ISLAMABAD: Newly appointed Chief Election Commissioner Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan will take the oath of his new office on Saturday, Geo News reported Friday.
According to the announcement made by the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of Pakistan Nasirul Mulk will administer the oath of office tomorrow at 01:00 pm at the apex court building.
It may be mentioned that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has received the notification of the appointment of Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan as the new CEC today.
According to the issued notice, Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan would serve as the CEC for the next five years. The arrangements are currently underway for the newly appointed CEC’s oath taking ceremony.
On Thursday, President Mamnoon Hussain approved the appointment of Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan as the CEC on the advice of Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif.
The prime minister had sent an advice to the president for the appointment of Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan on the recommendation of the Parliamentary Committee on the Appointment of Chief Election Commissioner and members of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The Chairman of the parliamentary committee, Senator Rafiq Rajwana, chaired a meeting here in which three names — Justice (retd) Tariq Pervez, Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan and Justice (retd) Tanveer Ahmed were placed before the committee and ECP members.
The meeting unanimously approved the name of Justice (retd) Sardar Raza Khan for the office of the CEC. He will take the oath of his new office today (Friday). Justice (retd) Raza currently presides over the Federal Shariat Court (FSC).
He retired as an SC judge in 2011 and refused to take oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO) after military dictator Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency in Nov 2007.
The appointment came after consultations between Finance Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, on behalf of the prime minister, and the Leader of Opposition Syed Khursheed Ahmad Shah.
Dar later held consultations with the all the political parties in the government and in opposition, including the PTI, on the proposed names.