The wife of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja has been promoted to Chief Collector of Customs, the media reported.
CEC’s wife Rabab Sikandar has been promoted from Directorate General (DG) of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement to Chief Collector Customs. According to reports, Rabab Sikandar is a BS-21 officer.
The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) also promoted other officers. According to a notification issued by the FBR here on Thursday, Abdul Rashid Sheikh (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-22) Director-General, Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation has been given a new assignment as Director General of IPR (Enforcement) Islamabad. Later, Abdul Rashid Sheikh has been made a Member, the Federal Board of Revenue (HQ), Islamabad through an amended notification.
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Faiz Ahmad (Pakistan Customs Service/BS-21) Chief Collector of Customs Appraisement (Central) Customs House Lahore would now work as Director General, Directorate General of Intelligence and Investigation. Interestingly, Ms. Rabab Sikandar’s promotion has raised eyebrows.
Accusations against CEC
Important to note that PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan has often accused CEC Sikandar Raja of being biased toward the ruling PML-N. Imran Khan has even called Sikandar Sultan a “PML-N agent”.
Addressing a public gathering in Sheikhupura, Imran Khan claimed that the Sharif family and the Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja were “colluding to rig the upcoming by-elections.” To clarify, PTI is gearing up for an intense political battle with PML-N in the Punjab by-polls scheduled for July 17.
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Imran Khan’s criticism of the CEC is also shared by his supporters who are questioning Rabab Sikandar’s promotion.
حکومت کی چیف الیکشن کمشنر کو اسکی وفاداری کی قیمت ادا کی جارہی ہے۔۔
چیف الیکشن کمشنرسکندرسلطان راجہ کی اہلیہ رباب سکندرکوچیف کلیکٹرکسٹمزاپریزمنٹ لاہورتعینات کردیاگیا۔
اور کوئی حکم؟؟؟
اور کوئی نسخہ ء بربادیء پاکستان ہے؟؟#امپورٹڈ_حکومت_نامنظور
pic.twitter.com/znZQZb09r4— Sir AHMED KhoKhar (@EyeMKhokhar) July 7, 2022
رباب سکندر جو کہ چیف الیکشن کمشنر سکندر سلطان راجہ کی اہلیہ ہیں انہیں ڈی جی آئی بی آر انفورسمنٹ سے چیف کلیکٹر کسٹمز تعینات کیا گیا ہے
ماشاءاللہ
— Anwar Lodhi (@AnwarLodhi) July 7, 2022
On the other hand, there are netizens who have come out in defense of Ms. Rabab Sikandar claiming that her promotion has nothing to do with her husband CEC Sikandar Sultan. They also urged the critics to refrain from drawing unjustified inferences.
Rabab Sikandar is an excellent & outstanding BS-21 officer of Pak Customs and this purely routine posting has nothing to do with her husband.Please refrain from drawing hasty& unjustified inferences and delete this tweet.
— Zeb Shabbir (@ZebShabbir) July 8, 2022