Shibli Faraz seeks probe into ‘rigging’ in 2018, 2024 polls

Published September 10, 2024
Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz speaks during a session of the Senate on Sept 9, 2024. — YouTube/SenateofPakistan
Opposition Leader in the Senate Shibli Faraz speaks during a session of the Senate on Sept 9, 2024. — YouTube/SenateofPakistan

ISLAMABAD: The opposition leader in the Senate on Monday proposed a judicial probe into the alleged rigging in 2018 and 2024 general elections.

“Let us move a joint resolution for the formation of a judicial commission to probe what happened in 2018 and 2024 elections,” PTI’s Syed Shibli Faraz said while speaking in the House, after PML-N parliamentary leader Irfan Siddiqui defended the law to regulate public assembly in Islamabad.

Alleging that the PML-N-led coalition government has been brought to power through manipulated forms 47, he also challenged the PML-N and PPP to hold a rally in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

“You won’t be able to gather more than two to three thousand people,” Senator Faraz said.

PML-N senator defends law to regulate public assembly in Islamabad

Chiding the government, he said it cannot take major decisions. “You can walk with crutches, but you cannot run,” he remarked. He said both Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and the finance minister have given economic revival plans. He said the government appears to be in a state of complete confusion as it does not know where to go.

“When you don’t know where are you going, all routes take you there,” he remarked. Noting that everything in the country is being run on debt, he said the IMF plan has gone for a six.

He asked the finance minister to explain as to why tax targets could not be achieved and where the country is being taken now.

Senator Faraz said that while the economy is in shambles the government is utilising all its resources to contain PTI and persecute its leadership.

He said no election tribunal has decided poll petitions in over six months and accused the government of making anti-people legislation.

The opposition leader slammed the law to regulate public meetings in Islamabad and said such fascist laws would not benefit democracy. Observing that the Constitution is clear, he said all individuals and institutions must operate within the confines of law and the Constitution.

Referring to Article 16 and several other articles of the Constitution dealing with fundamental rights, he said “whenever we legislate, the legislation should be in line with or at least follow the spirit of the Constitution”.

He regretted that the law penalises public assembly that is a right guaranteed by the Constitution, and prescribes a jail term of up to 10 years for the participants.

He said the hurry with which the law was passed clearly exposed that it was a PTI-specific law.

Rejecting the government’s claims that the law is meant to ensure free movement of residents of Islamabad, he asked as to why the entire Punjab, federal capital and boundary of KP have been blocked and sealed. He said Islamabad has been cut off from the rest of the country and the Motorway and GT Road have also been blocked.

Earlier, PML-N parliamentary leader Senator Irfan Siddiqui, while defending the law to regulate public assembly in the federal capital, claimed that such laws existed in several other countries, including the US, UK and France.

Senator Siddiqui cited Article 16 of the Constitution, which stated that every citizen has the right to assemble peacefully without arms subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by the law.

He said the law in fact puts a check on the unbridled discretion of the administration to handle public assemblies.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2024

Opinion

In fight mode

In fight mode

The bouts between political parties and establishment take a toll on country far more than they do on political parties.

Editorial

Meltdown
08 Apr, 2025

Meltdown

A full-blown trade war is upon us as the era of the rules-based, multilateral trading order is nearly over.
Settling differences
Updated 08 Apr, 2025

Settling differences

Unless there is a broad agreement on the path forward, the country will remain trapped in a cycle of recurring instability.
Glacial ingenuity
08 Apr, 2025

Glacial ingenuity

NECESSITY is indeed the mother of invention, as witnessed in Gilgit-Baltistan. In these areas, where climate change...
Going dry
Updated 07 Apr, 2025

Going dry

Authorities should refrain from undertaking any water scheme that infringes on rights of any federating unit to avoid more controversies.
Afghan return
07 Apr, 2025

Afghan return

AS expected, the government of Pakistan is moving ahead with its plan to forcibly repatriate Afghan Citizenship Card...
Hurting women
07 Apr, 2025

Hurting women

MONTH after month, the figures of crimes against women in the country indicate that our society is close to...