ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) secretary information Marriyum Aurangzeb, terming the proposed Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) as "Election Fraud Machine", Saturday, flayed the government ministers' statements against the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).

Speaking at a news conference along with Tariq Fazal Chaudhry, the PML-N spokesperson accused the government of stealing the next election through the "fraud machine", saying that it was inappropriate to use such a language against the ECP by the ministers when the election body raised objections over the use of EVMs in the elections.

"It was an attack on the ECP and the more shameful was another attack on the ECP when the ministers, on the instructions of the prime minister, addressed a presser at the Press Information Department (PID) against the ECP and resorted to 'terrorism' against the election body and the chief election commissioner," she said.

She said that under the Article 218 of the Constitution, the responsibility of holding the elections rests with the election commission, adding that the PML-N government made elections laws, unanimously, with due consultation after more than 100 meetings.

"This is called reforms; this is called consensus and strengthening of democratic process. Because the intention was to strengthen the democracy that is why 119 consultative meetings were held before passing the elections laws," she maintained.

"Whereas, during the PTI government after only three consultative meetings, they started threatening the Elections Commission of Pakistan of setting it on fire," she said, adding the ECP was threatened with "going in the hell" and it was called as the headquarters of the opposition. She regretted that the ECP was also accused of taking bribes.

She said that the constitution gives a power of contempt to the chief election commissioner and any member of the commission.

She also alleged the PTI of plotting to snatch the powers of the ECP and give these to the PM House, as well as, to the National Database Registration Authority (NADRA).

"In fact, this fraud is unconstitutional, an attack and terrorism against the Constitution," she claimed.

Right now, the PM House has become the headquarters of the rigging, and of those people who looted in billions in the scandals of sugar, flour, electricity, gas and medicines, she alleged, adding the "selected" prime minister is abettor of the sugar and flour mafia.

Marriyum also pointed out that the PTI also intends to change the criteria of delimitation of constituencies based on registered voters instead of population which was also a blatant violation of the constitution.

And most importantly under the PTI's proposed reforms political parties would not be liable to declare their funding, which was clearly that they wanted to get themselves off the hook from the 23 illegal foreign funding accounts' case. But the people of Pakistan and the honourable Parliamentarians of Pakistan would not let such black laws passed or implemented, she warned. "They would not allow the dismemberment of constitutional institutions like the Election Commission nor will they allow gagging of media through Pakistan Media Development Authority."

This entire election reform fiasco was a conspiracy against Pakistan, its Parliament, its constitution and its people, she said.

The PML-N spokesperson questioned that who would commission and program and prepare there voting machines, considering that the Election Commission had rejected the idea totally. Would it be Fawad Chaudhry and Shibli Faraz who would do all this, or would it be outsourced? And how exactly such sensitive data and operations would be outsourced, she asked.

Marriyum said if this EVM was such an ideal and flawless system then why did the PTI fail to answer a single of the 37 objections raised by the Election Commission, and instead accused them of being corrupt and political, whereas, the truth is that PTI has destroyed and compromised Pakistan's political fabric and its constitution but the opposition would not let it carry on like this.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021