Muhammad Asad
ISLAMABAD: Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan is playing on the side of the opposition and he must review his posture on the issue of electoral reforms during recent days. It was observed by the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chaudhry Fawad Hussain flanked by SAPM Parliamentary Affairs, Dr. Babar Awan and Federal Minister for Railways, Azam Swati during a news conference in Islamabad on Friday.
The troika of Federal Minister leveled serious allegations against Chief Election Commissioner of Pakistan in the backdrop of today’s meeting of Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on electoral reforms bills, during which the representatives of ECP boycotted the proceeding of the Standing Committee.
While recalling Prime Minister Imran Khan endeavors for transparent and fair election in the country just after conclusion of the GE-2013, the Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting said that PTI government had brought electoral reforms in the Parliament after lengthy debate on the subject and invited opposition to for a positive contribution.
He said the Opposition did not suggest any amendment in the matter and started negative campaign against the PTI proposed electoral reforms bills.
According to Fawad, the ECP had adopted a strange discourse and stated that Parliament has no right to tell the ECP, how to organize the election in the country.
Fawad was of the view that although ECP is responsible for organization and conduct of election according to the law, however parliament is the supreme forum to formulate the law. Fawad accused the Chief Election Commissioner of acting as mouthpiece for the Opposition.
Fawad singled out the Chief Election Commissioner for acting on behalf of the opposition and said that many of the ECP’s member are not in line with the discourse of Chief Election Commissioner.
Chaudhry said that if ECP has genuine concerns it must bring into government’s notice instead of playing at media. He accused the ECP of politicizing the issue of electoral reforms.
While speaking at the occasion, Dr. Babar Awan said that PTI government tabled the electoral reform bills in the parliament in last September, however opposition did not bring any amendments in all the three bills including right to vote for overseas Pakistanis, E-voting and use of EVMs in the election process.
Dr. Awan said that ironically the Chairman Senate Standing Committee on parliamentary affairs did not allow a member of the committee from Balochistan to use her right to vote through video link.
Dr. Awan was of the view that today international conferences and seminars are being organized through video link, whereas Chairman committee took a strange path on the issue only to resist the approval of bills.
Dr. Babar Awan claimed that opposition has been exposed today for its hostility for overseas Pakistanis right to vote because it perceives that if one crore Pakistanis were given the right to vote then those sensible and patriotic Pakistanis will vote for Prime Minister Imran Khan and their political future would be darken.
Dr. Awan informed the media that government would table all three bills regarding electoral reforms in the Assembly after the joint session of the parliament on September 14.
While joining his collegues Azam Swati also lashed out at Election Commission of Pakistan for his partiality on the issue of electoral reforms.
According to Swati, it was not the first time that ECP took side with the opposition, but this constitutional institution was not taking part in the meeting held at President House regarding electoral reforms in the country during the past.
Swati said that despite financial constraint, government allocated sufficient funds for purchase of EVMs and informed both NADRA and ECP about this allocation, however the ECP’s perception that purchase of EVMs would be a financial liability, is very strange.
Swati noted that ECP and opposition had taken unified position on electoral reforms bills and did not allow government to hold a transparent, free, and fair election in the country.
Swati called on the Opposition and ECP to prepare themselves because the government and parliament would defeat them on this matter.
While responding to media query, Dr. Awan said that no constitutional institution cannot boycott government’s meeting until it perceives itself above the constitution.
While commenting on a question, Fawad said that the ECP has become controversial and the largest party of the parliament has reservations against the Chief election Commissioner, naturally he must step down from his position while demonstrating his geniuses.
