YESTERDAY’S election for the Senate chairman has yielded a result, but the saga is far from over. PTI-backed nominee Sadiq Sanjrani with 48 votes was declared the winner over the opposition’s Yousuf Raza Gilani who bagged 42 votes.

However, eight votes were rejected of which seven were in favour of Mr Gilani — a revelation that has caused an uproar within the opposition, which is considering challenging the decision in the Supreme Court although the presiding officer maintains the votes were cast incorrectly. Ahead of the vote, the figures for party strength suggested that 47 members would vote for Mr Sanjrani and 51 for Mr Gilani. But during the poll, Mr Sanjrani secured an additional vote, an indication that one opposition senator voted against party policy and in favour of the PTI.

Read: What does Sanjrani’s win mean?

Interestingly, the deputy chairman slot was also secured by the PTI candidate, with 10 votes more than the opposition candidate — a result that shows some opposition members voted in favour of the ruling party. This is hardly surprising as Senate elections are routinely marred by allegations of vote buying, horse-trading and political engineering. But certain moments during yesterday’s election set a new record in the proverbial book of dirty tricks.

The discovery by opposition lawmakers of hidden cameras in the polling booth is an astounding and blatant violation of the sanctity of the upper house and the election process. An election, which according to the rules should be conducted by a secret ballot, was tampered with by unknown individuals who hoped to spy on lawmakers casting their votes. Who planted these devices and what exactly they were hoping to find out, is anyone’s guess. Moreover, allegations from opposition politicians that their members were being threatened by the establishment to switch sides hint at yet another nefarious plot.

As the government celebrates its Senate victory, the truth is that democracy has lost — much like it did in the Senate seat elections earlier in the month when the ruling party alleged vote buying. Pakistan’s Senate elections have often been held under a cloud of suspicion, as buyouts and underhanded tactics are employed to make lawmakers switch sides. Though politicians have normalised the unsavoury practice of buying loyalty, the role of undemocratic forces in allegedly threatening and spying on lawmakers is even more sinister. Such tactics are an affront to parliament, and unfortunately, will not end till political parties put their differences aside and collectively reject interference. Sadly, there are no signs that this realisation will dawn on our politicians anytime soon.

Anyone who thought the Senate polls would be a fair exercise has been proven wrong. If anything, it shows that the battle for power by any means will go on, and that politicians will continue to either be manipulated or participate of their own accord in undemocratic practices.

Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2021