ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said on Tuesday Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) launched a smear campaign against the judiciary as part of its agenda to malign the state and its institutions.
Talking to the reporters outside the officers of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), he said such conspiracies have always been hatched in the run-up to the appearance of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif or his daughter Maryam Nawaz in a court of law.
He recalled that in the past as well, when Sharif was summoned to the Supreme Court, the PML-N had attacked the apex court and on Monday, it attacked the judiciary again through a fake affidavit.
Chaudhry said there was no doubt that the former Gilgit-Baltistan chief judge was residing in London and Sharif and his family were bearing his expenses.
The minister said that the Sharif family also paid the fee for the affidavit, and Sharif’s elder son, Hussain Nawaz, was dealing with this issue.
The minister opined that when individuals were used against institutions to tarnish their image, a crisis emerges.
Islamabad High Court (IHC) chief justice took suo-moto notice of the development which the minister dubbed as an appropriate measure, saying the matter should reach a logical conclusion.
He said that those responsible for contempt of court have been summoned by the courts today, adding the matter needs to be taken forward.
The minister said a joint sitting of parliament has been convened Wednesday (tomorrow) for the presentation of the electoral reforms bills. He said that electoral reforms and electronic voting machines legislations were not the agenda of the government and Prime Minister Imran Khan rather it was a national agenda.
“In every election, we demand reforms but when we move towards reforms, the opposition starts making hue and cry,” he said.
He urged the opposition parties to sit with the treasury benches during tomorrow’s session and consider the amendments with an open heart.
The issues on which the opposition wanted amendments could be discussed and a way forward could be achieved, he remarked.
Chaudhry said reforms were necessary and tomorrow this bill would be passed as all allies have expressed full confidence in the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said the government was ready to move forward with an open heart. “We are ready to move forward together on reforms in the electoral system, judiciary, media and political system,” he said.
He said as an individual, he respected the ECP and all other national institutions, but whatever he said as Minister for Information reflected the policy of the government and the cabinet.
He said he had come to the ECP to explain his position and expressed the hope it would be taken in a positive manner.
