ISLAMABAD: Rigid relations between the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) witnessed another low on Tuesday when Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry sought an unconditional apology from the constitutional body for issuing him a notice.
The federal minister was directed to submit a written apology on the notice served by the Election Commission of Pakistan for criticizing the ECP on Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) matter, sources privy to the development told BOL News.
During the hearing conducted by the ECP, Chaudhry requested the commission to accept his apology and conclude the issue.
Talking to media talk outside the Election Commission, Chaudhry said that EVM is not a personal agenda of PTI and urged the opposition to consider the issue with an open mind.
It may be recalled that while discussing the proposed amendments in the Election (Amendment) Act 2021 in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Azam Swati had said that the Election Commission has always been involved in rigging and such institutions should be set on fire.
He had sharply criticized the Election Commission, alleging that the Commission had rigged the elections by taking bribes.
Following Azam Swati’s remarks, members of the Election Commission walked out of the meeting in protest.
On the same day in the evening, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry had said that the Chief Election Commissioner wanted to act as a tool of the opposition but if he had to do politics, he should leave the Election Commission and contest the elections.
On the said statement, PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique had demanded from the concerned agencies and civil society including the Election Commission to take notice of the threats made by Railway Minister Azam Swati and take action against him on this issue.
Therefore, on September 14, the Election Commission took notice of the allegations levelled against the Chief Election Commissioner and the Commission and decided to issue notices to Federal Ministers Fawad Chaudhry and Azam Swati and seek evidence of the allegations.