ISLAMABAD: Amid calls for civilian supremacy in the Senate, a lawmaker on Thursday proposed a dialogue among political parties to achieve this goal.

In his farewell speech days before his retirement on completion of six-year term, Senator Mushtaq Ahmed of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) said that political parties should hold a dialogue and give way to each other to ensure civilian supremacy and push back non-elected forces.

He said they must unite on a single point that the country belongs to the people who have the right to rule it through their chosen representatives.

The JI leader added the civilian supremacy in line with the Constitution was sine qua non to bring Pakistan back on the track and resolve the economic and political problems the country was facing.

Referring to the army’s claim that it had nothing to do with the electoral process, made through a press release issued by the ISPR after the corps commanders conference, Mr Ahmed said it was the biggest joke of the 21st century.

PTI welcomes offer, says talks only after parties disavow ‘SIC’s reserved seats’

He said instead of giving explanations through press releases, the army should prove by practical actions that it has nothing to do with politics and elections of the country.

The solutions to the issues confronting the country lied in true democracy and not in its hybrid version, Mr Ahmed added.

Terming civilian supremacy the basis of the country’s salvation, he said armed forces and intelligence agencies were essential for the country’s sovereignty, security and defence, adding that “we love them in this context”.

The JI leader said that political parties should give importance to ideological workers and avoid distribution of offices on the basis of DNA.

He also called for release of all political prisoners, including PTI founding Chairman Imran Khan.

Senator Saifullah Abro of PTI welcomed the proposal for political dialogue floated by Mr Ahmed and said political parties should not close their doors for talks.

He said his party would be ready for a dialogue, but asked three political parties to first disown the reserved seats of Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) distributed among them. He asked as to how a political party getting just seven general seats can get nine reserved seats.

He termed the ECP like an orphan child unable to take a decision and said it was making mistake after mistake.

Mr Abro said that under the law, the ECP was supposed to upload Form 45 on its website within 14 days after the polling day. He said that manipulated Forms 45 have been placed on the ECP’s website where overwriting can clearly be seen.

Senator Bahramand Tangi, who recently withdrew a motion seeking a ban on social media platforms after getting a flak, claimed he never supported the resolution seeking postponement of general elections.

Mr Tangi said he had delivered a speech before Senator Dilawar Khan moved a resolution and said his speech had no mention of the resolution, its support or postponement of elections.

He said his leadership had been misguided and his basic membership was revoked as a result of conspiracy hatched against him.

PkMAP Senator Abida Azeem said the mandate of the people has been stolen in the recently held general elections.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2024