Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has said that the government does not have confidence in its own members and is pushing this oridance in a way that would “make the Senate elections controversial like the general elections were made controversial”.
Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, the PPP chairman said that that the ruling party’s lawmakers would vote against them even in an open ballot in the upcoming Senate elections.
On the occasion, Bilawal taunted the ruling party and told Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members of the provincial assemblies (MPAs) and members of the National Assembly (MNAs) that “casting votes according to your conscience is easier”.
He further claimed that after learning the Pakistan Democratic Movement would contest in the Senate elections, the ruling PTI lost faith in its MPAs and MNAs. Bilawal alleged that the PTI was not ready to sit and discuss electoral reforms, and was instead imposing them through the presidential ordinance.
“However, we will not let the government to arrange a ‘fixed match’ during the Senate polls.”
Bilawal, further lambasting the PTI, said that “it does not have an organic majority in the National Assembly. Not only [their] allies but its aggrieved members of the provincial and national assemblies are undermined to [install] this puppet government on us.”
He further stated that the only reason the PTI could function was due to support from the establishment, adding that the latter’s role in politics was part of the countries history but it is something that “we have to continue fighting against it until we succeed”.
He said that the “right to secret ballot” was available for every citizen of Pakistan so that no one could impede their right to elect their representative without fear of any reprisal or revenge of any sort.
“My right to secret ballot is being attacked, my MPAs’ right to secret ballot is being attacked,” he said. “We are supportive of electoral reforms but this government does not want it,” added the PPP chairperson.
“They do not want transparent, uncontroversial elections. If they really wanted it, there was a lot of time. They have been in power for three years. There was a lot of time for comprehensive electoral reforms,” he said.
Bilawal said that while a few MPAs might “sell their loyalties”, the majority is not like that, and those that do act in such a two-faced manner should be removed from the party.
The PPP chairperson said that the opposition will challenge the presidential ordinance on the open Senate ballot signed by President Arif Alvi. He also expressed the hope that the Supreme Court would not allow the ordinance to stand.
“If this law [ for open balloting in Senate election] passes then you should lock the assemblies,” he said. “If the entire process has to be carried out through the president’s office, then what is the use if assemblies?”
Bilawal said that if the PTI can win the upcoming elections without making them controversial then he would welcome it, terming it “a win for democracy, for the whole system”.
“But if the institutions [become] controversial in this election, it will become a controversial matter for the entire country,” he added.
He maintained that the government’s efforts was making “not only our parliament controversial but it can also make our Supreme Court controversial and will make Senate elections controversial”.
“I believe that [the government] themselves cannot understand the consequences of these tactics before elections. You will all see this will be a very big blunder”.
Replying to a question about Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General (DG) Major General Babar Iftikhar’s statement regarding not dragging military into politics, Bilawal said that he agreed with the DG ISPR. “Even our manifesto says that there should be no role of army in politics.”
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?”
Talking about his meeting with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Bilawal said that the government’s move to make the elections of the upper house of parliament controversial was condemned during the meeting.
The PPP chairperson added that Fazl had not given any “final location” for the long march.
