ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday appointed Justice Ghulam Dastagir Shahani of the Sindh High Court and Justice Jehan Zaib Rahim of the Peshawar High Court as members of the Election Commission with immediate effect.
The move is largely seen as an attempt by President Pervez Musharraf to address the objections raised by opposition parties about the alleged partiality in the commission. The appointment of the two remaining EC members from Sindh and the NWFP and reshuffling of the provincial governors are believed to be aimed at creating a level playing field of sorts, political analysts said.
Under the Election Commission Order, 2002, beside the Chief Election Commissioner, four members are to be drawn from among the judges of the respective high courts of the four provinces.
A law ministry notification said: “The President, in exercise of the powers conferred by Article 218 (2) (b) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, has made the appointments.”
The EC has been functioning without representation from Sindh and the NWFP for the last over one year. And had the elections not been postponed until Feb 28, an “under represented” Election Commission would have conducted the polls. However, Election Commission secretary Kanwar Mohammad Dilshad does not agree with it.
Talking to Dawn on Saturday, he said the commission was constitutional with the chairman and two members. He pointed out that the 1973 Constitution provided for only two members.
He said the number of EC members was increased to four after General Ziaul Haq took over as president in 1977. He said the number was again reduced to two, with the revival of the Constitution in 1985, only to be reverted to four by General Musharraf through an executive order in 2002.
