensure free, fair and transparent elections next year.

The ECP decision comes days after the Commission ordered the removal of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema from his post in the same case.

Fawad was principal secretary to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, while Cheema was an aide to Shehbaz Sharif when the latter was prime minister.

In the short order issued last week, the ECP had said the petitioner’s request for Cheema to be removed was “reasonable and is accepted” on the basis that the latter was a part of the previous government and could thus “influence the holding of free, fair and transparent elections” if he continued in his post. The ECP had directed that Cheema be removed from his position and ordered the Cabinet Division secretary to immediately issue the notification in this regard.

In its latest ruling on Thursday, the ECP pronounced its reserved verdict, stating that Fawad Hasan Fawad’s role could not exert influence on the elections. The commission noted that the respondent’s role as a minister for privatization did not have a significant impact on the electoral process.

The ECP maintained Fawad had previously held government positions, suggesting that the plea against him appeared to stem from a “personal vendetta”.

Reporter Usman Khan