PM Shehbaz invites Omar Ayub for consultations on new CEC's name

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has officially initiated the consultation process for the appointment of a new Chief Election Commissioner and two members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), 24NewsHD TV Channel reported on Wednesday.

In a formal letter addressed to the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly (NA), Omar Ayub, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif invited him for a meeting to deliberate on the appointment of the new Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

According to the letter, the constitutional tenures of the Chief Election Commissioner and two ECP members expired on January 26. However, under Article 215 of the Constitution, they have continued to serve until replacements are appointed.

The Prime Minister emphasised that under Article 218, the recommendations for these appointments must be forwarded to the Parliamentary Committee.

Therefore, in the spirit of constitutional obligation and democratic practice, PM Shehbaz Sharif extended an invitation to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed Omar Ayub for a meeting to finalise names for these top electoral posts.

It is pertinent to mention that on March 25, 2025, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed opposition leaders in the National Assembly and the Senate, Omar Ayub and Shibli Faraz, respectively, have filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against the delay in appointing the CEC and two Election Commission members.

The petition argues that the CEC and members of the ECP from Sindh and Balochistan completed their tenure on January 26 and are now illegally holding their positions.

It urges the court to declare their continuation in office unconstitutional and to direct the prime minister to consult with the opposition leader on new appointments.

The petition further claims that the Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif; Speaker of the National Assembly, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq; and Chairman of the Senate, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, have failed to fulfil their constitutional obligations in ensuring timely appointments.

The petitioners have requested the court to instruct the National Assembly Speaker to form a parliamentary committee for the selection process and to direct the Senate Chairman to send the list of Senate members to the Speaker for further proceedings.

On March 16, 2025, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported that the appointment of the CEC and two ECP members has turned into a mere letter-writing exercise instead of a decisive action.

The Speaker of the National Assembly forwarded the opposition leader’s letter to the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs, which then sought guidance from the Prime Minister’s Office.

However, the government has decided on the nomination of candidates first and then the formation of a parliamentary committee, the sources said.

Reporter: Awais Kiyani