ISLAMABAD - Opposing the proposal to amend the Constitution to conduct Senate elections through show of hand instead of secret ballot, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has termed it mere a piecemeal solution.
“Electoral rigging and horse trading at multiple levels is a major issue that lies at the root of manipulated power transfer and it needs to be addressed comprehensively in a holistic manner instead of looking for piecemeal solutions,” said PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari in a statement issued here on Tuesday.
It is good that the government seems to have realized that horse trading in Senate elections is a serious issue that has done great disservice to the Parliament and political processes and needs to be addressed, he said. However, horse trading and rigging in elections take place at multiple levels and need to be comprehensively addressed, he said.
“If the government is serious it should invite all political parties to decide on how best to prevent electoral rigging not only in the Senate but also in the National Assembly, the provincial Assemblies and now also in the local bodies polls,” he said. Electoral reforms and preventing horse trading should be addressed by all parties together and not by the government alone, he said.
Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Syed Khursheed Shah also said amendment in the constitution to conduct Senate elections through show of hand instead of secret ballot is not implementable.
“Senate election schedule has been announced, now the amendment is constitutionally not practicable,” he said adding that these all matters need to be discussed in constitutional committee.