ISLAMABAD: Senators endorsed on Wednesday the public perception that members of provincial assemblies sold their votes during elections for the upper house of parliament, with some of them proposing replacement of secret ballot with open voting to plug the loophole.

Some others suggested that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) should be empowered by amending the law to investigate the cases of sale and purchase of votes and punish those involved in the ‘deep-rooted’ corrupt practice.

As the Senate committee of the whole house (where the entire house converts itself into a committee) met to review the existing mechanism for Senate elections and give suggestions to make it more transparent, many revealed stories of “transfer of briefcases from one Land Cruiser to another” and open sale and purchase of votes.

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Senators gave arguments for and against direct election of the upper house, with Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani and some members observing that direct polls would make the upper house a ‘rich-man’s club’ and deprive smaller political parties of the privilege to become part of the federal discourse.

Senator Ilyas Bilour of the Awami National Party said former senator Gulzar Khan once disclosed that he had purchased 15 votes for his son when he needed 13 to win as an independent candidate. Interestingly, he added, despite purchasing 15 votes, Mr Khan’s son could get only 13 votes.

Mr Bilour called for a ban on independent candidates to contest Senate elections.

Retired general Salahuddin Tirmizi revealed that he was witness to sale and purchase of votes. He said the practice was so ‘open’ now that lawmakers overtly revealed the names of the candidates they had sold their votes to.

Without naming anybody, he said a leader of a political party received money from the candidates and told them to buy votes, saying that he had got only his share.

Mushahid Hussain Sayed of the PML-Q said the credibility of Senate elections had become a core issue as many termed it an auction won by the highest bidder.

Farhatullah Babar of the PPP suggested that former diplomat Asif Aizdi and former chief justice Ajmal Mian should be invited to the next meeting of the committee to seek their opinion on the mode of Senate elections.

Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq said introduction of proportionate representation system could minimise the role of money in Senate polls.

Deputy Chairman of Sen­ate Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said interference of ‘powerful elements’ in the polls was a major issue.

Usman Kakar of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party said Senate should be elected by direct votes of people and provinces should be the constituencies.

Taj Haider of the PPP proposed direct election on the basis of single-member constituency. He said some proportion of the seats could be reserved for parties on the basis of proportion of votes secured by them in elections for provincial assemblies.

Mir Hasil Bizenjo of the National Party also supported direct elections on province-based proportional representation system.

Mohsin Leghari said members of the provincial assemblies should not be made so subservient to their party’s orders that they became hostage and stopped applying their minds in the interest of strengthening parliamentary democracy.

He said there were people who were representing in the Senate the provinces they did not belong to.

It was decided that chairman of the Gallup Pakistan Dr Ejaz Shafi Gillani, Asif Aizdi, retired justice Ajmal Mian and a representative of the ECP would be invited to the next session to seek their opinion on the mechanism for Senate elections.

Published in Dawn, November 12th, 2015

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