Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman on Monday said that his party will not accept the government’s decision to introduce electoral reforms, a private TV channel reported.
“We will not accept electoral reforms handed over to us by thieves,” Fazl told a press conference in Peshawar. “The government that came to power through rigging elections is now talking about electoral reforms,” he stated, adding that the government is introducing e-voting machines to win the next general elections. He said these electronic voting machines (EVMs) have already been rejected by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
Fazl said that the people of Pakistan have once again pinned their hopes on Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F). “Thousands of people answered the call when JUI-F had sought their support,” he said, adding that ever since the PTI-led government came into power, his party has been calling it “an illegitimate government.”
The JUI-F chief was of the view that Pakistanis living abroad have also given up on the government. “First the youth and now overseas Pakistanis are being deceived,” he said. He also shed light on the economic crisis that Pakistan is facing and said that the “country’s economy has been devastated.”
“The Pakistani rupee has dropped to an all-time low against the US dollar”, he said, adding that the world is neither ready to do business with us nor ready to help us.
“Large investments came from China, however, the government didn’t utilise the amount properly,” he said.
In late September, the PTI-led government had welcomed the opposition’s readiness to discuss electoral reforms with the Centre, days after a committee from both houses – Senate and National Assembly – had been formed to address the matter. The opposition, however, has continued stiff resistance against the government’s proposed reforms – in particular the electronic voting machine (EVM).