ISLAMABAD, 17 March 2006 — Pakistan President Gen. Pervez Musharraf agreed to an outstanding demand of the opposition parties when he announced the appointment of Justice (retired) Qazi Muhammad Farooq as the new chief election commissioner.
Justice Qazi took the oath of office here yesterday, and the oath was administered by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftkhar Chaudhry.
The new chief election commissioner, soon on taking office, said: “Elections for the national and provincial assemblies will be held in 2007.”
He said registering of new voters is a priority as every citizen who has reached the age of 18 is a legitimate voter following President Musharraf’s constitutional reforms.
“These voters have to be added to the rolls.”
The Pakistan Muslim League’s Azeem Chaudhry said: “This was the demand of the opposition which we have met to ensure free and fair polls.”
PPP leader Makhdoum Amin Fahim said, “We have been demanding reforms in the Election Commission not only the appointment of a new chief election commissioner.”
PPP’s constitutional expert Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said: “It was not only our pressure that a new and permanent chief election commissioner be appointed, but the secretary-general of the British Commonwealth and the US State Department too were exerting pressure in this regard.”
