Govt consulted allies on electoral reforms: Minister

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that raising of objections on electoral reforms bill by the allied parties of the ruling Pakistan Tehrik-e-insaf (PTI) might be a result of their internal political rits.

“The allied parties have substantive representation in the cabinet and ministers and they were taken onboard when the drat bill was presented before the cabinet for approval. Even the bill was prepared by Law Minister Farogh Nasim, who himself is from an ally, the Mutahida Qaumi Movement-pakistan ( MQM-P), and another federal minister from the same party, Aminul Haq, being in-charge minister of the IT, is looking into the technical aspect of the electronic voting machines (EVMS),” Chaudhry said.

Similarly, he mentioned the Pakistan Muslim League-quaid (PMLQ), and said it too has representation in the cabinet. He recalled that the allied parties had supported the passage of the bill when it had been approved by the National Assembly in June this year.

In the meantime, the PML-Q has said that it is trying to keep the ties with PTI intact but the PTI government is not standing by them.

The PML-Q indicated to go against the government while Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar said that the government would improve its working relationship with the PML-Q by continuing the consultation process.

Senior PML-Q leader and Punjab Assembly Speaker Chaudhry Pervez Elahi said that the government and its machinery were mistreating the workers of PML-Q.

He said that the party leadership was not included in the decision-making process by the government.

Elahi said that he and his party had been supporting the government for the last three years in the Centre and Punjab but the Punjab government was mistreating PML-Q workers in every district.

He made it clear if the PTI government did not include PML-Q in the decision-making process, there would be no fun in remaining allies.

Separately, two federal ministers facing allegations of commiting contempt of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have been inducted into a reconstituted parliamentary panel on appointment of ECP members.

Under the changes made in the composition of the commitee, Chaudhry has replaced Minister for Education and Special Training Shafqat Mehmood and Senator Azam Swati has been appointed in place of Senator Hidayatullah.

Some other changes have also been made in the commitee ater legal objections were raised by the opposition parties over “unilateral nominations” made by the Senate’s acting chairman for the forum.