ISLAMABAD - Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiative Asad Umar Tuesday said as the date for Senate elections was approaching near the politicians have started setting their rates to sell votes for senate seats.

“It is not a new practice as we have been observing such “Bakra Mandis” like practices in the parliament for a long but the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) government wants to stop such obnoxious game once for all,” he said while addressing a press conference here flanked by Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz.

Asad Umar said the leaked video that was being circulated in media, was the video actually recorded in 2018 before senate elections, clearly showed that some Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly members were receiving cash to sell their votes.

He said the PTI had cancelled the party membership of the alleged MPA of Khyber Pakhtunkwa Assembly which was also reflection of the party’s commitment to curb corrupt practices from across the board.

He said he that it was necessary to tell the people that the government had presented a bill in the parliament for a constitutional amendment to ensure senate election through open balloting.

Expressing displeasure over the opposition’s attitude, he said the leaders of Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) had repeatedly supported the idea of senate elections through open balloting but now when there was a time to turn those statements into reality, they started playing politics on the issue.

“The power of democracy does not come from any tank or arms, but it comes from the moral strength of the parliamentarians,” he added.

 

He said the charter of democracy was signed by Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in which it was clearly written that there should be no more senate elections through secret balloting.

The minister said the people won elections by utilizing the money that they had earned through wrong means and after winning election, they use their influence to earn more black money.

Asad Umar said the government had right to get their due seats.  

About opposition’s remarks that the government was worried about the senate elections, the minister termed such remarks as wrong observations recalling the time when the government succeeded to approve the bill about Financial Action Task Force (FATF) despite having majority members of opposition in the senate.

He said the politicians who were creating fuss over the amendment knew that if the amendment would be passed, their source of black money would be stopped.

Talking about the filing of a presidential reference to seek the Supreme Court’s opinion on open ballot in the Senate elections, Asad Umar said the time for the polls was approaching fast and the Apex Court had not yet reached a decision, that is why the government had decided to issue an ordinance but the top court would have the final decision.

 

He said interpreting the Constitution was the Supreme Court’s domain and whatever decision they take would be final and the government would accept it. Responding to a question, Umar said that MPAs and MNAs were “free to cast their votes for whoever they wanted”, adding that the Constitution did not stop them from doing so. “But if there is a basis for casting the vote [against your own party] that is unethical, we are talking about ending that.”

 

Shibli Faraz said Sindh took money out of the pockets of people by not releasing the wheat at a time when the Federal Government was importing wheat by using its foreign exchange reserves.

The Sindh government played with the lives of the people, did politics on wheat and also played in the hands of profiteers and hoarders, he pointed out.

“We condemn this, the people of Karachi should protest on this, and the issue should be discussed in the assembly as the Government of Sindh is directly responsible for creating disruption in the supply of wheat in the country.” He said measures were being taken to ensure transparent Senate elections.

 

Replying to media persons’ questions, Shibli Faraz said the government would not create hurdles in the way of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s (PDM) planned long march.

It was the PDM’s legal and constitutional right to hold a protest and it was staging rallies without any hindrance. Similarly, they were free to hold the long march.

To a question, Shibli Faraz said there were many issues, including legal ones, in the appointment of heads of public entities. The number of public entities had reduced from over 400 to 300 plus, while deliberations were continuing for their mergers. Heads of various departments would be appointed soon, he added.

            He said the prime minister had already asked about the matter and sought a report in the next cabinet meeting.

            The minister said the issues were of over 70 years old and one should not expect from the government to fix them in mere 32 months. It was a time taking exercise. The government’s intentions were right as the country was moving in the right direction.

            He said that the government would go for legislation, which would be in the interest of the country and its people, and would strengthen democracy.

            Referring to the last sitting of National Assembly, he said after moving a constitutional amendment bill in the House on open voting, the government expected a debate on it and proposals from the opposition, but they created a ruckus.     

            He said that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government wanted transparency in the Senate elections but it did not suit the opposition parties. Those from the middle class could not take part in the elections whereas on the other side those, who had piled up wealth by hook or by crook, entered the Upper House of Parliament by the power of wealth.

            With the support of media and nation, the government wanted to eliminate the wealth factor from politics and polls, and it was a golden opportunity to do it, he added.

            The minister urged the people not to pay heed to the non-sense propaganda by the opposition, which was claiming that the ordinance was promulgated to favour the PTI’s friends or that the PTI did not believe in loyalty of its legislators.

            Transparency would ensure merit and parties would have loyal members, who would get elected on their tickets and that was the change, he added.

            About the Pakistan Secretariat employees’ demands, Shibli Faraz said that the Federal Government had the mandate to deal with the federal employees, while those, who had come from provinces and where the PTI or its allies had government, would be requested to settle their issues there.

            He said the prime minister had again asked about the matter and the three-member committee, comprising cabinet members had presented its report to him

The committee, he said, was constantly in touch with the employees and soon a workable formula acceptable to both sides would be thrashed out.

In the past, he said that price committees would focus on the prices of commodities but it could not yield desired results, therefore, the same were dissolved and now the respective administrations would be responsible for price control and would be held accountable.