‘Opposition will cry if there’s no open vote’

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Wednesday said the opposition would cry if there is secret voting in Senate elections as in that case, the government could get more seats.

Talking to journalists in Rawalpindi’s Kalar Syedan Tehsil, he revealed that in the past, he was offered money for Senate seats while at present, the rate of becoming a senator in Balochistan is going up from Rs 500 million to 700 million. “Everyone knows that Senate votes are sold. “Remember, it is easier for the government and we can take more than our seats because the government has the power, but we are sitting in the government, so there should be an open ballot,” he contended.

He said the first question to be asked is whether the conscience of politicians is traded here or not, whether the conscience of people should be bought and bribed. “Your MPAs and senators are the leaders of the country, i.e. those who become MPAs or senators by paying bribes and sell their conscience, then the biggest question arises. Does money run for leadership?” he asked.

Referring to the money factor, he said this had been going on for 30 years, the leadership gets money in it. “That's why I know that I was offered money. Five years ago, in the Senate election, I was offered money.” He said this is the negation of democracy. What kind of democracy it is that “you become a senator by paying money and what kind of MPs these are, who sell votes for money”.

The prime minister said: “If I had the video before, I would take it to court because two out of the 20 people he fired have sued him. These thieves who call themselves politicians, who have formed the PDM to save their theft, should all be asked when you knew, why did not you stop it in 30 years?” He recalled that not one man but many people sent him offers that if he gives them a seat in the Senate, they are ready to give a heavy amount of money to him for the Shaukat Khanum hospital. “This offer has been made by not one but many people and not only me but also people in the parliamentary board are offered money,” he noted.

He said whoever spends so much money would come and make money and the money would be made at the cost of Pakistani people, by sucking the blood of Pakistan because no one spends Rs 500 or 700 million like that. Speaking about the opposition, the premier said the leadership of both the central parties PML-N and PPP and Fazlur Rehman, all know that money runs and Fazlur Rehman has made the most money in his party.

“We know that there is a market for money and politicians, prices are going up, so should we hold elections under the same system, when these two parties, PML-N and PPP, in their Charter of Democracy had clearly said that there should be an open ballot. In the last election, the PML-N had said that there should be an open ballot and “if I supported it, why have they backed down today”. “The real issue is whether we have to fight Senate elections under the same corrupt system or bring transparency,” he said.

Replying to a question about inflation, he said the biggest reason for this is that when the rupee falls against the dollar, all imports become expensive. When the PPP came into power, the rupee depreciated by 25 per cent. Inflation was high while in the PTI turn, the value fell by 24.5%. He continued that the rupee depreciates because when imports are high and exports are low and the dollar goes out more, the rupee depreciates and when that happens, oil becomes more expensive, which means all transport, electricity, gas, imported pulses, ghee become more expensive.

“God willing, if our exports exceed our imports, the value of rupee will strengthen and inflation will come down. The second reason is that two rains fell at the wrong time due to climate change, which reduced our wheat production and we had to import it,” he pointed out.

About the alleged video of money being taken in Senate elections, the prime minister said he had been talking about open ballots for five years. Replying to a question on Test matches between Pakistan and South Africa, he congratulated the Pakistani team but said he did not have time to watch the match. However, he added they have fixed the structure of Pakistani cricket and regional cricket was taking place. “Now it will be the Pakistani team that will beat the world. We are a good team but we have not been able to beat the world yet. India has fixed its structure and it is becoming the best team in the world. However, our structure is not good. We have a lot more talent than India. We were not performing as we should have, but now the structure is fixed and we will improve it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the prime minister assured support and provision of social protection to the poor segments of the society while addressing a ceremony in connection with the second phase of the Ehsaas Kafalat Programme at Kallar Syedan. He said the scope of Ehsaas Programme would be expanded to meet the basic necessities of deserving families. Seven million families, he pointed out, would benefit from the second phase of the Ehsaas Kafalat Programme and the disbursements would be made in the most transparent manner without any favoritism.

The prime minister said the poor families would also be provided health insurance cards under which they would be able to get medical treatment worth Rs 750,000 per annum: Apart from the cash assistance, the poor families would also be provided assistance so that they could start their own businesses. The students of deserving families are also being provided scholarships so that they could excel in their life, whereas another programme has been started with the cooperation of an NGO to help the poor families build their own houses. He said the Naya Pakistan Housing Programme would provide shelter to the shelterless people.