ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Wednesday, accepted the apologies of Information Minister Fawad Chaudhary and Railways Minister Azam Swati for their remarks against its chief and members.
The ECP warned Swati and Chaudhary to be careful in the future.
A member of the commission warned Swati that he should be more responsible as all institutions are his and it was inappropriate to call them bad.
A bench, comprising ECP members Nisar Ahmed Durrani and Shah Mohammad Jatoi, had conducted the hearing of the show-cause notice issued against the Railways minister.
On October 27, the ECP had issued show-case notices to both cabinet ministers for their caustic remarks and allegations against the chief election commissioner and other members.
Hailing the Election Commission, Swati said that the government would further empower it. The sanctity of the vote would be protected through the EVM, he said outside the ECP Office.
Barrister Ali Zafar, lawyer for Swati, had submitted an apology letter on behalf of the federal minister.
When asked was the minister avoided coming, he replied: “He [Azam Swati] had to go to Quetta for some work; otherwise, he would have come.”
In response to the bench’s inquiry about the document he [Azam Swati] wanted to submit, Barrister Zafar had read out the apology letter before the ECP members.
On September 10, Swati had lashed out at the ECP, accusing it of taking money from companies during a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on September 10 and another held the night prior at President House.
Swati had alleged that the ECP is destroying the country’s democracy and that it is involved in rigging.
Members of the ECP had walked out of the meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Parliamentary Affairs on Swati’s allegations.
Earlier, Fawad Chaudhary had also submitted an apology to the ECP.
He had said that the commission has become the headquarters for Opposition parties and the chief election commissioner is acting as their mouthpiece, during a press conference on the same day Swati made his allegations.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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