Senate elections should be held through open balloting: Imran
Says secret ballot allows manipulation of votes; warns party will protest against 'pre-poll’ rigging in G-B...
PTI chairman Imran Khan speaks at the party's central office. PHOTO: NNI
ISLAMABAD:
In what appears to be an unconstitutional demand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan urged political parties to agree on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections to curb horse-trading.
“I would ask all political parties to agree to hold open voting for the upcoming Senate elections,” the PTI chairman said, while addressing a press conference on Sunday.
Imran’s proposal conflicts with Article 226 of the Constitution which reads, “All elections under the Constitution, other than those of the prime minister and the chief minister, shall be by secret ballot.”
However, Imran did not restrict himself to propose mere open balloting and demanded, “I ask all political parties to have a constitutional amendment for holding direct elections of Senate.”
In order to substantiate his point of horse-trading and bribes in Senate elections, the PTI chief said, “Someone has offered Rs150 million as donation to Shaukat Khanum Hospital for a party ticket.”
Imran did not share further details about the offer.
“Why are Senate elections held through secret balloting?” he questioned, claiming it allows people to bribe MPs.
He also pointed out that all political parties except the PTI had awarded party tickets to people from a province where they do not belong. “The PTI is contesting elections merely from Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa and have not given a ticket to anyone from outside the province,” he added.
Responding to a question, he said that the PTI would take serious action and even put its own MPA behind bars if allegations of bribe to vote for a particular senate candidate are proved. The PTI is also planning to right letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), he added.
Responding to a question regarding delays in the constitution of a judicial commission to probe his rigging allegations in 2013 general elections, Imran said his party’s demand was still the same and they “will not backtrack from that.”
Claiming election tribunals have started issuing verdicts, he said, “We would prove that the PML-N has cast over seven million fake votes in 2013 general elections. We will prove it even if judicial commission is not constituted.”
G-B elections
Further, Imran warned he would protest against what he termed ‘pre-poll’ rigging by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections.
He alleged the government handpicked the caretaker government, appointed a dozen ministers instead of three, appointed an employee of Karakorum Bank as chief minister and then appointed a sitting federal minister as governor.
“We will first go to Supreme Court and then take to streets but will not let the government rig elections as was done in 2013.”
The PTI chairman also renewed his demand that Frontier Constabulary (FC) be sent back to its parent province of K-P saying, “FC was made to guard K-P’s border but it has been deployed in other parts of the country.”
In what appears to be an unconstitutional demand, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf chairman Imran Khan urged political parties to agree on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections to curb horse-trading.
“I would ask all political parties to agree to hold open voting for the upcoming Senate elections,” the PTI chairman said, while addressing a press conference on Sunday.
Imran’s proposal conflicts with Article 226 of the Constitution which reads, “All elections under the Constitution, other than those of the prime minister and the chief minister, shall be by secret ballot.”
However, Imran did not restrict himself to propose mere open balloting and demanded, “I ask all political parties to have a constitutional amendment for holding direct elections of Senate.”
In order to substantiate his point of horse-trading and bribes in Senate elections, the PTI chief said, “Someone has offered Rs150 million as donation to Shaukat Khanum Hospital for a party ticket.”
Imran did not share further details about the offer.
“Why are Senate elections held through secret balloting?” he questioned, claiming it allows people to bribe MPs.
He also pointed out that all political parties except the PTI had awarded party tickets to people from a province where they do not belong. “The PTI is contesting elections merely from Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa and have not given a ticket to anyone from outside the province,” he added.
Responding to a question, he said that the PTI would take serious action and even put its own MPA behind bars if allegations of bribe to vote for a particular senate candidate are proved. The PTI is also planning to right letter to Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), he added.
Responding to a question regarding delays in the constitution of a judicial commission to probe his rigging allegations in 2013 general elections, Imran said his party’s demand was still the same and they “will not backtrack from that.”
Claiming election tribunals have started issuing verdicts, he said, “We would prove that the PML-N has cast over seven million fake votes in 2013 general elections. We will prove it even if judicial commission is not constituted.”
G-B elections
Further, Imran warned he would protest against what he termed ‘pre-poll’ rigging by the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz in the Gilgit-Baltistan elections.
He alleged the government handpicked the caretaker government, appointed a dozen ministers instead of three, appointed an employee of Karakorum Bank as chief minister and then appointed a sitting federal minister as governor.
“We will first go to Supreme Court and then take to streets but will not let the government rig elections as was done in 2013.”
The PTI chairman also renewed his demand that Frontier Constabulary (FC) be sent back to its parent province of K-P saying, “FC was made to guard K-P’s border but it has been deployed in other parts of the country.”