ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has stated that certain elements are engaged in deliberate efforts to make the upcoming by-elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa controversial by raising unfounded objections regarding the transfer of returning officers.
According to sources within the ECP, allegations related to the appointments of officials in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are entirely baseless.
The appointments of District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) have been made strictly in accordance with the provisions of the Elections Act 2017.
In Punjab, election officials are currently occupied with the process of delimitation, while in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the transfers of officers have been carried out on administrative grounds as part of routine procedures.
The sources emphasized that linking these administrative transfers to any electoral strategy is a misleading and unfounded perception.
The Election Commission has urged all political stakeholders and relevant parties to refrain from issuing unverified or speculative statements, and instead extend full cooperation to ensure that the electoral process remains transparent, impartial, and credible.
