ISLAMABAD: A day after the dissolution of the National Assembly (NA) and the Federal Cabinet, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Thursday placed a bar on postings and transfers at the federal level.

Through a letter issued by the ECP with the signatures of its Secretary Omar Hamid Khan, the attention of secretary of establishment division has been drawn to the fact that the National Assembly had been dissolved, the Federal Cabinet has been de-notified and caretaker prime minister and his cabinet will be instituted soon.

“However it has been learnt that large-scale transfers/postings are being planned by various Divisions/Ministries/ Departments and Institutions. It is, therefore, desirable and advised that till institution of caretaker government at federal level, postings/transfers may be avoided,” the letter, a copy of which is available with Dawn, said.

It says that transfers and postings can be made in accordance with the law and the policy, once the caretaker government is instituted. After the dissolution of the National Assembly, a process to appoint a caretaker prime minister will begin under Article 224-A of the Constitution.

PM Shehbaz and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Raja Riaz will hold consultations to finalise the name of the interim prime minister.

If they failed to agree on the name within three days, the matter will go to the parliamentary committee for the appointment of caretaker PM.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2023