After Fawad, Azam Swati apologises to ECP over remarks

ISLAMABAD: Railways Minister Azam Swati on Friday apologised to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for his caustic remarks against the election body and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).

The minister submitted a written apology through his lawyer, Barrister Ali Zafar. A three-member bench of the ECP conducted the hearing.

Also Read: Rigging allegations: ECP serves notices to Fawad Chaudhry, Azam Swati

In his written apology, Swati said, “I never tried to scandalize the Election Commission. I am a federal minister and always worked to strengthen institutions.”

He said the electoral watchdog is doing its job honestly and that all institutions should respect one another. The ECP bench exempted him from his personal appearance in today’s hearing, however, it directed him to appear in person on Dec 22.

Meanwhile, the bench reserved a verdict on the written apology of Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry. Nisar Durrani, an ECP member from Sindh, said the commission would pass an appropriate order on the apology.

Also Read: Fawad praises ECP for constituting technical committees on EVM

Last month, Chaudhry submitted his written apology to the ECP over his tirade against it.

The election commission had previously served notices on Federal Ministers Azam Swati and Fawad Chaudhry over their scathing remarks against the election body for its objection to the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) in the next general elections.