PTI leader and former federal minister Fawad Chaudhry has lashed out at the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and accused the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of destroying the institution.
To clarify, ECP had issued contempt notices to PTI Chairman Imran Khan, Asad Umer, and Fawad Chaudhry for passing inappropriate remarks and leveling allegations against the commission and its members.
Taking to Twitter, the PTI leader said that the ECP has become the “sub-committee” of the government. Important to note that PTI frequently accuses ECP of doing the government’s bidding.
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“If the Election Commission had done its work well, no one would have criticized it, but the current Chief Election Commissioner has destroyed the institution,” Fawad Chaudhry tweeted.
“Important institutions like the Election Commission have been brought to the level of the sub-committee of the government until they are removed from the institution. The importance of the institution cannot be restored,” the PTI leader further added.
الیکشن کمیشن اپنے کرتوت ٹھیک کر لیتا تو کوئ تنقید نہ کرتا لیکن موجودہ چیف الیکشن کمشنر نے ادارے کو تباہ کر دیا ہے الیکشن کمیشن جیسے اہم ادارے کو امپورٹدحکومت کی سب کمیٹی کی کے لیول پر لے آئے ہیں جب تک ان کو نہیں نکالیں گے ادارے کی حیثیت بحال نہیں ہو سکتی
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) August 20, 2022
ECP notice to top PTI leaders
Former prime minister Imran Khan has time and again accused the ECP and its chief of being biased and demanded that CEC Raja steps down. Imran also accused the ECP chief of siding with the ruling PML-N against the PTI.
During PTI rallies over the past months, Imran Khan had lashed out at ECP and went even as far as to ask the CEC to join the PML-N instead of running the affairs of an institution as important as the election commission. Top PTI leaders have also been vocal about their criticism of the ECP.
As a result, ECP issued contempt notices to Imran Khan, Asad Umar, and Fawad Chaudhry and directed them to appear in person or through counsel before the commission on August 30.
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The ECP in its notices said Imran Khan used “insulting and indecent language” against Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja in his rallies on July 12, 18, 21 & 27, and August 4 & 8.
He instigated the public against the CEC by using contemptuous language which was an “attempt to prejudice the process of forthcoming election which constitute a clear contempt of the commission”, the notices read.