Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Sunday said that the 2023 general election would be based on and possible only after electoral reforms, adding that "there is no other way [possible] except this."

       Addressing a press conference in Islamabad along with Science and Technology Minister Shibli Faraz, he said the government wanted to take the opposition into confidence regarding electoral reforms. "We think those elections will be better in which the government and the opposition are on the same platform," Chaudhry said.

       However, he said, if the opposition refused to move beyond the cases against it then "we will be forced".

       "We can't leave everything and go for the 2028 [general election]. The 2023 general elections will be based on and only possible after reforms — there is no other way [possible] except this," the information minister said.

       Faraz too echoed his colleague, saying, "our leader's commitment tells that 2023 elections [will happen based on reforms] whether anyone likes it or not."

       He said the opposition had opposed electronic voting machines (EVMs) without "bothering to understand them" despite Prime Minister Imran Khan's offer to sit together on electoral reforms and the government's offers to come and inspect EVMs for themselves.

       The information minister added that the opposition leaders were "only interested in their cases" and brought the matter up whenever the government raised any issue with them. He said they had to face their cases themselves and it was a matter between them and the courts.

       "We can not hold their hands. [Regarding electoral] reforms, the serious people among them should step forward and make their leadership realise that reforms are necessary for the next elections."

       More to follow.