PML-N, govt continue to battle over EVMs

Rafique calls for taking notice of statement against ECP

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition and government on Saturday continued to exchange hostilities over the issue of the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next general polls and Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati passing scathing remarks against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) a day earlier.

Swati, during a Senate committee meeting on Friday, had accused the ECP of taking bribes to rig elections and said such institutions should be “set on fire”.

Read EVMs: PPP sees conspiracy to undo 18th Amendment

Later in the day, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had accused the chief election commissioner (CEC) of acting as a “mouthpiece for the opposition parties”.

The PML-N urged the institutions and civil society to take notice of the Railways minister's threats.

Senior party leader Khawaja Saad Rafique, while addressing a news conference in Lahore, said the ECP had stood its ground for the first time.

“Institutions operating under the law must be defended,” he added.

“Even if the government passes the bill on the use of EVMs on the basis of a ‘fake’ majority, it will have no legal or moral status.”

The PML-N leader said EVMs were unacceptable until comprehensive electoral reforms took place.

Speaking on the cantonment board local government elections due on Sunday (today), Rafique said people would use their votes to reject the current fascism and put an end to the tyranny by voting for the PML-N.

He claimed that the ruling PTI extensively used government resources in the election campaign.

Separately, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb while talking to the media in Islamabad demanded contempt of court action against the federal ministers who made the allegations against the ECP.

She alleged that there was a plan to take away powers from the ECP and give them to the prime minister.

“If EVMs are so good, then why the questions being raised over them are not being answered?” she added.

“Statements like setting the ECP to fire are shameful.”

In response, senior PTI leader Humayun Akhtar told the media in Lahore that EVMs would bring transparency to the electoral process.

He added that ruling PTI was far ahead in the local government elections for the cantonment boards.

“The development work of the government was already under way and it has nothing to do with the LG elections,” he claimed

Humayun said the PML-N had been unable to make headway into the PTI vote bank even after three years.

“Since last night, Saad Rafique has intensified his buying and selling campaign [to rig the polls]. We should not be blamed if police catch any PML-N leader for involvement in poll rigging.”