ISLAMABAD - The Senate polls on Islamabad’s two seats Saturday witnessed disinterest of around 40 MNAs, including Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan’s Farooq Sattar, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid’s Pervaiz Elahi, Awami Muslim League’s Sheikh Rashid and others.
A number of lawmakers from different political parties were seen chit-chatting mainly on the issue of horse-trading in and outside the polling booths. Some openly blamed other political parties for indulging in horse-trading. Surprisingly, a confessional statement of floor-crossing was also made by a lawmaker in front of the media.
Mushahid Hussain Syed who secured 223 votes was very active throughout the day. He remained busy in welcoming colleagues and chit-chatting with them at the polling booths.
National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq was the first to cast vote while Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi cast his ballot in the middle of the day.
Around 10 MNAs of MQM-P did not turn up for voting. After the MQM-P lawmakers, the second most number of the lawmakers who abstained was from PML-N. Some eight MNAs of the ruling party did not turn up to vote.
As many as three members of the main opposition party, the PPP, also did not use their right to vote in the Senate on Islamabad’s seats.
PTI Chairman Imran Khan who has just six percent attendance did not cast his vote in the Senate election in Islamabad. Farooq Sattar from MQM-P also did not appear in the polling process.
PML-Q parliamentary leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi who remained present for only 14 days in the National Assembly till the end of the fourth parliamentary year also did not use his right to vote.
Other senior MNAs, including former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Jamali, AML chief Sheikh Rashid, Raza Hayat Hiraj, Jam Kamal, Tariq Cheema, Shaban Mirani, Nisar Jatt, Ghulam Bibi Bharwana, Asif Hasnain, Sufyan Yousaf, Nasir Khattak and others did not cast vote for any candiadate. Around 300 members in the 342-member house turned up to cast vote for the two seats of Islamabad.
At least 22 votes for the two seats of the federal capital were rejected due to over-ticking and casting the vote without ticking any member.
Talking to media persons, PTI’s Hamidul Haq accused the PML-N government of purchasing the Fata votes. He blamed that each of the six lawmakers was given around Rs320 million.
Ayesha Gulalai, PTI’s dissident member, also shared with the media that she cast her vote for Pakistan People’s Party.