ISLAMABAD, Oct 7: The National Assembly on Friday admitted an adjournment motion moved by opposition lawmakers against alleged pre-poll and polling-day manipulations in the three rounds of local body elections and immediately started a full debate by setting aside a 19-item agenda, including legislative business.
A majority of lawmakers who spoke on the motion stressed the need for changing the electoral system and giving sufficient powers and credibility to the election commission through multi-party consensus.
The opposition lawmakers, who were wearing black bands “to protest against rise in prices of petroleum products”, kept quiet as the calling-attention notice moved by PML-N on the issue was allowed to be lapsed.
The house was also denied a debate on reports of contaminated water supply to Islamabad citizens. This was the first item on the order of the day.
Other important items included the Pakistan Council for Science and Technology bill, Defence Housing Authority Islamabad bill, NDFC (repeal) bill, The Companies Amendment bill, IDBP (Reorganisation and Conversion bill, Alternative Energy Development Board bill, a bill to regulate manufacture, import, export, storage, distribution and sale of Tibb-i-Unani, Ayurvedic, Homoeopathic, Herbal and any other non-Allopathic medicine.
Sher Muhammad Baloch of PPP Parliamentarians from Karachi drew a bleak picture of national affairs, including the way the LB polls were conducted. He warned that if a change was not brought about, the system would crumble soon.
Apart from opposition’s litany of accusations concerning “official patronage, use of state machinery on a wide scale to get official candidates elected”, a treasury member from Lahore also made some candid remarks. He alleged that huge money was channelled into the sale and purchase of votes in the third round across the country.
Farooq Amjad Mir of the ruling PML received opposition’s applause as he alleged that up to Rs200,000 per vote was offered to ensure success by contestants.
Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao told reporters in his chamber that huge money was used in his native NWFP. He said that one such example was the Charsadda district where an officially-supported candidate won elections although his party had not a single vote in the whole district.
Those who have paid in millions to win would try to earn billions to make up their loss, he claimed, adding that the opposition could not absolve itself of the charge of use of money.
The lower house started its proceedings half an hour late with thin attendance.
The opposition, known for calling attention to lack of quorum, chose to remain silent in order to allow its members vent their fury concerning the LB elections.
While opposition legislators used the occasion for criticizing what they termed “predetermined” results, the treasury members found fault with the system which allowed the electoral exercise to be followed by charges of rigging.
ARD and PPP Parliamentarians’ chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim alleged that the opposition’s candidates were harassed by use of state machinery, abductions, and police summons. He said opposition-backed candidates were coerced into submission before the polls.
He accused the official party of flagrantly abusing the code of conduct for polls while President Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz kept canvassing for the ruling party candidates.
He said “it was transparent” rigging in which the “powerless” Election Commission failed to intervene and overwhelm the wrongdoers.
MMA’s Liaquat Baloch put the blame of electoral irregularities on the EC “because of its powerlessness”. He underscored the need of bringing a compressive constitutional package which provided for setting up an interim government for conducting elections and appointment of a powerful Election Commission to ensure free and fair polls.
By ensuring the desired results, he alleged, the government had mutilated the entire electoral system.
Hafiz Hussain Ahmed said the third round had left the earlier two rounds far behind in terms of official manipulation, horse trading and harassment of voters.
He said that “abductions” and taking councillors to Murree from as distant a place as Multan, Gujranwala and Chakwal was a clear proof of government-sponsored candidates’ highhanded approach.
The debate on polls rigging was continuing when Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain adjourned the house till Monday morning.
