The President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, on Monday has given greenlight to the decision of removal of Ahad Khan Cheema as an adviser to the Prime Minister on establishment.
During the past week, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had made an order for the removal of Cheema from his post. The commission had issued the directives while hearing a petition asking the removal of Cheema, Privatisation and Inter-provincial Coordination Minister Fawad Hassan Fawad and the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr Tauqeer Hussain Shah from their posts.
It is to be noted that, the petition which was filed by Advocate Syed Azizud Din Kaka Khel in October added that the transparency of the election was not possible because of these individuals being part of the caretaker government.
While giving the short order, the ECP said that the prayers of the petitioner for the removal of Cheema was “reasonable and accepted” on the basis that the latter was part of the previous government and could thus “influence the holding of free, fair and transparent elections” if he continued in his post.
As per the statement issued by the presidency today, the approval for removing Cheema was given after caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan, Anwar ul Haq Kakar had sent a summary for the same on the directives of the ECP.
The statement emphasized that the president approved the removal of Cheema from the post under Article 48-1 of the Constitution and the advise of the premier.
Article 48 (1) says, “In the exercise of his functions, the president shall act on and in accordance with the advice of the cabinet or the prime minister.”
Notably, Cheema had also served as the special assistant during the PML-N led government as well. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on November 27, has given Cheema a clean chit in the assets beyond means reference. Later on December 8, an accountability court has acquitted him in the similar instance.
