Who is the next Chief Election Commissioner, Sikandar Sultan Raja?

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Newly appointed CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja. Photo: File

A bipartisan parliamentary panel on Tuesday unanimously agreed to appoint former bureaucrat Sikandar Sultan Raja as Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

The matter had been a thorny one as allegations of rigging had marred the previous election. The consensus on Raja's name was reached after months of deadlock between government and opposition negotiators.

According to reports, the parliamentary committee tasked with developing consensus on the matter agreed to nominate Raja for the post after both Prime Minister Imran Khan and Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif gave their nod to his appointment. 

Little is known about the career bureaucrat, who is otherwise valued for his professional integrity, but also reportedly lobbied for the posting through personal contacts with the leadership of the PML-N and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). 

Also read: Sikandar Sultan Raja named for CEC's slot as deadlock between govt, opposition breaks

Early schooling and higher education

Raja was born in a village in District Sargodha to a father who was an officer in the Pakistan Army. 

He was schooled at the Government High School Bhera and later went to the Cadet College Hasan Abdal for further education. 

Raja was an exceptional student who went on to obtain an MBBS degree from the prestigious King Edward Medical College in Lahore. In addition to that, Raja also earned a degree in law from the Punjab University and passed his Central Superior Services (CSS) Exam in 1987. 

Also read: New names being considered for post of CEC, ECP members: report

Life as an officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service

After passing his CSS exams, Raja was posted as assistant commissioner Islamabad. 

Over the course of his career, he held many important positions, including the post of deputy commissioner Islamabad. Raja was also posted as director general Excise & Taxation Punjab, provincial secretary Communications & Works Punjab, provincial secretary Services & General Administration Punjab, and director general Immigration & Passports in the federal government. 

The new CEC also served as chief secretary Gilgit Baltistan (GB), CS Azad Kashmir (AJK), and federal secretary Petroleum & Natural Resources, and recently retired as secretary/chairman of Pakistan Railways.

Also read: ECP appointments: Parliamentary panel to reconvene tomorrow

Political contacts with PML-N, JUI-F

Raja is the son-in-law of Saeed Mehdi, a former principal secretary of Nawaz Sharif. When Sharif's government was ousted in 1999, Mehdi was imprisoned along with him.

According to a report published in The News earlier this month, Raja used to visit PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in prison when he would go there to visit his father in the year 2000. 

Credible sources also told the publication that before the government proposed his name for the CEC slot, Raja had established contacts with Nawaz Sharif for support, which was forthcoming.

He also activated his communication channels with JUI-F chief Fazlur Rehman, who also approved his name. 

The PML-N was then tasked with lobbying other opposition parties for the approval of his name for the position.