ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Shibli Faraz has Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was out of touch with the new realities and unsuccessfully trying to move the clock backward.
On a social media website Twitter, the federal minister stated that the proponents of democracy in practice were undermining Parliament. He said that the government reiterated its offer to discuss electoral reforms in the parliament to have free, fair and transparent elections.
Proponents of democracy in practice undermining parliament . PDM is out of touch with the new realities & unsuccessfully trying to move the clock backwards.
Govt reiterates it’s offer to discuss electoral reforms in the parliament to have free fair& transparent elections. https://t.co/ndo02MRsvg— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) May 30, 2021
On Saturday, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) while rejecting the government’s “one-sided” electoral reforms, had announced to start a new round of anti-government rallies across the country.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad after an hours-long meeting — flanked by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and other prominent PDM figures — Head of the party Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the present government is unelected and unable to face any emerging challenge.
He said that PDM plans to hold large protest rallies for mobilization of the public, with a rally on July 4 in Swat, July 29 in Karachi and a grand protest in Islamabad on August 14 to celebrate Independence Day. The PDM chief also rejected the government’s proposal to hold the next elections through electronic voting machines (EVMs).
He said, “Election Commission of Pakistan, which is the poll supervisory body, should call a meeting of all political parties in the country and devise a joint map on election reforms.” Terming EVMs an attempt of pre-polling rigging, the JUI-F chief said that the anti-government coalition has also rejected the presidential ordinance issued in this regard.
He said the opposition has demanded that the ECP, which is constitutionally responsible for conducting free and fair elections, should instantly call a session of all political parties to devise a package on electoral reforms which can be presented in parliament.”
The PDM chief also urged the government to call a joint session of the parliament and brief the lawmakers about the Afghan peace process. “The government should issue clarifications on rumors that Pakistan is planning to offer the US army bases after the troop’s withdrawal from Afghanistan,” he demanded.
