Islamabad: Federal Minister for Information and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) demands re-polling in entire constituency of NA-249.

While commenting on the decision of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding recount of votes, Fawad said that extreme rigging was carried out in the by-elections.

“The electoral body needs to act very responsibly,” he added.

The information minister further stated that the cabinet has approved two ordinances regarding the use of electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voting rights for Pakistani expats.

“The ECP has been authorized to use EVM through an ordinance and another ordinance has given the ECP the authority related to voting rights for the overseas Pakistanis. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) do not want to give rights to overseas Pakistanis but PTI considers them an asset,” he added.

Fawad further stated that government has fulfilled its responsibility regarding legislation on the matter.

Earlier today, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) accepted Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) candidate Miftah Ismail’s request for vote recount in the NA-249 Karachi by-elections.

A four member commission of the top electoral body headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja heard the plea.

During proceedings, PML-N’s lawyer Salman Akram Raja in said that a large number of Form 45 were not duly signed by the presiding officers, while agents of PML-N were also not given Form 46.

“PML-N will file a separate plea seeking re-polling in NA-249,” Akram Raja said to which Pakistan People’s Party’s Counsel Latif Khosa opposed the re-polling in the constituency.