Govt has an issue with Sikandar Sultan Raja, not the ECP: Babar Awan

Muhammad Asad

ISLAMABAD: Government has an issue with Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Sikandar Sultan Raja, not the Election Commission of Pakistan. It was shared by the Special Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Babar Awan flanked by Federal Minister for Railways, Azam Swati, during a news conference in Islamabad on Monday.

Dr. Awan said that the government does not have complaint against the whole body but with the CEC, who is the representative of opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif.
According to Babar Awan, the government has talked to opposition regarding electoral reforms under the direction of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He informed the media that opposition wants that the bill should be moved in a committee comprising of the representatives from both houses, the National Assembly and Senate of Pakistan. Awan expressed willingness to request the Chairman Senate, Sadiq Sanjrani, to form a committee on the proposed electoral reforms bill, however he resounded fear that the opposition may start playing “committee committee” with the government and the whole endeavor may become fruitless.

While responding a media query, Dr. Awan said that a perception has been built that PTI government wants to engineer the GE-2023 while using the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), which is totally baseless.

He claimed that the use of EVM was first proposed by the PPP government during the past.

While responding to a question, Dr. Awan said that the electoral reforms bill will be passed by the parliament and the government has required numbers to make it happen.

Awan vowed that the government would go to the Supreme Court against the ECP, if it appears to be necessary.

While speaking at the occasion Federal Minister for Railways, Azam Swati, lashed out at the ECP issuance of notice to him along with Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Chaudhry Fawad, during recent days.

Swati asked the ECP that how many notices have been served by it (ECP) to JUI-F Chief Maulana Fazl-Ur-Rehman and Vice President PML-N Maryum Nawaz?
Federal Minister for Railways, Azam Swati, accused Chief Election Commissioner of speaking language of opposition with the incumbent government.

Swati vowed that PTI government was working to make the ECP more independent and the procedure for appointment of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) is being considered by the incumbent régime.