The art of Horse Trading

Jumping ship from one party to another is turned into an art form; if it had been an Olympics sport, Pakistan could have bagged many gold medals. There is no doubt that our democracy is a continued victim of horse-trading. Horse-trading emerges every time; as a nation we protest every time, but we have not achieved anything so far. 

Senate elections are going to be held within months and voices of horse-trading are coming from every nook and corner. Horse trading became an art around 1990 when the PML-N was planning a No-Confidence Motion in the National Assembly, against the late PM Benazir Bhutto. Nawaz Sharif contacted parliamentarians and offered various handouts. Later they were corralled in Murree to enjoy the summers. 

At the same time, Benazir Bhutto started planning and air-lifted her supporters by PAF’s C-130 aircraft to Swat where they were corralled in the Serena Hotel. On D-Day, they were flown back to Islamabad to cast their votes against the No-Confidence Motion, which ultimately was defeated.

Bargaining regarding senate balloting is done at party ranks. Cash offered to legislators in exchange for a vote is allegedly paid from their funds. This equals millions or maybe billions of rupees. The seeds of corruption are sowed at the highest level.

Mockery of democracy is made by those who feign championing it. It’s an open contempt of the public’s mandate. Democracy is not crippled by those in the establishment but potentially by these lawmakers who have set a price for their integrity.

Fortunately or unfortunately this menace of horse-trading haunts all the political parties having representation in different assemblies. Prime Minister Imran Khan seems to be doing everything that he once claimed he was fighting against, including political horse-trading that he had earlier condemned as anathema to democracy.

The government had hastily advocated for abolishing the secret ballot procedure. The constitution clearly states in Article 226 that all elections other than those of the prime minister and the chief minister shall be held by secret ballot.  

The whole system of Senate elections calls for urgent reforms and major surgery to excise the widespread horse-trading that it is afflicted with. Regrettably, it is a matter of grave concern that the country lacks electoral reforms, and sadly, we have been earshot allegations of manipulation in the electoral process. It is time for all politicians particularly the ruling party to realize that electoral reforms are the topmost priorities, after all, it is a matter of public interest.