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‘Unconstitutional’: Political parties slam Senate resolution on polls deferral

Published

11 months ago

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  • Senator Shahadat Awan calls it “rebellion against Constitution”.
  • Sher Afzal Marwat says Constitution was “violated” in Senate.
  • Sirajul Haq terms resolution conspiracy against democracy.

After the Senate adopted a resolution seeking a delay in general elections with just a month left in the much-awaited polls, political parties Friday rejected the non-binding resolution, saying that further deferring the electoral process would be “unconstitutional”.

The majority of the lawmakers present in the legislature approved the resolution — seeking polls delay in the light of extreme weather in hilly areas and the deteriorating security situation — moved by independent lawmaker Senator Dilawar Khan earlier in the day.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman, while addressing a press conference after the resolution was approved in the upper house of parliament, said that the party has a clear stance that the elections should not be put off.

“We absolutely do not support the delay in elections,” she said, adding that the PPP didn’t favour the Senate resolution.

Meanwhile, PPP enator Shahadat Awan — who was not present during the session — said that his party wants elections to be staged under any circumstances.

“This is rebellion against the Constitution. It was a [pre-planned] move and a conspiracy because the the polls must be held on time,” he said.

He reiterated that the resolution was tabled under a “plan” as the matter was not part of the Order of the Day today. Senator Awan said that the PPP is fully prepared for the polls.

“Those who can see their defeat [in elections] want to delay the polls,” he added.

Sher Afzal Marwat, central leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which also abstained from voting on the motion today, told Geo News that the Constitution was “violated” in the Senate.

“The resolution for delay in general elections is an attack on the Constitution,” he said, adding that there is no single clause in the charter for putting off the polls.

Marwat also said that Article 6 applies to all those who voted in favour of the resolution. No one can approve an anti-constitutional resolution in the Senate, he added.

Condemning the approval of the Senate resolution, Jamat-e-Islami (JI) Emir Sirajul Haq said that the motion was a conspiracy against the country and democracy.

“Who will bring the democracy on track if it is derailed,” he said, stressing that delaying elections due to unrest in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan would be tantamount to surrendering before the ones causing unrest.

Haq said that peace and stability in the country could be ensured only through timely elections. He said that his party wants free and fair elections in the country on February 8.

The resolution moved by Senator Dilawar got the approval in the presence of 14 senators, who were the only lawmakers present in the upper house of 100.

PTI Senator Gurdeep Singh and PPP Senator Behramand Tangi abstained from voting. Following the vote, the Senate chairman adjourned the session indefinitely.

The elections are set to take place in 90 days when an assembly is dissolved, but the polls in all five legislative are yet to be held and they’ve already surpassed their constitutional limit.

The polls for KP and Punjab assemblies — dissolved in January last year — have not been held for around a year, while the national, Balochistan, and Sindh assemblies have been pushed past their limits as well already.

With the fears rife of delays, a petition was also moved in the Supreme Court, following which the apex court directed the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and President Arif Alvi to announce a date, which they did: February 8.

However, some political actors have been raising concerns about the security situation as well as the weather conditions. They say that they don’t want a delay, but called for the redressal of their problems.

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The public rejects repeated calls for protests and sit-ins because PTI wants to disrupt daily life. Ahsan

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15 hours ago

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The public rejected the elements continually calling for protests and sit-ins, according to Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, and the PTI’s performance today will also fail.

Speaking at a news conference in Lahore, the planning minister stated that the government is responsible for protecting people and property, and that the necessary precautions have been taken in this regard.

Because of its effective economic policies, Pakistan is on the path to prosperity and development, according to Ahsan Iqbal. He stated that a five-year strategy for economic advancement will be unveiled shortly by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

But the demonstrators have a sinister plan to sabotage this advancement for their own ends, he claimed.

PTI intends to disrupt everyday life and restore law and order in the nation, he claimed. However, he stressed, the law will not be taken into one’s own hands, and those who break it would face harsh consequences.

The PTI founder has been sentenced by the courts, according to Ahsan Iqbal, and his release can only occur legally—not through a sit-in or protest. According to him, the PTI founder will need to use the legal system to cleanse his name in every case.

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Bushra Bibi and Imran Khan are accused of inciting the PTI’s protest confrontations on November 24.

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16 hours ago

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Top leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), including Imran Khan, the party’s founder, and his wife Bushra Bibi, are facing charges related to their alleged participation in the violent demonstrations on November 24.

The protest was found to have violated anti-terrorism regulations, leading to the first legal action after the disturbances at the Taxila police station.

In addition to major PTI members including opposition leader Omar Ayub, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, PTI’s Aleema Khan, and Senator Azam Swati, the case, which is lodged under multiple accusations, names over 300 people. The court document also names Shehryar Riaz and Taimur Masood as other leaders.

During their altercations with the police, demonstrators damaged government property, including cars and motorcycles, according to the accusation.

Another disturbing charge against the accused is the kidnapping and torture of a police driver who was allegedly detained by demonstrators before being freed.

Section 144 breach, interference with government activities, and damage to both public and private property are among the charges in the case, which is designated as No. 2594.

It is also alleged that the demonstrators caused major disturbances by obstructing roads and igniting unrest with sizable crowds.

On November 24, convoys departed for Islamabad as part of the PTI’s continuing campaign, which included the protests.

From Khyber, the convoy reached Punjab under the leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

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Reaction to the PTI protest call by Fazlur Rehman

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5 days ago

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Maulana Fazlur Rehman, speaking on a private television station, said that the PTI is always coming to the streets, which really lessens the impact of a protest.

He also suggested to the PTI leadership that rather than carrying on with the agitation, it should finally put a hard hand down, which would be the final nail in the coffin.

He continued, citing the JUI protests as an example, saying, “We had a strong grip over our protesters and workers, so neither road was closed nor any property damage occurred during protests.”

The PTI has the right to protest, but Maulana Fazlur Rehman described the party’s agitation strategy as insufficient, stating that it is currently being “exposed which maynot be a good sign’.

Ali Amin Gandapur, the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, promised not to go back home unless the PTI founder was freed. During their demonstration, Imran Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, encouraged the party officials to come up with strategies to avoid being arrested.

According to an alleged audio recording, she stated that November 24 will be a loyalty test for PTI members.

Additionally, the government of Islamabad has enforced section 144 for a period of two months, which prohibits processions, rallies, demonstrations, and meetings of five or more individuals in the city.

As per the notification, the prohibition forbade meetings in any public space inside the boundaries of Islamabad, including the Red Zone, which encompasses important government buildings, diplomatic missions, and other sensitive sites.

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