Imran trying to make Senate polls controversial: Bilawal

KARACHI: Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the PTI government was attempting to make the Senate election controversial like the 2018 general elections adding that the Sindh government will challenge in court the presidential ordinance for holding the Senate polls through the process of open ballot.

Addressing a press conference at the Media Cell Bilawal House on Monday, Bilawal reacted to the DG ISPR’s statement today, saying that he agreed with it 100% statement. The PPP chairperson said that the military’s spokesperson had said that the armed forces is not involved in politics. “This is what me and my party want,” he said. “How can there be any contradiction in this?” Bilawal demanded that the establishment should not play any role in politics. He said that if it becomes obvious after elections that the PTI participated in the elections as a party and did not receive any support, then it would be beneficial for Pakistan. “If not, it will be a wrong step and will prove damaging for Pakistan,” he said. “I hope we learned something from the 2018 general elections and such a move will not take place again.”

Regarding the venue of PDM meeting, The PPP chairperson said that Fazl had not given any “final location” for the long march, adding that discussions were held on whether the Opposition parties wanted to congregate at Rawalpindi or Islamabad. “These are decisions which will be taken by the PDM. Maulana sahab has not given a final location,” he said. However, he said it did not matter where the Opposition parties gathered. “When our long march begins, our strength will be visible to everyone before we even reach Rawalpindi,” he said.

The PPP chairman said that they are ready to contest the Senate elections against the present government even through the process of open ballot as the angry members of the ruling party will vote against the current regime despite the open ballot. “However, every citizen has the constitutional right to the secret ballot, so that he can exercise his right to vote with complete privacy and without any pressure. This fundamental right is exercised in every election, but now the same right of the assembly members is being attacked,” he added.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the presidential reference regarding the Senate election was being heard by the court, but the PPP will also challenge the recent Presidential Ordinance through the Sindh government, while Senator Mian Raza Rabbani and the provincial government will separately take a stand on the reference (in the court).

He said that there could be some rotten eggs who had sold their votes, but the majority of the members of assembly vote on the basis of their conscience. “If the PTI government wanted electoral reforms, it had ample time during the last three years to consult other parties for constitutional amendments. But now by using unconstitutional means, it has exposed its bad intentions,” he added.

The PPP chairman further said that the selected government had hoped that they would also be given concessions on easy terms during the Senate elections like the last general elections. But when Imran Khan saw that the PDM was ready to contest and his (PM’s) own members were also angry, he first filed a judicial reference and then tried to impose a constitutional amendment bill through a committee without any discussion.

Bilawal said that if the conspiracy against the Senate elections became successful, it would be a major attack on democracy, parliament and the electoral system. “If the Constitution of Pakistan is violated to satisfy the ego of a party and an individual, then it would make all the institutions controversial as the democratic parties want to stay within the system to continue with their struggle,” he stated.

The PPP chairman said that everyone knew that Imran Khan and PTI had no organic majority but these puppets have been imposed on them by undermining democracy. This key mistake is now dragging the economy of the country to destruction. “Imran Khan wants to conceal his farcical majority by trampling upon the Constitution and electoral laws, which won’t be allowed by the people of Pakistan,” he added.

He said that the PDM’s public meeting in Hyderabad would let the people of the country know what the people of Sindh wanted as they have already fought and given sacrifices during the popular movements of MRD and ARD. Provincial ministers Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Saeed Ghani, MNA Shazia Ata Marri and Jamil Soomro were also present on the occasion.