Failure to field consensus candidates will increase chances of horse-trading

PESHAWAR: The failure of the political parties to field consensus candidates has increased the chances of horse-trading in the upcoming Senate election. Some independent candidates have also filed nomination papers for contesting the Senate polls.
The province has a history of horse-trading in the Senate polls wherein nominees of the parties like the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lost the election despite having numerical strength.
Though Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Governor Sardar Mehtab Ahmad Khan, who is senior PML-N leader, is trying his best to win over the aggrieved party lawmakers, the N-League is also facing the challenge of making sure its members voted for its nominees.
PML-N provincial President Pir Sabir Shah has refused to be the covering candidate for the party’s nominees Lt Gen (Retd) Salahuddin Tirmizi. Though Sabir Shah has vowed to work for the victory of PML-N nominee Salahuddin Tirmizi, apparently he seems annoyed over the decision to field comparatively unpopular person.
The situation in Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) is also not different as the party’s provincial head Maulana Gul Naseeb Khan was tactfully dropped to accommodate Maulana Attaur Rahman. The JUI-F provincial chapter had recommended the names of Gul Naseeb Khan and provincial general secretary Maulana Shujaul Mulk for the general and technocrat seats, respectively.
Adnan Khan, the son-in-law of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, has submitted nomination papers for the seat reserved for technocrat, though the PTI has fielded its own candidates. The Qaumi Watan Party, PPP, Awami National Party (ANP) have fielded own candidates as the joint opposition failed to reach consensus over the distribution of seats.
There are reports of differences within the PTI as some Members of Provincial Assembly are annoyed over the allotment of tickets to little known candidate as well as giving a seat to the Awami Jamhoori Ittehad Pakistan (AJIP).
In the prevailing situation, the apprehensions about the changing of loyalties or horse-trading in other words are growing. PTI Chairman Imran Khan has said that the rate of a single vote for the Senate polls has reached Rs20 million.
In the absence of any specific law, the Election Commission of Pakistan is unable to check horse-trading.
Political observers say the election results could be shocking for both the ruling and opposition parties if candidates were not selected with consensus and proper mechanism not adopted to discourage horse-trading.
The system of check and balances within the political parties would have to be strengthened to discourage horse-trading. The Senate election slated for March 5 would be a test case for the political parties that claim to break the status quo.