The Election Commission of Pakistan has summoned an important meeting on Friday to discuss the alleged use of money and horse-trading in the recent Senate elections. Sources privy to the matter informed media that the ECP meeting will review the statement of Prime Minister Imran Khan in which he raised questions over the performance of ECP in view of the recent Senate elections.
The special meeting will also review the objections raised by the government in connection with the alleged horse-trading in the polls. Chief Election Commission (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja will preside over the meeting.
Earlier today, Prime Minister Imran Khan had raised questions over the performance of the Election Commission of Commission (ECP) for not taking action against individuals “buying” votes for their candidates in recently held Senate polls 2021.
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Prime Minister Imran Khan had said this while addressing the nation, a day after he had decided to take a vote of confidence following the ruling party suffered a setback when its candidate Dr. Abdul Hafeez Shaikh lost a Senate seat from Islamabad to a joint candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), former premier Yousuf Raza Gilani.
‘ECP damaged democracy’
Criticizing the secret balloting, PM Imran had accused the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) of protecting those who made money during the recent Senate elections. “The secret ballot system in Senate polls has damaged the democracy,” the prime minister had said.
Senate Elections results were disturbing
The Senate Elections were quite disturbing for the PTI. According to the returning officer, who announced the results after counting ended in the National Assembly, six of the total 340 ballots cast in the National Assembly were rejected. Gillani obtained 169 votes, whereas Shaikh got 164. One vote was not cast. The MPs were required to vote for 37 vacant seats of the Senate with 11 senators already elected unopposed from Punjab due to withdrawals from opposing candidates.
Polling was held for 12 seats each of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 11 of Sindh and two of the federal capital. MPAs from the three provincial assemblies cast their vote for the candidates fielded from Balochistan, KP and Sindh, while MNAs voted for the representatives from the federal capital.
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“PTI has unanimously decided that Prime Minister Imran Khan will take a vote of confidence from the National Assembly,” Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said while addressing a press conference along with Federal Ministers Shafqat Mehmood, Asad Umar, Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Syed Ali Haider Zaidi, Hammad Azhar and others.