Opposition’s stance against open balloting in Senate election illogical, beyond comprehension: Shibli

PESHAWAR: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Senator Shibli Faraz here Saturday said democracy derived strength from free, fair and transparent elections and opposition’s stance against open balloting in Senate election was illogical and beyond comprehension.

Talking to media persons after submitting his nomination papers for Senate election here at Provincial Election Commission, he said the government was striving to devise an inclusive mechanism so that no one could dare to raise finger on credibility and impartiality of elections results in future.

He said free, fair and transparent elections provided moral ground to flourish democracy and strengthen democratic institutions and the government’s electoral reforms would help ensure credibility, impartiality and transparency of elections including senate polls.

Senator Shibili Faraz said instead of supporting the government’s efforts to introduce electoral reforms, the opposition was creating hurdle by opposing open balloting in senate election, which tantamount to encourage horse-trading and corruption during the election process.

He said opposition parties including PPP and PML-N who ruled the country after 2008 and 2013 elections for 10 years had completely failed to prepare any mechanism for electoral reforms opening room for horse-trading, corruption and sale and purchase votes during senate elections.

The minister said opposition was still working against electoral reforms that were aimed to eliminate chances of corruption, sale and purchase of votes and horse trading in senate elections as being witnessed in the past.

Despite having power, influence and resources, he said the government had offered open balloting to opposition during senate polls to eliminate corruption and horse trading but response of opposition towards the key legislation was pathetic.

“I ask a question how a political party having representation of few members in the parliament or a provincial assembly will secure a seat in senate election,” he said, adding opposition did not take lesson from the past and would try to purchase political loyalties in a bid to get representation in the upper house.

He put a question that whether people would make their children to become a role model like Prime Minister Imran Khan or want them to become Nawaz Sharif or Asif Zardari, adding every patriotic Pakistani would certainly like his children to follow the footprints of the prime minister who was the only leader having highest level of honesty, integrity and dedication to take the country’s to new height of prosperity.

Shibli Faraz said the government electoral reforms would open doors of elections for middle class and general strata besides professionals to actively to participate in the decision-making process and the country’s socioeconomic development.

To a question, he said PTI lawmakers would extend all out support to candidates who were given the party’s tickets by the leadership and expressed the confidence that PTI would emerge as signal largest political party in Upper House after which it would be in a strong position to implement the party's manifesto and make electoral reforms.

To a question, he said PTI strongly believed in service delivery to masses and awarded tickets on merit keeping in view integrity, loyalty, commitment and services of the candidates.

“Any political worker or leader that supports PTI Govt agenda, manifesto and anti corruption efforts will be respected and considered as invaluable asset,” he said.

The minister highly appreciated the KP Government for launching Universal Health Coverage for entire pollution of the province through 'Sehat Plus Card' program and termed it a mile stone achievement for provision of free health care services to millions of people.

Provincial Ministers Shaukat Yousafzai, Taimour Jhagra and Special Assistant to the Chief Minister Kamran Bangash were also present on the occasion.