ISLAMABAD – Railways Minister Azam Swati has apologised to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for scathing remarks against the election body and chief election commissioner.
In September, ECP issued notices to Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati and Fawad Chaudhry over their remarks on the electoral body for its objection to the use of EVMs in the next general elections.
The ECP had also sought evidence from Azam Swati and Fawad Chaudhry after they levelled allegations against the election commission in a press conference.
During a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs, Azam Swati had accused the election commission of taking bribes from the companies to manufacture electronic voting machines.
“ECP has taken a bribe,” Azam Swati had alleged. “You will go to hell,” he said, pointing to ECP officials who were in attendance in the meeting called to deliberate and vote on two key bills on the use of electronic voting machines in elections and voting rights for overseas Pakistanis
In today’s hearing, a two-member bench headed by Nisar Ahmed Durrani took up Swati’s case where the minister’s counsel submitted written apology on his behalf. The railways minister said that he had always made efforts to strengthen the state institutions.
The bench reserved its verdict and directed Swati to appear before it on December 22.
Last month, Fawad Chaudhry apologised to the Election Commission of Pakistan for his scathing remarks against the top election body and its chief.
The information minister while criticising Chief Election Commissioner Sikander Sultan Raja during a press conference had said that it seems the ECP has become the headquarters for opposition parties and the chief election commissioner is acting as their mouthpiece.
Read more: https://pakobserver.net/ecp-gives-fawad-swati-3-weeks-to-reply/
