ISLAMABAD  -  The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) yesterday ordered the removal of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Establishment Ahad Cheema from his post, apparently to ensure free and fair elections.

The ECP issued the directives, hearing a petition seeking the re­moval of Cheema, Privatisation and Inter-provincial Coordination Minis­ter Fawad Hassan Fawad and Princi­pal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Tauqeer Hussain Shah from their posts. The petition was filed by Advo­cate Syed Azizud Din Kaka Khel in Oc­tober. It was pleaded that the trans­parency of polls was not possible due to these individuals being part of the caretaker government.

In the short order issued, the Commission said that the petitioner’s prayer for Cheema to be removed was “reasonable and is ac­cepted” on the basis that the latter was a part of the previous government. It could influence the hold­ing of free, fair and trans­parent elections if he [Cheema] continued in his post. On it, the ECP direct­ed that Ahad Cheema be removed from his position and ordered the Cabinet Division secretary to im­mediately issue the notifi­cation in this regard. Chee­ma had also served as a special assistant in the pre­vious PML-N-led govern­ment. Two months ago, the ECP had advised the inter­im government to refrain from inducting “persons of known political allegiance” in a letter to the caretaker prime minister’s secretary.