Fawad seeks to defuse tension with ECP

PTI leader says the nation has trust in ECP, top court

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry tried to ease tension with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) by saying: “We have praised your role but you didn’t notice it”.

Fawad made these remarks as he appeared before the ECP in a contempt case against him, PTI Chairman Imran Khan and former finance minister Asad Umar.
The proceedings were conducted by a four-member bench of the commission, headed by ECP Member Nisar Durrani.

Advocate Faisal Chaudhry, representing Imran and Fawad, and Advocate Anwar Mansoor, counsel for Asad Umar, appeared before the commission.
“Whole nation has trust in two institutions: the election commission and the Supreme Court,” he said, adding that Imran Khan was supposed to come but there was security problem.

Referring to the legal proceedings against the party, the former information minister said that new cases were lodged against them “everyday”.
The ECP Sindh member said that these matters will have to be fixed by the political parties.

“We are standing with the commission,” Fawad said, adding that he had no personal grudge with the commission. “We want to strengthen institutions,” the PTI leader added.

“Our prayer is that Allah gives you stability so that you resist all pressures and hold elections,” he said, adding that he respected members of the election commission as they all had brilliant careers.

“Our priority is Pakistan,” ECP member Babar Bharwana said, adding that the electoral body was playing its role as per the law.

PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhary said that the Lahore High Court (LHC) had directed the ECP to decide if the case was admissible.

The commission should first decide the legal status of this case, the advocate added, praying that the commission should end the contempt proceedings.
Former prime minister Imran Khan's request for exemption from attendance was also submitted to the commission.

Fawad Chaudhary said that Imran Khan will appear on video link. The ECP Punjab member said that political parties keep coming and going and that “Pakistan has to survive”.

ECP Member Nisar Durrani said: “We will not be affected by praising or abusing anyone.”

The ECP postponed the hearing of the case till March 28.

CONTEMPT PROCEEDINGS

The ECP had initiated contempt proceedings against Imran as well as party leader Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry for issuing statements against the electoral body and the chief election commissioner.
It may be noted that in January, the ECP had announced its decision to issue bailable arrest warrants for PTI chief Imran Khan and other senior party leaders, Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry, for failing to appear before the commission in contempt proceedings.

PUNJAB ELECTIONS

Shifting the burden of elections on ECP, the interim Punjab chief minister had said, “We are ready to hold elections whenever the ECP asks us to do. Being caretakers, we have no other mandate but to hold free and fair elections in Punjab.”

After assuming charge as caretaker chief minister, he highlighted, there were lot of things which needed to be improved in almost all sectors.

However, we have very limited time but we will try to make the difference in our limited capacity before the end of our short stint, he added.