Tag: SenateElections2021

  • Government demands resignation of Chief Election Commissioner

    Seeking disbanding of the election watchdog, the ruling party has called on the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) to resign for “failing to hold the recently-held Senate elections in a transparent manner”.

    “It was a longstanding demand of the prime minister that the power of money should not be used to influence elections,” said Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood while addressing a press conference alongside Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.

    “For this purpose, the premier wanted the Senate elections to be held via an open ballot.”

    Mahmood said it is the sole responsibility of the ECP to ensure transparent polls are held. He said that the government had told the ECP to implement a system wherein it would not be possible for corrupt practices to take place.

    The minister called on the election commission to be disbanded, alleging that it had failed to meet up to the standards required of it.

    “To ensure transparent elections are held is the responsibility of the election commission. This responsibility was not fulfilled,” he said. “The election commission failed to act as a neutral umpire hence it should resign,” added Mahmood.

    Explaining the government’s demand for the ECP to be disbanded, Mahmood said the PTI was the most popular political party in the country yet it did not have confidence in the ECP. He claimed the ruling party was not the only one which didn’t trust the ECP.

    Earlier, Federal Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari had also taken a dig at the CEC, saying: “It is unfortunate that he is increasingly creating a partisan image of the ECP which erodes its credibility as well as [the] credibility of future elections under its supervision.”

    The minister had alleged that the CEC was partial and added that “instead of supporting PM & PTI’s demand for open ballot to ensure transparency in Senate elections, PDM’s opportunism & CEC’s partisan approach prevented fair, free and transparent Senate elections”.

    “CEC must take prime responsibility for this sorry state of electoral affairs.”

  • Mustafa Khokhar, Musadik Malik to be billed for Senate wiring: Fawad

    Minister for Science Technology Fawad Chaudhry said on Sunday that Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Dr Musadik Malik will be sent a bill of Rs 54,000 for tearing out the wiring in the Senate Hall in their quest for ‘spy cams’.

    The minister made these comments in a press conference as well as Geo’s show Jirga.

    On Friday just before the Senate Chairman elections, both Khokhar and Malik found hidden cameras installed inside and around the polling booth in Senate.

    According to Senator Khokhar, Chaudhry’s tweet led him to another spy camera that was found in a screw.

    Chaudhry also tweeted on Friday that an investigation committee should be formed before Khokhar and Malik tear down the entire wiring system in the Senate.

    Sadiq Sanjrani won the polls amidst the opposition’s protest regarding the seven votes that were in favour of PDM candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani but were rejected by the presiding officer.

    After Gilani’s defeat, Chaudhry tweeted that had the opposition spent 25-30 per cent of their time in telling their people on how to vote correctly, they would not be crying now. He also added that the opposition should pay heed to Prime Minister Khan’s suggestion of an open ballot in the Senate so as to avoid such issues in the future.

  • Opposition ready to challenge Sanjrani’s win in Senate

    Opposition ready to challenge Sanjrani’s win in Senate

    The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is all set to challenge the rejection of seven votes that were cast in favour of Yousaf Raza Gilani as per news reports. Sadiq Sanjrani bagged 48 votes in the election for the slot of Senate Chairman while Gilani bagged 42 votes. Seven votes cast in Gilani’s favour were rejected due to a technicality.

    The seven votes that were rejected had stamps on the candidate’s name but were inside the box. Senator Farooq H Naek said that the presiding officer does not have the right to reject “our vote if it has been stamped inside the box and on the candidate’s name”. Presiding officer Muzaffar Hussain Shah explained why those votes were rejected.

    It was pointed out that the written instructions in the Senate Hall were different from the reasons being given by the presiding officer.

    Former Secretary to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Geo News that the votes should have been valid and this decision can be challenged in the Supreme Court.

    Meanwhile, government senators say it was clearly stated in the Instruction Book how to vote and that these votes were wasted deliberately.

  • ‘Kiskay vote ko izzat dein,’ asks Samina Peerzada

    ‘Kiskay vote ko izzat dein,’ asks Samina Peerzada

    Samina Peerzada, in a recent tweet, expressed her confusion over the recent Senate Elections.

    Referring to Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz’s (PML-N) slogan “Vote ko izaat do,” Samina wrote: “Kis kay vote ko izat dein (Whose vote should we respect)?”

