PTI raises objection over ECP chief's vehicle, seeks details of his assets

Published October 24, 2017
CEC uses 4,800cc vehicle worth Rs50m while he is entitled to use only a 1600cc vehicle, says Fawad Chaudhary. —DawnNews
CEC uses 4,800cc vehicle worth Rs50m while he is entitled to use only a 1600cc vehicle, says Fawad Chaudhary. —DawnNews

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday repeated its allegation that the chief election commissioner (CEC) was using a 4,800cc vehicle worth Rs50 million despite being entitled to only a 1,600cc vehicle, DawnNews reported.

In a letter submitted to the Cabinet Division, PTI's Central Spokesperson Fawad Chaudhary asked the division's secretary to furnish details of the assets of CEC retired Justice Sardar Mohammad Raza, his children and spouse, within 15 days under the Right to Information Act.

"I, as a citizen of Pakistan, have the right to know that under what law chief election commissioner has been authorised to use such a luxury vehicle?" read the letter.

The PTI spokesperson had previously raised the issue as well, to which the Election Commission of Pakistan had said that Chaudhary was levelling such allegations because the CEC had refused to fulfil his demand of meeting him in person.

The statement issued by the ECP termed the allegations as baseless and ill-intended, and warned that legal action will be taken if the allegations are repeated.

However, it had fallen short of clarifying whether the vehicle in question was actually in the CEC's use against the prescribed rules. When contacted by Dawn.com on Tuesday, the ECP spokesman declined to comment further, standing by its press release from October 19.

Earlier today, while speaking to the media after the ECP allowed Ayesha Gulalai to remain an MNA, Chaudhary said: "Her occupation of this seat violates the rights of those women in the party who are involved in a political struggle."

He also brought up the issue of the CEC's SUV, while admitting that he did request for a meeting with the ECP chief and he was entitled to it.

Chaudhary also questioned why the ECP office was closed for the journalists and political workers.

"They check the assets of all parliamentarians but when you ask about their assets, they say it is contempt."

Opinion

Editorial

Plugging the gap
06 May, 2024

Plugging the gap

IN Pakistan, bias begins at birth for the girl child as discriminatory norms, orthodox attitudes and poverty impede...
Terrains of dread
Updated 06 May, 2024

Terrains of dread

Restored faith in the police is unachievable without political commitment and interprovincial support.
Appointment rules
06 May, 2024

Appointment rules

IT appears that, despite years of wrangling over the issue, the country’s top legal minds remain unable to decide...
Hasty transition
Updated 05 May, 2024

Hasty transition

Ostensibly, the aim is to exert greater control over social media and to gain more power to crack down on activists, dissidents and journalists.
One small step…
05 May, 2024

One small step…

THERE is some good news for the nation from the heavens above. On Friday, Pakistan managed to dispatch a lunar...
Not out of the woods
05 May, 2024

Not out of the woods

PAKISTAN’S economic vitals might be showing some signs of improvement, but the country is not yet out of danger....