All in agreement: Resolution passed to curb horse trading in Senate polls

JI chief says some candidates confident their wealth will ensure victory .

PESHAWAR: Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly passed a unanimous resolution on Friday asking the government to take necessary measures to curb horse-trading in the upcoming Senate polls.

The resolution was moved jointly by the treasury and opposition benches and signed by ANP’s Jaffer Shah, Minister for Local Government and JI leader Inayatullah Khan, Minister for Education Atif Khan, PPP leader Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, QWP’s Sikandar Sherpao, PML-N’s Sardar Aurangzeb Nalotha and JUI-F’s Mufti Fazl Ghafoor.

The resolution stated political parties were unanimous in their opinion that the present system of electing candidates to the Upper House of Parliament was bringing a bad name to lawmakers. “This house asks the provincial government to ask the federal government to take proper steps to ensure free and transparent Senate elections,” it read. The house adopted the resolution unanimously.

The issue was raised after Inayatullah Khan pointed out that some media reports had claimed his party had asked the PTI to ensure a panel of its senior leaders vote for JI chief Sirajul Haq. Inayat dismissed the allegations, saying there was mutual trust between his party and its coalition partner.

DHA Peshawar

Three PTI lawmakers told the house that large swathes of agricultural land in Peshawar and Nowshera was allocated for the construction of DHA Peshawar and Nowshera Mega City.

MPA Mehmood Jan said Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act was imposed on agricultural land in his constituency and that has panicked impoverished locals. Section 4 bars the sale and purchase of land set aside by the government for public sector projects. Jan demanded the section be revoked. MPA Arbab Jehanded also agreed with Jan and asked for legislation about land use.

Similarly, MPA from Nowshera Qurban Ali Khan informed the house that around 100,000 kanals of agricultural land was acquired in his native Nowshera district for the construction of Mega City. He said the world was constructing upwards, but Pakistan’s planners are using up precious agriculture land by building new cities.  In response, Inayatullah Khan said the government will address the concerns of the affected population, however, mega projects cannot be obstructed. Speaker Asad Qaiser backed Inayat and said that planned development was a positive step.

The house also passed the K-P Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority Bill 2015. The session was adjourned till March 10.

Briefcases of money

Speaking to reporters after the session, JI chief Sirajul Haq said Senate elections were a true test of MPAs. He alleged some individuals are confident their “briefcases full of money” would ensure their victory.  Siraj called for a change in the present system of elections, saying it was not a “divine decree which cannot be altered”.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 28^th, 2015.