Senators raise serious questions over polls’ transparency

ISLAMABAD: The members of the Senate while raising serious questions over transparency of the general elections have observed that the caretaker governments in center and provinces have failed to fulfill their constitutional obligations in this direction.

The members from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in the Senate on Saturday also alleged discriminatory attitude being meted out to their leaders and party workers as Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that favourite (Ladla) like Imran Khan was being given concessions one after the other while his opponents were receiving notices.

The members of the Upper House also demanded that heads of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) should also be summoned in the House.

The members from PML-N and PPP pointed fingers at ECP and NAB as Pervaiz Rashid said apparently, efforts were being made to hand victory to a particular party and arrange defeat for the second party.

He also took on the caretaker Punjab chief minister for predicting results in favour of a particular party and demanded his resignation. “Who is Hasan Askari to predict that PTI will make the government and PML-N is going to secure less number of seats,” he said.

It was Senator Mohsin Aziz of PTI only who tackled PPP and PML-N saying that it had become fashion to criticise armed forces. “You should end anti-state agenda and stop destroying state institutions,” he said. He said every institution should pass through accountability but at the same time, the PTI parliamentarians said elements wanted clash among institutions.

The House also witnessed walkout from senators of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), PPP and PML-N as protest against recent restrictions on activities of trade union in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) which Senator Raza Rabbani said were imposed by the caretaker government through an order.

Later, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani prorogued session of the House which was summoned on requisition of the PML-N members and their allies.

Speaking on environment ahead of July 25 polls, Senate ex-chairman Raza Rabbani while saying that the two major political parties were being targeted, regretted that both the caretaker governments and the ECP have failed to fulfill their constitutional obligations to ensure fair, free and peaceful elections. In this connection, he referred to Mastung suicide attack, killing of Haroon Bilour, separate incidents of firing on caravans of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Shaikh Aftab, Akram Khan Durrani and creation of hurdles in way of Bilawal-led rally in South Punjab.

Raza Rabbani also raised questions over planned presence of army personnel inside the polling stations on the polling day and magisterial powers being given to the army officers.

He questioned whether there would be military courts as the army officers were being given magisterial powers and whether each such officer would be given charge of 20 polling stations. “Whether it will be the presiding officer or army officer whose orders or view will be accepted,” he said.

He also raised objection to assigning election duties to bank officers questioning on which basis they have been selected for duties.

Raza Rabbani also lodged protest when the caretaker Information Minister Ali Zafar tried to clarify situation with regard to assigning magisterial power being given to army officers.

The minister said that army was being deputed at polling stations to maintain law and order situation on the polling day saying the magisterial powers would be given to some officers of army and civil armed forces and not to all the personnel. “I will also present list of officers who are being given magisterial powers,” he said.

The information minister said an impression was being given that economy was also responsibility of the caretaker government saying that economic conditions could not be changed in a period of one month. “Owing to shortage of time, the finance minister cannot give better response in the House,” he said.

The minister said it would be highly regretful if the House indulges in blame game on issue of terrorism saying there should be unity amongst all. “The federal and provincial governments are making efforts to maintain law and order in the country,” he said. He also rejected an impression that the Ministry of Information was involved in media censorship. “We have taken steps to give freedom to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra),” he said.

Raza Rabbani who was not satisfied with statement of the Information Minister questioned whether military courts would be established.

The House also witnessed exchange of harsh words between Raza Rabbani and Attique Shaikh of MQM on issue of taking the floor. “I know who are you and from where you have come,” Rabbani said.

As the Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq said floor should be given to Rabbani as he was most experienced parliamentarian, the MQM Senator said all members enjoyed the equal rights.

Leader of the House in the Senate Raja Zafarul Haq alleged that the caretakers had become a party in the general elections asking whether the caretakers themselves decided to launch crackdown on political workers or took orders from somewhere else. He pointed out that cases were registered against him and many others which would serve nothing but create more anger amongst party workers.

Senior PML-N leader and veteran politician went on saying that the caretaker government was lacking wisdom. “If they tried to get results of their will and liking then reaction will be against them and not against winners and there will be further division in the country,” he said.

He said the forces which have power in the country should not adopt the attitude which they were following and said it would have negative impacts and damage the country. “It will not be damaging for a single institution but for Pakistan,” he said observing that the institution could not perform if masses do not stand behind them.

Senator Pervaiz Rashid also staged a separate protest while questioning way of implementation on the code of conduct for army as given by the ECP. He said God forbids, the country is placed on the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on money laundering and those who were trying to see terrorists in the Parliament are making attempts to bring terrorists as parliamentarians and parliamentarians as terrorists.

The PML-N senators pointed out that those who were saying that Nawaz Sharif had committed Rs300 billion corruptions, were indulging in contempt of courts. “The Supreme Court and the Accountability Court in their verdicts against Nawaz Sharif have not declared that he committed Rs300 billion corruptions,” he said. Senator Sherry Rehman of PPP said the country and elections were standing at a crossroad saying the reputation of Pakistan was linked with reputation of elections.