ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan has again accused main political parties of being part of “undemocratic and corrupt designs” to rig the coming Senate elections.

In his usual acidic tone, Mr Khan hit out at the ruling PML-N and JUI-F and opposition PPP for what he called returning to their traditional ways of politics which involved buying and selling of votes.

Shattering whatever little façade of political reconciliation was reached between the PTI and PML-N as both were in favour of the proposed 22nd constitutional amendment for open balloting in Senate elections, Mr Khan also pointed fingers at Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and accused him of lacking sincerity in making Senate polls corruption free.

“It has become evident that the government was never sincere to end horse-trading by bringing in a constitutional amendment as it is also reflected in Nawaz Sharif’s trip to Saudi Arabia at this crucial time,” the PTI chief was quoted as saying in a terse press statement issued by the party’s media wing on Monday.

The prime minister is leaving for Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the government told Dawn.

The PTI chairman didn’t mince words when he accused the PPP and JUI-F of indulging in horse-trading. He regretted that his efforts to persuade PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to oppose horse-trading had also failed. “The PPP remains opposed to open balloting because it is deeply involved in horse-trading, along with the JUI-F.”

Mr Khan said his party would neither support the PPP nor the PML-N in their “undemocratic and corrupt designs”.

The statement also undermined efforts being made at certain level within the PTI to return to the National Assembly.

The statement, according to a senior PTI office-bearer, was also meant to reject a perception that the party was joining hands with the PPP for Senate elections.

According to a party insider, the main purpose of contacting Mr Zardari was to further expose the PPP leadership and others who were opposed to open balloting in Senate elections.

But the mission got awry because of improper media handling.

An official statement issued on Sunday night by PTI Information Secretary Dr Shireen Mazari about Mr Khan’s contact with Mr Zardari created a bit of ripples in otherwise dull political scene in the federal capital.

“Asif Zardari called Imran Khan after an agreement between (KP Chief Minister) Pervez Khattak and the PPP on cooperation in Senate. Pervez Khattak will issue a detailed statement tomorrow (Monday),” said a text message quoting Dr Mazari, circulated by the PTI press office on Sunday night.

But Dr Mazari later clarified that there had been no “understanding” or seat adjustment with the PPP and the “agreement” mentioned was on the 22nd amendment. She said all these developments took place after a PPP delegation, headed by former interior minister Rehman Malik, had called on the KP chief minister.

“Yes, the PPP wanted some give and take in the Senate elections, but on our part the only purpose to contact Mr Zardari was to highlight the issue of horse-trading and how other parties are resisting PTI’s efforts against corrupt election practices,” the PTI source said.

Soon after Dr Mazari confirmed the telephonic conversation between Mr Khan and Mr Zardari, social media users started hitting out at the PTI leadership for joining hands with the PPP for whatever reasons.

It appeared that Mr Khan’s Monday statement also addressed that concern. He said he had spoken to the PPP co-chairman on one-point agenda – bring an end to horse-trading in the Senate election – which was destroying democracy in the country, especially “in the wake of the rigged 2013 general elections”.

Mr Khan said it was because of the PTI’s commitment to ensuring transparent and fair elections that it had demanded open balloting. When the PML-N government expressed its readiness to move in this direction, the PTI supported it and sent its representatives to the all-party conference convened by the prime minister.

Mr Khan said he himself would lead PTI’s efforts to ensure a clean Senate election in KP and expose horse-trading.

The PTI has already issued a show-cause notice to one of its provincial lawmakers for proposing a candidate for Senate elections again the party decision.

He made it clear that there would be no deal with any party on Senate elections. “Given the intention of the PPP and PML-N, the PTI will now fight the Senate elections with a renewed commitment to exposing and defeating those trying to buy their way into the Senate,” he said.

Published in Dawn March 3rd , 2015

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