Islamabad :
The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on October 21 summoned Azam Khan Swati, senior vice-president of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and railway minister, to explain his remarks against the commission.
Informed sources said that the decision was taken at a meeting of the Election Commission chaired by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, which was a continuation of an earlier meeting in which two federal ministers, Azam Swati and Information Minister Fawad. Chaudhry Ket was asked to consider the legal options for not responding in time to the ECP’s notices on his remarks against the Election Commission and the Chief Election Commissioner.
Issuing notices to Azam Swati and Fawad Chaudhry on September 16, the ECP had asked them to provide evidence within seven days of the allegations they had leveled against the ECP and CEC.
According to a source, the senior vice-president of PTI had ignored the notice while Fawad Chaudhry had asked for six more weeks to respond to the notice but he was given a three-week respite which would expire on October 19.
This is not the first time that the Election Commission has faced harsh criticism and serious allegations from the ruling party PTI, which has also criticized the party after the Senate elections in March, saying it had stopped mudslinging. And if he has any objection to the constitution, bring evidence.
In a fresh attack on the Election Commission, Prime Minister Swati had on September 10 accused the Election Commission of “taking bribes and rigging” and said such institutions should be set on fire. Is making fun of and trying to destroy democracy.
The allegations came just days after the ECP objected to the government’s unilateral decision to introduce electronic voting machines in the next general election.
A fresh attack on the ECP was launched on the same evening when Federal Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati and Dr. Babar Awan, Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, accused the ECP of being the headquarters of the opposition. C is acting as a ‘spokesman’ for the opposition.
Fawad Chaudhry had alleged that the CEC had played the politics of “stupid” objections on the voting machines. He warned that if he wanted to do politics, there would be a backlash.
The ECP finally issued notices to Fawad Chaudhry and Azam Swati on September 16, seeking evidence on the allegations and statements.
The next day, the government escalated the criticism and criticized the CEC, and Swati, along with Babar Awan, aide to the prime minister, questioned the CEC’s appointment.
Meanwhile, the ECP decided to review the process of reviewing the electoral rolls on a weekly basis as the door-to-door verification of voters has already begun, according to an ECP official.
The official told Dawn that the ID card was confused due to incomplete voter addresses and incorrect census blocks and maps.
However, he pointed out that the 2018 general election and subsequent by-elections were held on the basis of the same electoral rolls without any controversy.
Tuesday’s meeting was attended by all the Provincial Election Commissioners through video link who briefed the CEC on the review of electoral rolls and door-to-door verification campaign.
The CEC directed the Provincial Election Commissioners to personally oversee the process of reviewing the voter lists so that in case of any ambiguity, the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics and the concerned district administration could be contacted to ensure an accurate census. He said that the names of the deceased voters should also be removed from the voter lists.
