ECP position on EVM as per Constitution: PPP

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party on Wednesday supported the stance of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on the Electronic Voting Machines, saying the position taken by the Election Commission of Pakistan on the legislation in the election act is in accordance with the Constitution and law.

“Conducting elections is the responsibility of the Election Commission, it is not the job of the government or any other body,” said PPP Secretary General Syed Nayyar Hussain Bukhari while talking to the media.

Earlier, a delegation of the PPP and ANP held a meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja and expressed their reservations on the Electronic Voting Machines on Wednesday.

The PPP delegation comprised Secretary General Syed Nayyar Husain Bukhari, Parliamentary leader in the Senate Senator Sherry Rehman, Secretary General Farhatullah Babar and Senator Mustafa Nawaz Kokhar while the ANP delegation comprised Senator Hidayatullah.

The decision of sending a joint delegation of the PPP and ANP was taken in the meeting of Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and President ANP Khyber Pukhtunkhwa Aimal Wali Khan, held on Tuesday at the Zardari House.

The basic purpose of the meeting with the chief election commissioner was to show solidarity with the Election Commission of Pakistan on the recent tirade of the government’s ministers on the ECP.

Talking to the media after the meeting, Nayyar Bukhari said the amendments in the Election Act are not in accordance with the Constitution. “The same is the position of the Election Commission, the PPP and ANP. This was also the position of the PPP members in the Senate Standing Committee,” he said.

He said the political parties depend on the Election Commission for free, fair and transparent elections and the conducting of the election is the job of the Election Commission. Bukhari said the Constitution gives the power to hold elections only to the Election Commission.

Bukhari said that the ministers should not use such language against the Election Commission of Pakistan and the head of the institution that comes under contempt. “The Constitution does not allow using insulting remarks against head of constitutional institution,” he said.

Bukhari said the position of the Election Commission on electoral reforms is in accordance with the Constitution and the law and the PPP will support the Election Commission at every forum.

Sherry Rehman said the government used harsh language for the Election Commission of Pakistan even in the Presidency. “The government did not want to provide a level-playing field to the opposition,” she said. She said the PPP will support the Election Commission at every forum. She said a voting machine was being imposed, which cannot function in a country with such a large population. ANP Senator Hidayatullah said the position of ANP and PPP on the electoral reform bill was the same.