    Earlier, the veteran actor had said: “Kya hum vote jorr torr karnay kay lie detay hain ya mulk ki behtari kay lie (Do we vote for manipulation or for the betterment of the country)?”

    Earlier on Friday, before the voting for the Senate Chairman began, senators Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Dr Musadik Malik of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) stated that they found spy cameras in the polling booth in Senate. Senator Khokhar and Dr Musadik, in a series of tweets, posted pictures of cameras they found and a series of allegations started on Twitter by Mustafa, Malik and Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry.

    While the government alleged that the opposition installed the camera to create a ruckus, the Pakistan Democratic Movement accused the government of installing them to tamper votes. Senator Mustafa alleged that Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani was seen leaving the Senate building early morning at 5:30 am on the eve of the elections.

    It is still unclear who installed the cameras but it is worth mentioning that the elections for Senate chairman and deputy chairman are critical for both the government and the opposition.

    Meanwhile, government’s candidate for the Senate chairmanship Sanjrani won after getting 48 votes, beating Gilani with a lead of six votes.

  • Sadiq Sanjrani defeats PDM’s Yousaf Raza Gilani, re-elected as Senate Chairman

    The ruling party’s candidate, Sadiq Sanjrani, was on Friday elected as the Senate chairman, defeating joint opposition’s candidate Yousaf Raza Gilani by reportedly three votes.

    According to reports, Sanjrani received 48 votes against Gilani’s 42 whereas seven of the latter’s votes were rejected during count.

    Earlier, polling for the Senate chairman’s post started at 3 pm, presided over by officials from the Senate Secretariat.

    The process of voting completed at 4:40 pm, but counting started after the official time, i.e. 5 pm.

    Earlier in the day, the newly-elected members of the upper house had taken their oath of office shortly after the session began at 10 am.

  • ‘Spy cameras’ discovered in polling booth ahead of Senate chairman polls

    Senators Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Dr Musadik Malik of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) have stated that they found spy cameras in the polling booth in Senate on the day of the Senate Chairman election.

    The opposition alliance has fielded Yousaf Raza Gilani as the joint candidate for Senate chairman while the government has fielded Sadiq Sanjrani.

    Senator Khokhar and Dr Musadik, in a series of tweets, posted pictures of cameras they found.

    https://twitter.com/DrMusadikMalik/status/1370235911255031808

    Responding to these tweets, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that those cameras were “in all likelihood CCTV” cameras and not spy cameras.

    Senator Khokhar thanked Chaudhry for the lead and said “we will check for those too”.

    A few minutes later, Senator Khokhar tweeted he found a similar screw that the minister had mentioned and thanked Chaudhry for the lead. In response to this, Fawad wished Senator Mustafa good luck.

    Senator Khokhar questioned why a screw was there.

    Senator Musadik Malik also tweeted the same.

    https://twitter.com/DrMusadikMalik/status/1370270961136713728

    A video available with The Current shows the whole saga of uncovering the screw:

    https://twitter.com/TheCurrentPK/status/1370276132986179587

    Meanwhile, the government accused the opposition of planting those cameras.

    Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar tweeted that credible sources in Senate staff have disclosed that Sadiq Sanjrani left the Senate building at 5:30am in the morning.

    Fawad Chaudhry tweeted that Secretary Senate should form a committee to investigate the cameragate before Dr Musadik and Mustafa Nawaz destroy the entire wiring system in the Senate.

    Meanwhile, Twitter has dubbed the duo of Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar and Dr Musadik Malik as Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson.

    While those behind the installation of cameras are still unknown, it is worth mentioning that the elections for Senate chairman and deputy chairman are critical for both the government and opposition.

    Later, in a press conference Senator Mustafa and Dr Malik, detailed the events that transpired in the Senate as they discovered the hidden cameras.

    https://youtu.be/JIssfV4EJNc

  • Race for Deputy Chairman Senate

    Prime Minister Imran Khan has nominated Mirza Mohammad Afridi as the PTI government’s candidate for the post of Deputy Chairman Senate, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz has announced.

    “Prime Minister Imran Khan has nominated Senator Mirza Mohammad Afridi for Deputy Chairman Slot giving representation to ex-FATA PTI member,” wrote the Minister.

