PML-N, PPP had endorsed Senate open ballot in CoD: Qureshi

MULTAN: Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi Saturday said the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) had agreed on open ballot elections for Senate in the Charter of Democracy (CoD).

He was addressing the inaugural ceremonies of various development projects in different union councils of NA-156, 47, 49 and 50 in the Multan district.

The foreign minister said both main opposition parties wrote in Article 23 of the CoD, signed by the then party heads, the late Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, that Senate elections would be held by open ballot. However, now both the parties have backed down on their promise, added the minister.

Qureshi said the government had filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a constitutional interpretation. “We do not have a two-thirds majority for legislation,” he said. “But we will do our best to lay the foundations for a transparent system,” promised the minister.

Qureshi said the government wanted open ballot elections to maintain transparency in the Senate elections and an end to vote buying and selling forever. He said country’s history testified that in the previous Senate elections, the PTI had expelled 20 members of the provincial assembly from the party after receiving complaints. Prime Minister Imran Khan had made it clear that there was no compromise on corruption. And even today, the PTI stands by this claim. He said that on the one hand, the opposition parties movement, Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) calls the government fake and on the other hand, it wanted to go to the same fake assembly by participating in the Senate elections.

Qureshi said that PDM was looking for a dignified return after failing to overthrow the government and was busy appeasing its workers. He said the journey of public service would continue and it could not be stopped now.

Qureshi said Maryam Nawaz had become Imran-phobic. “No matter how long the PDM wants to march, no matter how much it protests, the looters cannot be reconciled,” Qureshi added.

The minister said PDM’s view was contradictory. He said Nawaz Sharif invited [Indian premier Narendra] Modi to his family wedding ceremony, hugged him and rebelled against Kashmiris. How his daughter could mention the Kashmir cause, he asked.

The foreign minister said Pakistan was ready to negotiate the Kashmir issue with India. But talks offer should not be construed as Pakistan weakness, he warned. In any case, Pakistan wanted to resolve the Kashmir issue, so that Indian oppression and aggression can be stopped in Kashmir, he added.

Qureshi urged the international community to play its part to save the unarmed Kashmiris from Indian aggression.

To a question, the minister admitted: “Inflation is a huge challenge for the government and overcoming it is our top priority.

The measures taken to rectify the wrong policies of the past had led to a temporary inflationary situation, he clarified. The previous government deliberately devalued the dollar, which caused significant damage to the national economy, he said.

Qureshi said Prime Minister Imran Khan believed in sustainable development in the country and wanted to strengthen the country’s economy and maximise the benefits of economic growth to the people. The government policies would have positive results, he promised. He said that despite Pakistan being an agricultural country, the previous governments did not pay attention to the agricultural sector and production. The PTI government is taking steps to increase agricultural production. “Soon a huge package for the development of agriculture sector would be announced,” the minister said.

Qureshi expressed his s condolences over the death of Syed Ataullah Shah Bukhari’s son Syed Ataul Muhin Bukhari. He said the deceased was a pious and virtuous man and his services would be remembered for long, he added.