When MPAs vote against party, hurt public confidence: Justice Ijaz

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday adjourned hearing on presidential reference seeking an opinion on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections till Monday.

A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi heard the reference.

During the course of proceedings, Justice Ijaz said people vote member of provincial assemblies (MPAs) because of their affiliation with party. When MPAs vote against the party, they hurt the public confidence, he added.

The chief justice said if there was no discipline in the party, how there would be majority in the parliament.

The attorney general said the parliamentarians who contest elections as independent candidates could vote of their choice in Senate elections.

The party in the government was trying to fulfill its election manifesto, he added.

The chief justice said there should be democracy within the political parties. Dictators were also sitting in the political parties as there was one man show in all political parties in the country, he added.

The attorney general said in past, four unelected people had been deciding who would be the next prime minister.

The chief justice said people also confessed after voting against their conscience. Those who voted against their conscience were bound by the orders of the party chief, he added.

He said it would be better if the party chief decided the issues with the consensus of all.