Senators seek treason proceedings against CEC

ISLAMABAD:

Political heavyweights in the Senate on Tuesday joined forces to condemn what they claimed to be blatant rigging in the Feb 8 general elections, firing shots at the chief election commissioner for playing fast and loose with the Constitution, committing treason, while demanding action under Article 6 – high treason.

The Jamaat-e-Islami and the Awami National Party accused CEC Sikandar Sultan Raja of violating the Constitution and committing treason.

The PTI, on the other front, proposed a judicial investigation into the election results and an audit of Form-45.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) suggested pursuing legal action against political parties allegedly tampering with the election results.

The PML-N advised fellow political actors to roll up their sleeves and play their role in the parliamentary arena.

However, the JUI-F, ANP, and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party flatly rejected the election results.

Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani presided over the Senate meeting during which the Leader of the Opposition, Waseem Shehzad, presented a motion to suspend the question period, which was approved.

Subsequently, discussions on the general elections of 2024 commenced in the Senate.

Read Senate, presidential races to unfold post-election

‘Bullet hijacked ballot’

During the Senate session, JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmed called for the prosecution of the CEC, alleging a violation of the Constitution and treason.

He accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of not conducting transparent elections, asserting that action should be taken against the CEC under Article 6 for violating the Constitution.

Mushtaq expressed concern that the election had exacerbated the country's economic and political crisis, labelling those who were involved in rigging as national criminals.

He contended that the “ballot has been hijacked by bullets during the election”.

He expressed regret that a handful of government officials clandestinely deprived the people of their rights, adding that the CEC ought to issue an apology and a sum of Rs50 billion should be reclaimed from him.

To ensure a transparent examination of the election, it is imperative to establish a judicial commission, he asserted.

He lamented that despite attaining freedom from the British, “certain government servants” were choosing to subjugate the masses in “secret meetings”.

The alarms over the Feb 8 polls – marred by rigging allegations from the start – were raised in the upper house after former Rawalpindi commissioner Liaqat Ali Chattha dropped a bombshell, accusing the ECP and Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa of involvement in rigging—a claim denied by both the electoral watchdog and the top judge.

Senator Mushtaq, addressing the Senate, criticised the elections held on Feb 8 as the worst-ever rigging, asserting that any government formed based on those polls would be considered fake.

He demanded an apology from the ECP for failing to fulfil its constitutional responsibility and called for the resignation of the CEC.

Mushtaq urged the initiation of proceedings under Article 6 of the Constitution and the recovery of the Rs5 billion spent on the elections from those who were responsible for rigging.

Accusing four departments—the ECP, caretaker government, judiciary and establishment—of “stealing the public mandate”, Mushtaq insisted that the ECP should be tried for high treason.

He lamented the increase in the costs of essential services, attributing it to the money allegedly given to the ECP.

Mushtaq further questioned the credibility of the Feb 8 polls, pointing out the suspension of mobile and internet services on election day.

He criticised the clampdown on social media, alleging it was to suppress the evidence of rigging.

Referring to Chattha's news conference, Mushtaq claimed that it had exposed irregularities in the Feb 8 elections.

The senator commended JI Karachi Amir Naeemur Rehman for forfeiting his Sindh Assembly seat and raised concerns about pre-made deals influencing election results.

He said that the alleged poll rigging was jeopardising Pakistan's future, turning elections meant to resolve crises into sources of economic and political challenges.

Mushtaq questioned the transparency of decision-making behind closed doors by civil servants and its impact on the public.

Vote revolution

PTI Senator Barrister Ali Zafar emphasised that the Pakistani people, especially the youth, unequivocally expressed their support for imprisoned party leader Imran Khan on Feb 8.

"It signifies a vote revolution and a commitment to democracy," he stated. "Despite instances of both pre- and post-poll rigging, the decision is resounding. Whether acknowledged or not, this choice stands in favour of hope and democracy, supporting the PTI and Imran Khan."

He recounted the challenges faced by the PTI, including harassment with the anticipation that the supporters wouldn't turn out to vote.

Zafar highlighted raids on the homes of the PTI candidates, obstructions in filing nomination papers, and the prevention of party gatherings leading up to the polls.

He lamented the last-minute snatching of the party's symbol to create confusion among voters, labelling these events as "pre-poll rigging".

Barrister Zafar criticised the timing of Imran's convictions in various cases just days before the polls, referring to it as a "witch hunt", and warned of the adverse effects on the country's politics.

“Despite all this, the nation came out and voted for the PTI on Feb 8. But when pre-poll rigging failed, post-poll rigging began. Our mandate has been stolen and if it is not returned, then it will not stay in anyone’s hands.

“A government without legitimacy and mandate will only fail,” he added.

Meanwhile, PTI Senator Walid Iqbal noted that the word “election” in Pakistan’s Constitution meant that it was not the mere casting or counting of votes but was rather “an entire process”.

“But whatever happened throughout this process — which includes snatching of nomination papers, depriving a party of its electoral symbol, and raids — proves that the electoral process was tainted,” he claimed.

He lamented the suspension of mobile and internet services, saying that the outage was condemned across the world.

“The caretakers and the ECP will have to prove that there was no malice in this suspension,” the senator demanded.

Iqbal highlighted that the CEC had assured the nation that provisional results, on the basis of Form-45, would be announced by midnight.

“But this did not happen, everything is in front of us,” he pointed out.

Meanwhile, PML-N Senator Irfan Siddiqui acknowledged the imperfections in Pakistan's electoral history, noting that this issue had persisted for several decades.

He pointed out that none of the democratically elected governments had been allowed to complete their tenure.

"I agree with my colleagues that the history of our elections is far from perfect. However, why are we not discussing the 2018 polls?" the senator questioned. "The events in the 2018 general elections constitute a dark chapter in our country's history. Much transpired back then, and perhaps similar events occurred this year as well. If so, it wasn't limited to Punjab or Balochistan; it occurred in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa too."

Senator Siddiqui emphasised that the irregularities were widespread.

"If you experienced it, so did we," Siddiqui underscored.

In the meeting, Barrister Zafar introduced a resolution in the Senate calling for the issuance of a production order for PTI Senator Ijaz Chaudhry.

The resolution received signatures from 24 members representing various political parties.
Subsequently, as the caretaker minister for human rights prepared to conclude the ongoing debate regarding alleged election rigging, PML-N’s Senator Sadia Abbasi objected and pointed out the quorum.

In response, the Senate meeting was adjourned and postponed until 10:30 on Friday morning.