According to a Business Recorder news report, “Govt irked by ECP’s response” carried by the newspaper yesterday. The federal ministers have expressed their displeasure over Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP’s) response to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s criticism over the election body in his address to the nation. The government seems to have lost its marbles after the defeat of its candidate Dr Hafeez Sheikh. In my view, ECP has every right to issue press releases to contradict allegations against it. It has rightly rejected the criticism from Prime Minister Imran Khan and his cabinet colleagues regarding “foul play” on Senate’s general seat from Islamabad and asked them to “refrain from mudslinging on national institutions.”

The government must stop assailing or attacking institutions. It must revisit its strategy in the larger interest of democracy and growth of democratic norms in the country.

HAMID NAWAZ (KARACHI)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021