    Earlier, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak had offered the position of deputy chairman Senate to JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. JUI-F had subsequently rejected the government’s offer.

    A day before the elections of Chairman Senate, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz has alleged that their senators are being called and asked not to vote for PDM candidate.

    “Our senators are being called and asked not to vote for PDM candidate. Some of them have recorded the evidence,” wrote Maryam on social media.

    Meanwhile, the government has announced the candidature of Sadiq Sanjrani as its nominee for Senate chairman while the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) has nominated Yousuf Raza Gilani as its joint candidate for the position.

  • Withdrawn PTI candidate Abdul Qadir welcomed to party by PM Khan

    Newly elected Senator from Balochistan, Abdul Qadir, joined Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Tuesday. Qadir was elected as an independent candidate with the support of Balochistan Awami Party (BAP). Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Saifullah Nyazee were also part of the meeting.

    It should be noted that PTI had withdrawn the party ticket awarded to business tycoon Abdul Qadir in Balochistan for the Senate election after strong opposition from the PTI provincial leadership and zonal heads. PTI awarded its Senate ticket to Syed Zahoor Agha. Later, when Abdul Qadir contested the Senate election as an independent candidate with the joint support of BAP and the government, PTI’s Zahoor Agha withdrew his nomination papers.

  • Government offers Senate deputy chairmanship to JUI-F

    The PTI government has offered the post of Senate deputy chairman to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F). Defence Minister Pervez Khattak says he offered the position of deputy chairman Senate to JUI-F’s Abdul Ghafoor Haideri. 

    JUI-F, led by Maulana Fazlur Rehman, is part of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM). Reports indicate that PDM will offer deputy chairman slot to JUI-F and Leader of Opposition in Senate to the PML-N. However, these decisions have not been officially announced. PDM has officially nominated Yousaf Raza Gilani as its joint candidate for Senate chairman. Haideri said that he cannot predict who will become Senate Chairman on March 12. He also said that he has not been informed about PDM’s decision about candidates for the slot of deputy chairman.

    Maulana Ghafoor Haideri told the media that he condemns the government ministers’ discussion about this issue. “We don’t accept this government so there is absolutely no standing of any offer from this government,” Haideri added.

  • ECP rejects PTI petition seeking stop on Gilani notification

    ECP rejects PTI petition seeking stop on Gilani notification

    The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has rejected a petition filed by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) seeking to stop the notification of newly-elected Senator Yousaf Raza Gilani.

    According to reports, the election watchdog sought amendments to the petition.

    Last Wednesday, Gilani, who was fielded as a joint candidate of the 11-party Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on a technocrat seat from Islamabad, defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in Senate elections in a major setback to the government. He received 169 votes to the latter’s 164.

    On Saturday, three PTI leaders — Farrukh Habib, Maleeka Bokhari, and Kanwal Shauzab — approached the election commission to halt the issuance of the victory notification for Gilani until a probe into a contentious video, showing the former prime minister’s son Ali Haider Gilani explaining to MPs how to waste their votes, is completed.

    In another petition filed on Monday, the trio sought an early hearing of the case which was earlier scheduled for March 11 — a day before the election for the office of Senate chairman.

    “The matter is extremely important as a senator elected with corrupt practices is now aspiring to become the chairman of Senate,” the petition said.

    “It is a matter of utmost importance, which will have far-reaching consequences.”

    “The election of Yousuf Raza Gilani has been a rare incident in the national political history,” the request further said.

    “Hopefully, the election commission will hear the matter urgently, as it heard the issue related to [the] by-election in NA-75, Daska.”

    “The issuance of the notification should be stopped till the action on the video scandal is completed,” the petition said.

    The video, which had emerged hours before legislators across the country were set to go to Senate elections, showed Ali Gilani explaining to MPs how to cancel their votes. In a press conference, Ali Gilani accepted that he was in the leaked video, but denied he was engaging in a deal to buy votes for his father.

    A separate video clip showed Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah assuring four MPs of getting paid “over and above” the agreed amount and also resolve all issues from the provincial government.

    The person, who was seen finalising the deal, told Shah that all the four were “sold” and, in return, Shah also assured the legislators that all the tasks of his “brothers” were now his own responsibility.