Pakistan Awami Tehreek Chairman Dr Tahirul Qadri has said by keeping away political parties that have been working for election reforms from the consultations process, the Election Commission "is giving strength to the notion that the coming elections will also be like those in 2013".
He said the Commission should reject the government dictation and should never restrict the consultations to the parties present in the Parliament and should also call those parties which do not have representation in the parliament. He said by not calling all the registered political parties, the Commission will be demonstrating its step-motherly attitude and thus would not be fulfilling its constitutional obligations and legal requirements.
In a letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, he also said, "... The parties that have representation in the Parliament have a chance to frame laws and give their views on different laws that are presented in the Parliament, but at the same time the parties that do not have any representation in the assemblies are left out of the law framing process and are thus deprived of the constitutional right.
"Some very powerful politicians within the assemblies just push their weight around and often block such laws from being framed that are against their interest and consultations with such politicians are a sheer waste of time and useless effort. All the registered political parties of the country should be given representation in the consultative process for the forthcoming Local Bodies elections to ensure that fair and free elections are conducted."
The letter was sent to the commissioner by party Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur. Dr Qadri also said, "The party is the first political party of the country which has and continues to demand reforms in the election process and formation of constitutional EC and for this it held a Long March and sit-in. The party has also approached the Supreme Court against the unlawful appointments in the Election Commission but the former chief justice because of his political affiliations refused to hear our petition."
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