ECP accepts ministers’ apology, tells them to be cautious

Swati says he wants government and ECP to work together

ISLAMABAD:

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday accepted the apology of Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry and Federal Minister for Railways Azam Swati over the allegations they levelled against the department.

The case was heard at the Election Commission’s office, where the railways minister appeared in person.

Taking stock of his presence, ECP Member Sindh Nisar Durrani commented, “Azam Swati sahib! You are a busy man, why do you not show up? You have more responsibility.”

On this, Swati said that he had always raised his voice for the independence of the commission.

“All of these institutions are yours, it is not right to call them bad,” Durrani replied.

Later, the ECP accepted the ministers’ apology and told them to be cautious in the future.

It is worth mentioning here that Chaudhry and Swati had previously called out the ECP for allegedly favouring certain political parties. Reacting to their allegations, the commission then issued show-cause notices to both ministers.

Read: Inclusion of Fawad, Swati in ECP panel rejected

After the hearing, while speaking to the media outside the commission’s office, Swati said that he wants the ECP to be empowered.

“I thank the Election Commission for accepting my apology,” he said, adding that the electoral body would also make right decisions pertaining to the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) since it would protect the sanctity of the vote.

“The government will stand by the Election Commission to strengthen it,” he further said.

The railways minister also said that he did not want any gaps between the government and the ECP.

Talking about the right to vote for overseas Pakistanis, he claimed that foreign powers did not want expatriates to have these rights.

Senator Barrister Ali Zafar said that it is the ECP’s job to hold clean and transparent elections, and for this purpose it has also asked the government to lend a helping hand.