Defeat in Senate elections to be last nail in PDM’s coffin: Shibli

PESHAWAR: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Thursday said people have got disenchanted with the negative politics of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) and defeat in the forthcoming Senate elections would be a final nail in its coffin.Talking to media at provincial election commission office on occasion of scrutiny of his nomination papers for Senate elections, the minister said opposition parties have united against open balloting because it did not serve their vested interests. He maintained that opposing open balloting tantamount to encouraging horse-trading, corruption and sale and purchase of votes as witnessed in the past.

The minister reminded that it was quite ironical that major opposition parties, PPP and PML-N, have reached consensus in Charter of Democracy (CoD) to introduce legislation for open balloting for Senate elections, but now they are opposing it tooth and nail to serve their ill designs. He said the government’s electoral reforms, including open balloting, would help ensure transparency during the Senate elections besides strengthening democracy in the country.

Shibli said open balloting procedure would help discourage the menace of horse-trading, corruption and sale and purchase of votes. He said the PTI government has taken practical measures for ensuring transparency during Senate elections and introduced open balloting procedure so that competent and candidates of integrity could be elected as senators to make legislation for solution of people’s problems and the country’s interests.

The minister said PTI would get all seats from KP according to its strength in the provincial assembly. He said opposition parties that ruled the country for about 30 years had paid no heed to ameliorate healthcare system, adding it was highly ironic that its leaders go abroad for minor medical procedure and left people behind running from pillar to post.