PESHAWAR: Following the Punjab government, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa today (Saturday) has backed the Centre’s call to hold the Senate elections through the open ballot.
According to details, the provincial government has submitted its response to the Supreme Court in the presidential reference case. The reference was submitted by the Attorney General of Pakistan Khalid Javed Khan.
The statement said, “The edifice of democracy in Pakistan, rests on a system of free and fair elections and that parliamentary democracy is a basic feature of the Constitution. The concept of a democratic government depends on a free and fair election system.”
In addition, the statement said that it is the will of the people that shall remain paramount and become the basis of the authority of the government. “All over the world in democracies indirect means of election adopted on party lines, particularly to upper houses, is also well accepted practice,” it added.
KP demanded that the court allow the Parliament and the government to amend the Election Act 2017 — the law that must be amended to hold Senate elections by open ballot.
“Transparent elections are the basis of democracy while voting against one’s party is dishonesty. In the past, allegations of corruption have been leveled against the Senate elections,” KP maintained.
Meanwhile, Punjab said that lawmakers move against the party policy for their personal benefits. “The members who oppose the party policy can resign and that it was better to resign than selling their votes,” it added.
