The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday issued notices to several parliamentarians and political leaders, including Imran Khan and Farooq Sattar, for levelling horse-trading allegations following the recently-held Senate elections.

The politicians and lawmakers who levelled allegations, that the Senate polls had been marred by horse-trading, have been asked to appear before the court on March 14 and submit proof of these allegations.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, PML-N leaders Maryam Aurangzeb, Amir Muqam, Shahab Ud Din Khan, and Azma Zahid Bokhari, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan's leaders Farooq and Khawaja Izhar, and Pakistan Sarzameen Party's (PSP) Raza Haroon have been asked to appear before the commission on March 14.

The lawmakers have been asked to appear before the court in person or ensure representation through their counsel.

Various politicians had expressed extreme scepticism over political parties grabbing seats in the Senate despite lack of significant representation in the provincial assemblies.

“Senate elections yet again witnessed shameful horse-trading where MPAs bought and sold their votes as the country witnessed this sale of their ‘elected’ people to highest bidder. This shows moral decline of our political class. In which Western democracy does such a sale happen?” Imran Khan had tweeted, following the Senate elections that took place on March 3.

“The horse-trading in the Senate elections allowed the PPP to win two seats in KP where they have only seven MPAs. This sort of electoral farce raises some serious ethical questions,” Khan had tweeted. He said the Senate elections had not only “devalued the Senate but the entire political class”.

Farooq Sattar had also levelled staggering allegations against the Pakistan Peoples Party, accusing the latter of indulging in horse-trading and of trying to turn MQM-P lawmakers over to their side.

The MQM-P leader said members of his party had witnessed blatant and shameless attempts at horse-trading.

"Our female and male MPAs, both were subjected to such attempts [of horse-trading]...some of them arrived to the assembly in the same car as two PPP MPAs, went to the chief minister's chambers, then went to cast their votes and were then sent on their way," Sattar alleged.