Our votes should not be rejected, PM tells legislators
PM Imran Khan said, "I have full confidence in my team."
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday directed that the votes should not be rejected in voting during the Senate elections.
A luncheon was arranged at the PM House hosted by the PM Imran, while coalition partners also participated. Delegates from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) and Balochistan Awami Party (BAP) participated in the event.
Sources said that Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief Shahzain Bugti also attended the luncheon hosted by PM Imran Khan. Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh and PTI leader Fauzia Arshad also addressed the event.
During the meeting, the prime minister instructed the members to be careful while casting their votes and said that our votes should not be rejected.
He said, “I have full confidence in my team and we will succeed by grace of almighty Allah.”
Coalition Partners announce support
Earlier, coalition partners including MQM and GDA had announced their support for government candidate Abdul Hafeez Sheikh.
Talking to media after meeting the leaders of the coalition parties, Abdul Hafeez Sheikh said that March 3 would be a historic day and we will win Senate elections.
He expressed hope that the Senate elections would be transparent and there would be no buying and selling of the votes.
Hafeez Sheikh said that his family is in politics for the 70 years adding that his grandfather was chief minister.
"Our allies are standing with us," he said. The people of Pakistan want to see honest leadership in the House.
Talking on the occasion, MQM leader Amin-ul-Haq said that all government allies gathered at Zubaida Jalal s house. The MQM has decided to support the government.
He said that we are with the government for the supremacy of parliament and to eradicate corruption. He said that we never talked about the ministry rather want solutions to Karachi problems. In 13 years, the PPP has not given 13 buses and 13 gallons of water to Karachi.
Fehmida Mirza said that Senate election is very important. The Speaker Punjab Assembly played an important role. Other provinces should follow Punjab s example. Corruption must be stopped. The GDA is the coalition partner of the government.
Senate polls on established pattern
Meanwhile, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said due to time constraints, Senate election would be conducted as per past practice prescribed in the Constitution and law.
The commission decided in a meeting presided over ECP Chairman Sikandar Sultan Raja. ECP Member Justice (R) Altaf Ibrahim Qureshi, Justice (R) Mrs Irshad Qasir, Shah Muhammad Jatoi and Nisar Ahmed Durrani attended the meeting.
According to the ECP official, the commission after deliberating over opinion of the Supreme Court given in the Presidential Reference No.1/2020 decided to implement it in letter and spirit.
The commission was taking all possible steps and measures to fulfill its constitutional obligations for checking corrupt practices in the Senate elections, he said.
He informed that the commission had so far not received detailed order of the apex court but in its short order it had mentioned that the ECP was required to use technology and develop mechanism under Article 218(3) of the Constitution.
He said the commission could hire services of some technical organizations into the matter.
The commission had also decided to constitute a committee comprising special secretary as convenor, director general (IT) and member Saeed Gul, JPEC Punjab, member, he added.
He said the committee would prepare recommendations regarding use of technology in the Senate elections in four weeks’ time.
The committee could also seek assistance from National Database and Registration Authority, Federal Investigation Agency and information ministry, he said adding any person from the following organizations could co-opt in the committee for better recommendations.
