Fawad Chaudhry, the Federal Information Minister, has apologized to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for his comments criticizing the institution and the chief election commissioner.
After accusing the chief election commissioner of acting as the opposition’s mouthpiece, Chaudhry was called by the ECP. He further said that the ECP had become a base of operations for opposition groups.
Chaudry told an ECP bench on Tuesday (16 November) that he had a lot of respect for the chief election commissioner.
He claimed to be a spokesperson for the cabinet and the administration, and that many of his utterances did not reflect his personal opinions.
Fawad Chaudry, a lawyer, stated that he has never been involved in a legal dispute and has no plans to do so in the future.
Fawad was instructed by the ECP bench to submit his apology in writing.
The ECP had been chastised by Chaudhry and Railways Minister Azam Swati for its objections to Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). While the government is pressing legislation to deploy EVMs, the ECP has pointed out faults in the government’s plans and opposes their use for the next general election.
Swati was given a show-cause notice after he indicated he wanted to set fire to the ECP.
Electoral reforms
After the hearing, Chaudhry told journalists that he hoped the ECP would take his remarks positively.
According to the minister of information, it is natural for the government to propose electoral reforms before elections. He advised the opposition to think about the reforms presented.
In response to former Judge Shamim Rana’s remarks, Chaudhry stated that the opposition Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz has a history of targeting institutions. It started with a smear effort against the army and is now conspiring against the courts, according to him.
