Open balloting won’t stop turncoats from selling votes, says Rashid

In what appeared to be a shift from the incumbent government's party line, Interior minister Sheikh Rashid said on Sunday that lawmakers who intend to 'sell' their seats in Senate could do so regardless of the voting process being secret or open.

"Those who get their seats sold are destroyed by the same ill practice," Rashid said, while commenting on the planned March 3 elections.

He added, "no hell will break loose if a party loses one or two votes [in the polls]." He noted that there has been much media hype regarding the Senate elections in March.

The veteran politician advised the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) to review its decisions. "It isn't easy to stage a sit-in," he said, adding that, "we hold the experience of staging a sit-in for 126 days.

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The minister reiterated that there is no problem with the planned long march if it is launched under the ambit of the law.

"Asif Zardari and Bilawal understand what I am advising; the opposition will eventually have to agree to the PPP's stance," he maintained.

Rashid further said that the armed forces are rendering sacrifices for the country, and added that those who talk against the military should be taken to task.

"There are four political parties at present who want to destabilise the country. Those creating unrest were also against the creation of the country," the interior minister maintained

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Rashid lamented at the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) approach in this regard. He said, "anyone who talks against the armed forces doesn't represent 'Muslim League'."

Islamabad barricades

Meanwhile, the interior minister said that 30 out of 33 barricades in the federal capital have been removed, saying the rest will also be removed soon. "Islamabad will have advanced police in the days to come," he said.

The interior minister added that the government will bring back those who have been serving at their respective embassies for more than three years.

"Those who opted for dual nationalities will lose their jobs," he said.