Senate elections: Fata MNAs challenge presidential ordinance in SC

E-Paper | July 29, 2026

ISLAMABAD: MNAs from the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have challenged the passing of the presidential ordinance concerning the voting procedure in senate elections in both the Supreme Court and the Islamabad High Court.

The petition adopted the stance that the election method instituted by the presidential ordinance should be reversed and the Fata senate elections should be conducted according to the method of voting employed in previous elections.

The presidential ordinance issued on Wednesday night, only a few hours before the senate election, permits Fata MNAs to only cast one vote, unlike the previous method outlined by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) that allowed tribal senators to cast four votes.

However, despite the promulgation of the presidential ordinance, the ECP did not change the voting procedure, causing confusion.

The ordinance was issued on the basis of a summary moved by the Safron ministry and withdraws the Statutory Regulatory Order of July 7, 1975, as well as a 2002 executive order — issued by former president Gen Pervez Musharraf — which gave each tribal senator as many votes as the number of vacant seats.

Following the withdrawal of the two earlier orders, each Fata MNA will now only have one vote.

In an interview with Dawn News, Federal Minister Riaz Pirzada stated that the presidential ordinance should not have been promulgated in the face of opposition by Fata MNAs. "It should not have been done when people who are affected by it are not in favour of it."

MNAs from Fata have reportedly expressed the opinion that the PML-N, in order to make their own candidate a senator, have orchestrated the change in voting rules. Mr. Pirzada was unable to verify or deny this statement but reiterated that the Fata MNAs were protesting.

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Ayaz

Mar 05, 2015 03:32pm

Four votes per MNA .... That is remarkable. Only in Pakistan.

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khanm

Mar 05, 2015 03:52pm

do we have a president...if we have one, may be he is a Spirit not in real sense, where is he??? have you heard of him lately.. may be he is elusive..All respect for the office of the presidency aside, I assumed that the obvious and unadulterated decline of freedom and constitutional sovereignty, not to mention the efforts to curb the power of judicial disaster, spoke for itself.

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Khan

Mar 05, 2015 04:02pm

Why not directly elected senators so that they are answerable to people. this will end the monopoly of few families and curb horse trading

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Saeed

Mar 05, 2015 06:00pm

Presidential ordinance at the last moment on such a serious matter shows something suspicious. Such matters must be legislated properly

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RRana

Mar 05, 2015 06:31pm

Direct elections for senators.

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KeyPoints

Mar 05, 2015 06:56pm

There is one unfortunate and worrisome phenomenon has developved over recent years, that level of trust on political leaders has gone way down. It may be because 'wrong-doings' of some crooked politicians has become well known to public. Now you have this 'horse trading' debatea and accusations for senate elections. In this scenario, hardly any politician can walk on a stage without public thinking about his/her character and judging performance for serving the people of the country. May be some politicians want to accumulate wealth as fast as they can, and public image is not a concern. Looking at end result, its good that crooked politicians are 'exposed' for being in politics to make money, not to serve the people. On other hand, lack of respect for politicians, erodes their moral authority to plan and execute any developmental project for the nation. To conclude, some of crooked politicians may retire, or simply take their money and move to other countries. But problem for the people of Pakistan remains the same. Any suggestioins how to solve this ugly problem?

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public

Mar 05, 2015 09:19pm

What is was the phylosophy behind one person four votes? It sounds silly and ..... I do not wish to use the word.

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Cyrus Ho

Mar 05, 2015 09:54pm

Nothing in the history of the world can top the English government of George III. Nothing. That government went further than their concept of a Grand Jury to protect the nobles from the criminal courts. The royal court unbelievably passed a law forbidding the police to investigate crimes. They wanted to protect corrupt relatives and friends who were making them wealthy. The London Bobbies only existed to prevent the upper class from mobs, pilferage and violent criminals. I have never heard of government that rigged. Usually this kind of corruption is protected in secrecy. King George and his ministers bent the law to their advantage by mandate in public. That era was literally Imperial Britain.

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John

Mar 05, 2015 10:43pm

DO WE NEED SENATE??? Some of the countries are considering removal of senate system. It does not fulfill any good motive other than corruption and perks to some. Since we have parliament why we need senate ??? Just waste of money.

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