PM Mulk pledges full support to ECP for polls

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Prime Minister Nasirul Mulk on Thursday pledged that full cooperation would be extended to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for the smooth conducting of polls scheduled for July 25.

PM Mulk met with Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Sardar Mohammad Raza at the Election Commission Secretariat in Islamabad. The two had a detailed discussion on the preparations for the upcoming general elections and the premier expressed satisfaction over the preparations made by ECP.

He further reassured Raza of absolute cooperation from the government. “Thanking the caretaker PM, the chief election commissioner said that the role of all the institutions is extremely crucial to holding free and fair elections so that with constitutional writ in place the expectations of people could be met and the election commission can duly perform its national and constitutional responsibility,” a press release issued by the ECP read.

PM Mulk headed the ECP session and was briefed regarding the preparations for the upcoming general elections by the ECP secretary. The PM and Raza both vowed that there will be no compromise on security during the upcoming elections.

Even after almost two weeks, the caretaker cabinet has not completed the legal requirement of declaring their assets.

Only the caretaker prime minister, Punjab chief minister and two ministers have filed the statement of assets with the ECP.

Section 230 of the Elections Act, 2017 stipulates “caretakers must submit statements of their assets and liabilities, and those of their spouses and children within three days of taking the oath”.

The ECP official said that the commission is likely to consider the matter on Wednesday and admonish those who have not declared their assets. Meanwhile, the caretaker prime minister in the assets statement submitted before the ECP declared that his family owns properties inside Pakistan and abroad.