Objections on electoral reforms bill may be result of rifts in allied parties: Fawad Chaudhry

• Objections on electoral reforms bill by allied parties might be a result of internal differences among political parties, says Fawad Chaudhry.
• Ministers representing allied parties were taken onboard when draft of bill was presented before Cabinet for approval, he adds.
• Minister terms three-year performance of PTI remarkable.

ISLAMABAD: Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry Saturday said that objections on the electoral reforms bill by the allied parties of the ruling PTI might be a result of internal differences among the political parties.

Speaking on Geo News programme Naya Pakistan, Fawad Chaudhry said that the ministers representing the allied parties were taken onboard when the draft of the bill was presented before the Cabinet for approval.

"Even the bill was drafted by Law Minister Farogh Nasim, who himself is from an ally, MQM, and another federal minister from the party, Aminul Haq, being in-charge minister of IT, is looking into the technical aspect of the EVMs," Fawad added.

Similarly, he mentioned the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) as it, too, had representation in the Cabinet. The minister recalled that the allied parties had supported the bill passage when it was tabled in the National Assembly in June.

‘Social media complicated Shoaib Akhtar-Nauman Niaz issue’

On the rapprochement between speedster Shoaib Akhtar and PTV host Nauman Niaz, he said that the issue was not that big, but that social media complicated it.

Replying to a question about a notice of claiming damages, issued by the PTV management to Shoaib Akhtar, he said the PTV management would decide about the fate of the notice, but that it would be taken back. "Several notices get issued and are taken back; it's not a big deal," the minister added.

Fawad Chaudhry yet again criticised the opposition alliance and the possibilities of regrouping of the political parties. He said the opposition parties did not have on ground footing or candidates to field in all constituencies across Pakistan.

The minister also spoke about the remarks uttered by Asad Umer during a rally in Islamabad and said that he used the term of "beating" the opponents in the political context, not in its literal sense. He blamed the media for blowing the remarks out of proportion.

The minister termed the three-year performance of the PTI remarkable, saying the government restored the shut industry and revolutionised the agriculture sector by making it an industry of 11 billion rupees. "[The] income of every Pakistani increased in this tenure," the minister claimed.