ISLAMABAD (Daily Point) — Omar Hamid Khan, Secretary of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on Sunday resigned from his position citing health reasons.

However, Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan has not yet accepted Khan’s resignation.

This development occurs just weeks before the scheduled general elections on February 8, amid allegations of an uneven playing field by major political players, including the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Earlier today, ECP Special Secretary Dr. Syed Asif Hussain refuted the PTI’s claim of not having a level playing field for election-related activities. In response to the PTI’s plea for contempt proceedings against the ECP, the electoral body asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the contempt petition with costs.

The PTI’s petition sought contempt of court proceedings against the ECP secretary, inspector generals of police (IGPs), chief secretaries of the four provinces, and the secretary of the interior ministry for alleged non-compliance with the SC order issued on December 22, 2023.

Who is Omar Hamid Khan? Omar Hamid Khan, a retired grade 22 officer of the Secretariat Group, took on the role of ECP secretary in July 2021 on a contractual basis. He has previously served as the special secretary of finance, secretary of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), and national food security, among other responsibilities. Khan also acted as the spokesperson for the Interior Ministry.

CEC Raja extended Khan’s term as ECP secretary for one year in July of the previous year. With over 30 years of experience in socio-economic analysis on both international and domestic issues, Khan completed his Bachelor of Science in 1982 from Government College Lahore and later earned his Master of Science in Zoology in 1986 from the University of Punjab.