ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry on Saturday said the government was ready to constitute a commission to probe alleged rigging in the general elections as per the demand of the opposition.

Responding to the allegations levelled by Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif in a video message, the minister said the opposition had so far failed to explain the nature of the perceived rigging. Also, he added, the opposition had not yet submitted terms of references for a probe into the rigging allegations.

He said the opposition was using the issue of election rigging as a political stunt without producing any concrete evidence. The opposition should present a concrete proposal to probe the alleged rigging, he added.

Opposition asked to present a concrete proposal for investigations

However, he commended Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Senator Azam Khan Swati for pointing out deficiencies in the Result Transmission System.

Denying the allegations of curtailing China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects, Mr Chaudhry said the government would complete all CPEC projects besides ensuring transparency and effectiveness.

Regarding increase in gas, fertiliser and electricity prices, the minister said the government did not increase the prices. The PML-N government had destroyed the departments of gas and electricity, and the fertilizer industry. He explained that the government was resolving the issue of circular debt.

Strongly denying the allegations levelled by Mr Shahbaz, the minister said Nawaz Sharif and his daughter were convicted and sent to Adiala jail during the government of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the allegations were surprising and astonishing. Mr Chaudhry said the Sharifs faced corruption allegations as they could not prove the source of their income and assets. He said nobody had ever made so much money in such a short period of time.

He said the PTI government was taking measures to steer the country out of crisis. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan was the man of commitment as everybody believed that he would spend the donated amount honestly and at the right place. He said the government had assumed that the opposition would announce donations for the dams fund but they resorted to criticising the donation appeal. He said the opposition parties should have donated at least $1,000 for the construction of dams.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2018