Re-ascend

Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry and Senator Azam Swati have been included in the newly formulated parliamentary committee to select members of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The two ministers used unparliamentarily language against the chief election commissioner and the Election Commission and are also currently serving a notice from the Election Commission to explain the situation, although the information minister apologised.

This development proves two facts: first, the government is still on a warpath against the Election Commission. Second, the government is either unaware or indifferent to its double standards. Only a short while ago, the prime minister refused to hold consultations with Shehbaz Sharif on the appointment of the new chairman of NAB, as mandated by the constitution. The reason cited was that Shehbaz Sharif was involved in a NAB case. Now the government has conveniently forgotten its own principles. Can the ruling party justify its double standard?

Akbar Jan Marwat

Islamabad