In Islamabad, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has mandated the removal of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Ahad Cheema from his position. Cheema, a former civil servant with over 15 years of experience in BPS-20, had also served as an adviser to former PM Shehbaz Sharif on establishment matters.
This decision follows a hearing on petitions challenging the political affiliations of federal ministers and advisers. Notices were issued by the ECP to Federal Minister for Privatization Fawad Hassan Fawad, Adviser Ahad Cheema, and Prime Minister's Principal Secretary Tauqeer Shah.
In its ruling, the ECP directed the Cabinet Division Secretary to remove Ahad Cheema from the SAPM list. The commission highlighted Cheema's previous role in the former cabinet, expressing concern that his presence in the current caretaker cabinet might impact election outcomes.
Ahad Cheema, the former head of Lahore Development Authority (LDA), was recently acquitted by an accountability court in a case related to assets beyond known sources of income.
