Is Chief of Election Commission Sikandar Raja Appointed As Ambassador to Canada?

A claim circulated on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), alleging that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Raja had been appointed as the ambassador to Canada by the Pakistan government. The claim gained momentum after Omar Ayub, a prominent figure within the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), stated during a session in the National Assembly that the government was actively pursuing the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja as the ambassador to Canada. Pro-PTI supporters widely shared the claim, tagging Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) and referencing allegations of rigging in the 2024 General Election.

The claim gained traction on social media, particularly on X (formerly Twitter), the claim was shared here, here, here and here accumulating more than 46K views. On Facebook here, here, here, and here.

After the claim went viral on social media, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) categorically refuted rumors circulating regarding the appointment of Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja as an ambassador to a foreign country. The electoral watchdog issued a clarification denouncing the baseless nature of these rumors.

The viral claim appears to have been shared to propagate misinformation and possibly discredit the impartiality and integrity of the Election Commission by suggesting political interference in the appointment of its officials.

Conclusion

Our fact-check confirms that the claim alleging Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja’s appointment as ambassador to Canada is false. The Election Commission of Pakistan has officially refuted these rumors, affirming that there is no truth to the claim.