ISLAMABAD - Chief Election Commissioner Justice (r) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim has stepped down, a day after he supervised the presidential election, maintaining in his resignation letter that he has quitted to give a chance to the next CEC to lead the next general elections.
This comes as sudden yet long pondered over development linked to CEC’s reported reservations over the Supreme Court’s role regarding the electoral issues and cases pending with the court – including lawmakers’ dual-nationality and fake degree issues, and local bodies’ elections.
According to ECP insiders, in course of related proceedings in several cases, the SC judges, particularly Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, had passed audibly strong remarks about the ECP management.
“The CEC was not happy. He had a clean career throughout, and he was not accustomed to this kind of treatment,” the officials said. “And the SC decision to change the presidential election date was the last nail in the coffin.”
Fakhruddin, however, avoided offering a direct comment on the actual cause behind his stepping down. “I am too old now, I want to take rest,” he told The Nation. He said he would pursue his career in law profession. “I am a professional lawyer but gave up practice the moment I became CEC. I’ll resume my professional career and work on my pending commitments.”
Requested to comment on the reported reservations about SC role in election issues, the retired judge said, “I don’t want to get into it. I just hope everybody plays their role for the betterment of democracy and prosperity of Pakistan.”
Presidential Spokesperson Senator Farhatullah Babar confirmed to this correspondent that CEC’s resignation had been received at the presidency. A day earlier, the CEC had dismissed the criticism from political parties that had boycotted the presidential election, to proudly contend that the presidential election were held in free and fair manner, like, he had claimed, the general elections were held.
In his resignation letter dated July 31 (Wednesday) and addressed to the president, the CEC wrote, “I was appointed through a consultative process by the last parliament. My constitutional term ends in 2017. However, in my humble opinion, the newly elected members of parliament should have the opportunity to forge new consensus and choose a new chief election commissioner. This will also allow the next chief election commissioner sufficient time and opportunity to prepare and lead the election commission for the general elections of 2018.“
The CEC, according to ECP insiders, had first decided to resign a month ahead of the general elections, in April this year, when the SC was hearing a case on the voting right to overseas Pakistanis. On the reported requests of ECP Secretary Ishtiak Ahmed Khan and the four commission members, he had reviewed his decision then.
On July 24, the SC had revised the presidential election date from August 6 to July 30 while entertaining a petition from PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq. Reportedly, the CEC wanted to formally oppose this decision but three ECP members, other than Justice (r) Roshan Essani , did not support him.
“Lacking his associates’ support, the beleaguered CEC decided to call it a day, immediately,” the insiders shared. But on the advice of ECP secretary, he deferred his decision till the presidential election, they added. “The CEC was of considerate view, it was the SC that had changed the presidential election date but ECP had to share the blame,” the officials referred to criticism from political parties against the SC and the ECP.