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ISLAMABAD – Federal Railways Minister Azam Swati appeared before the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), on Thursday over the allegations levelled against the electoral body, a private new channel reported on Thursday.
An ECP panel comprising election commission members Nisar Durrani and Shah Muhammad Jatoi heard the case. The election commission had served a notice to Swati to appear in person before the ECP in a contempt hearing. Senator Mirza Muhammad Afridi, Ijaz Chaudhry, Waseem Shehzad, Farrukh Habib, Senator Saifullah Niazi and Shehbaz Gill were also accompanied with Azam Swati to express their solidarity with him.
A large number of the PTI members reached the rostrum during the election commission hearing. The commission panel directed the party workers to stay away from the rostrum.
During the hearing of the case, Azam Swati’s counsel told the commission that they did not receive second notice and asked the ECP to give them notice again so they can respond to it. Azam Swati’s counsel also urged the commission to not indict him and let him submit reply to the show cause notice at the next hearing.
The panel adjourned further hearing of the case until November 16. The election commission had served notices to Azam Swati and Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry over the allegations levelled against the ECP under the Contempt of Court law. Earlier, the ECP had summoned the two ministers on Oct. 26 and 27. Swati and Fawad Chaudhry had levelled allegations against the election body for its objection to the use of EVMs in the next general polls.