ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday expressed displeasure over the ‘grilling’ of two federal ministers by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and directed other leaders of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) to stand by them on the matter.
The prime minister, however, barred PTI leaders from commenting on the government’s latest deal with the proscribed Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) as a source claimed that PM Khan wanted to keep the TLP chief behind bars. Besides, Mr. Khan claimed that the government would soon announce a comprehensive relief package for inflation-hit people. He expressed these views while presiding over PTI’s core committee meeting, which was held a day after the government signed a secret deal with the TLP to keep protesters from marching on the federal capital. Separately, Aqeel Karim Dhedhi called on the prime minister and appreciated government measures for economic reforms. Mr Dhedhi, who was also one of the guarantors of the deal with the TLP, was leading a delegation of businessmen.
Talking to Dawn, federal Minister for Information Fawad Chaudhry quoted the prime minister as telling the core committee that both the ministers — Fawad Chaudhry and Azam Swati — had not spoken for electoral reforms in their own interests but on behalf of the whole government and it was quite unfortunate that no other PTI leader was standing by the two ministers on the issue. Earlier on Oct 27, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) gave 15 more days to the two ministers to submit their replies to the show-cause notice issued to them for their “caustic” remarks and serious allegations against the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner Sikandar Sultan Raja. The two ministers had been summoned by the ECP last week to explain their “slanderous” remarks a month after being issued the notices. Source: dawn.com
Sunday, April 26, 2026
