KARACHI: Muttahida Qaumi Movement chief Altaf Hussain has urged the Supreme Court to formulate procedure for voting in the upcoming Senate elections.

According to an MQM statement released in London on Saturday, Mr Hussain said the Supreme Court was not only the final arbiter but also the guardian of the Constitution.

He called upon Chief Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk and other judges of the apex court to take suo motu notice to formulate a proper procedure for the Senate elections.

“If necessary, a commission be appointed under Order 32 of the Supreme Court Rules, whereby members of the armed forces, selected parliamentarians, lawyers, technocrats and other figures known in diversified fields, are appointed as members of the commission so as to resolve the present crisis.”

He said the 2013 general elections hardly contributed to stability in the country because there were allegations and counter-allegations about rigging.

Referring to the dispute over the procedure for Senate elections, he said it was being argued that to protect privacy of individuals the elections should be held through a secret ballot, but on the other hand it was being said that the polls should be by show of hands to avert horse-trading.

He said the crisis might deepen if the matter was taken to the parliament and a constitutional amendment was introduced.

“At this juncture what is required is a sane and correct decision about the procedure for Senate elections, as also with regard to local government elections and investigation into allegations of electoral rigging and remedial action, if any.”

Mr Hussain congratulated MQM candidates Barrister Mohammad Ali Saif and Nighat Mirza on their unopposed election as senators on seats reserved for technocrats and women.

Speaking to MQM workers gathered at the party’s Nine Zero headquarters to celebrate the victory, he said the unopposed election took place with the cooperation of the PPP.

At a separate programme held to commemorate the annual foundation day of the MQM’s Labour Division, he congratulated PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on unopposed election of his party’s candidates Farooq Naek and Sassui Palejo.

Published in Dawn, March 1st, 2015

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