PM Imran warns of efforts to rig Senate polls | The Express Tribune

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that he knew the name of a political leader who is “arranging funds” for horse-trading in the upcoming Senate elections.

While interacting with journalists during his visit to Punjab’s Sahiwal district on Friday, the premier said his government was making all-out efforts to stop horse-trading and buying of votes in the upcoming elections of upper house of the parliament.

He said his government had approached Supreme Court to seek its opinion over open ballot in Senate polls to ensure transparency in the elections.

The premier said if senators are elected through money they would not work for the welfare of the people rather they would only gain illegal benefits.

He said the PTI-led government would soon introduce a bill for constitutional amendment in Senate election law in the Parliament, which he said will expose those who are involved in corrupt practices in the country. “We don’t have two-third majority in the Parliament but still we are presenting a bill so that the nation should know who is working to eliminate corruption and who is involved in it.”

Without disclosing anyone’s name, the premier also revealed that in the past he too was offered money to vote in Senate elections.

The premier said two former prime ministers – Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto – signed the Charter of Democracy in May 2006 and one of its point was to introduce open ballot in Senate elections to block the way of horse-trading.

Last month, the government moved an 11-page reference under Article 186 of the Constitution to the Supreme Court, seeking the apex court’s advice on whether the condition of secret ballot under Article 226 of the Constitution applied to the Senate elections.

The reference was filed soon after a decision of the federal cabinet to hold open ballot for election of the upper house of parliament on seats which will fall vacant in March this year. The matter is pending with a larger bench of the apex court.