Pakistan government bans leaves of employees ahead of general elections

Islamabad [Pakistan], December 17 : The Pakistan government has banned the leaves of all government employees ahead of the general elections, which are to be held on February 8 next year, ARY News reported.
The district returning officers issued a circular, stating that the government has also barred the employees from leaving the country during the winter vacation.
The letter sought full compliance with the directive, the report stated, adding that its copies were also shared with the education departments.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) banned the registration and deletion of votes, ARY News reported.
The national election panel imposed a ban on the registration of new votes and the deletion, change and correction of votes in electoral rolls.
According to sources, the ECP also imposed a ban on the leaves of its officers, other employees and returning officers.
The poll panel also imposed a ban on transfers and postings of provincial and federal government employees.
Earlier, on Friday, the election commission issued the schedule for the February 8 general elections in compliance with the Supreme Court, according to ARY News.
The scheduling was officially notified after the Supreme Court ordered the ECP to announce the election schedule, suspending a Lahore High Court (LHC) order on the appointment of returning officers (ROs) and district returning officers (DROs) from bureaucracy, which had cast a shadow over the holding of general elections.
Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja vowed to provide a level playing field to all political parties, ARY News reported.
"I had never said the elections would be delayed in the country. It is better to do the confirmation before the dissemination of the news," CEC Raja said.