Adhocism dominates ECP

ISLAMABAD—Election Commission of Pakistan is gripped by adhocism as every appointment is being made on adhoc basis in higher grades.
Earlier, on October 29 petition has also been submitted in the Peshawar High Court, which challenged holding of most of the top slots in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by the retired officers.
The petition says that in the ECP, till 2002, there was not a single case of re-employment since creation of Pakistan. However, after May 2002, almost ten notifications giving re-employment after superannuation had been issued by the ECP without fulfilling the ESTA code formalities.
This has frustrated about 1600 ECP employees, as many have retired in their existing grades, while the promotion chances for the rest of staff are blocked, as the re-employed retied officers are sitting on their old positions for the last four years.
This has compelled the ECP officer to knock at the door of High Court seeking redress of their grievance.
Following the PHC, notice, the Chief Election Commissioner had given three more extensions/re employment’s to officers including Secretary Election Commission, Kunwar Muhammad Dilshad, who attained 60 year age on September 15. 2005. Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) NWFP, Mr Abdullah, celebrated his 60th birthday on July 10, 2005 and Mr.Safiur Rahman Iqbal, Joint Provincial Election Commissioner (JPEC) Sindh who reached retirement age on Sep 3, 2005.
The Provincial Election Commissioner Sindh, Ahmed Ali Halepota retired way back in the year 2002, and was still the Sindh Provincial Election Commissioner (PEC) who made a record in getting four time extensions in the Election Commission.
The Punjab Provincial Election Commissioner, Rahim Nawaz Durrani had retired in May 2004, and so far got two extensions.
The Joint Secretary (Elections), Muhammad Salim Akhtar, celebrated his 60th birthday in January 2004, however was still on the job.
Meanwhile the acting Chief Election Commissioner, Abdul Hameed Dogar while talking to a group of journalists on October 2, at Pesha ar had promised to relieve all the re-employed officers as soon as the local government election process was complete. This was widely published by the national press.
Meanwhile, the employees of the ECP have made an appeal to the Chief Election Commissioner to fulfil his promise, bring an end to the contractual employment and restore the credibility of this constitutional body as per his words of honour.—Online