ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan has said that the stance of the government has been highlighted in the opinion of the Supreme Court (SC) on presidential reference seeking a view of the court on senate election and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been asked to ensure transparency in elections.
The ECP has received the SC’s opinion on presidential reference seeking apex court’s view on holding of Senate election through the open ballot.
Dr Babar Awan termed apex court’s opinion’s paragraph number 3, 5 and 6 very important where the court had highlighted PTI’s stance.
Talking to media persons outside ECP along with Minister for Education Shafqat Mehmood, Minister for Science and Technology Chaudhry Fawad Hussain and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) Shehbaz Gill on Monday, he stated that the SC opinion had quoted a verdict of 5-member bench in Niaz Ahmed case in which the court held that the secrecy of the ballot was not absolute and that the secrecy of ballot had not to be tempered by practical consideration necessitated by the process of election.
He said that the apex court had asked the Election Commission to decide the matter regarding secrecy of votes by keeping in mind the ground realities.
The adviser to PM said that the government formed a two-member committee including Chaudhry Fawad and Shahzad Akbar to probe video scandal regarding horse-trading in the last Senate elections. He said that notices were issued to three Senators who got elected without votes in the provincial assembly through unfair means. He said that video was the undeniable proof of horse-trading where everyone could witness the buying and selling of votes. The video of receiving a bribe to the member of provincial assembly (MPA) was also the manifestation of the sale of votes, he added.
Dr Awan said that the ECP had five powers under Article 218 of the Constitution where it directed the commission to held elections in an honest and transparent manner.
He said that it was a requirement of fairness that the member should cast his/her vote according to the party policy.
The adviser said that this was a decisive moment for holding of transparent election and all segments including the ECP, political parties and individual voters were bound to follow transparency in the election procedure.
He said that decisive movement had come in the Senate election issue. He said that at Imran Khan’s government was the first regime that went to the Supreme Court, introduced constitutional amendment and held consultations with political forces. He said that Article 23 of the Charter of Democracy also called for the open ballot and identifiable vote.
Awan said that under Article 2-A of Objectives Resolution open ballot could be held.
The adviser said that from day one Prime ministers Imran Khan was striving for transparency of the elections so that no one could raise finger on its fairness and transparency.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz said on Monday that the opinion of the apex court regarding the Senate elections was historic.
In a tweet, he said that today was the day of disappointment for those who were selling their consciences.
Those who set up markets for votes will be frustrated, he said.
He remarked that this was the success of PM Imran’s vision for transparent elections.
The use of technology in the light of SC opinion will ensure transparency and vote identification, he added.
