Verbal slugfest in Senate over voting ordinance

Rabbani demands impeachment of president; Awan vows to thwart any such move

ISLAMABAD:

The opposition in the upper house of parliament rejected on Saturday the presidential ordinance regarding change of voting procedure in the Senate election as “malicious and unconstitutional” and demanded impeachment of President Arif Alvi.

The government, however, put up a robust defence of the ordinance, with Prime Minister’s Adviser on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan declaring that the opposition could move “impeachment motion a 100 times and the treasury would thwart it a 100 times”.

Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani chaired the requisitioned Senate session. Opposition Leader Raja Zafarul Haq initiated the debate on the presidential ordinance on changes in the procedure of the Senate elections.

Since securing an overwhelming win in the 2018 elections, the PTI government has been eager to hold Senate elections through an open vote, which it said, would promote transparency, however, the opposition parties have been sternly opposing the proposal.

Subsequently, the government presented a Constitutional amendment bill, an open vote in the Senate elections. However, the National Assembly witnessed a noisy session when the government moved it. The bill has yet to be passed by the assembly.

Earlier, the government sent a reference in the Supreme Court, seeking interpretation of the constitutional clauses regarding the mode of election. As the reference remained pending with the apex court, the president issued ordinance for the vote method change.

During the debate in the upper house, the opposition lawmakers rejected the ordinance, declaring it malicious and unconstitutional.

Read more: Upper house polls: PTI may dominate, but not control Senate

Former Senate chairman Raza Rabbani said that President Arif Ali should be impeached for issuing a malicious ordinance to advance political agenda of a party.

In response, Awan said that the ordinance was issued in accordance with the Constitution. He challenged the opposition to bring impeachment motion against “President Alvi a 100 time and the government would thwart it a hundred times”.

Awan said that the matter of interpretation of the Constitution regarding the procedure of Senate elections was pending in the Supreme Court. He expected the court decision before March 3 – the date of the Senate election.

“If yes, this ordinance will continue. If no, it will lapse automatically.”

Information Minister Shibli Faraz told the house that there was a lot of talk about horse trading and money transactions in the Senate elections.

“The presidential ordinance is promulgated to restore sanctity of the Senate. The prime minister has pledged to rid the country of corruption,” he added.

Faraz urged the opposition to support the government efforts for the elimination of corruption and the use of money in the Senate elections.

“The Charter of Democracy also speaks of stopping use of money in the Senate elections. Why is the opposition is retreating now?” State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said the government issued the ordinance in accordance with the Constitution.

“If Imran Khan wants to bring transparency to the Senate, it is being opposed,” he added.

The session was later adjourned indefinitely.