RECENT by-elections held in six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly constituencies concluded without incident.

Yet, even as the polling process wrapped up smoothly, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) continues to grapple with a long list of complaints concerning violations of the election code of conduct and the Election Act. The Commission, empowered under the Constitution to curb electoral malpractices, has once again found itself in the spotlight. This time, the controversy began with the provocative and threatening statements issued by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi during the by-election in NA-18 (Haripur). In response, the ECP invoked Article 245 and summoned the Pakistan Army for assistance. Afridi was later served a notice, though he chose not to appear and instead deputed his counsel. While the Commission excused his absence, the matter is far from over. The Chief Minister now stands at a decisive juncture: he must either seek pardon or risk disqualification.

The ECP’s assertiveness draws from a strengthened legal position. When Article 218(3) is read with Chapter X of the Election Act 2017, the Commission gains statutory ground to disqualify any individual involved in electoral wrongdoing. This interpretation marks a stark shift from previous years, when the courts repeatedly curtailed the ECP’s authority. It is worth recalling that in 2021–22, during Imran........

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