* Senators express concern on withdrawal of official security from leaders of political parties on the orders of apex court
ISLAMABAD: The Upper House on Monday come hard on the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the top judiciary of the country, claiming that both the institutions were creating irrelevant hurdles in the way of holding free and transparent election.
They also expressed serious reservations on the withdrawal of official security to targeted political parties’ leaders on the order of the apex court.
They said that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) had openly announced to target the candidates of ANP, PPP and MQM in the general election. They regretted that the ECP and the caretaker set-up had totally failed to ensure safety of candidates belonging to these political parties.
Over the worst type of security situation in Karachi, the MQM senators walked out from the session and demanded the interim set-up to ensure proper security for their candidates, as they were unable to run their election campaigns.
Opposition leader Senator Ishaq Dar regretted the ECP’s statement that a parliamentary committee on election issues had no right to oversee the election process.
He said the Senate Special Committee on Election Issues would remain intact and continue to oversee the election process.
He said that the ECP had promised to provide transportation facility in election, but it miserably failed to provide transport in 28 polling stations during by-elections in Multan.
He pointed out several flaws in the code of conduct issued by the ECP, and suggested the caretaker government to promulgate an ordinance to give legal cover to such issues.
ANP’s Senator Haji Adeel regretted that his party candidates were being targeting and their offices destroyed by terrorists in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA.
He warned that the ECP and the caretaker government would be responsible if any candidate belonging to the ANP was killed or wounded.
PPPP Senator Farhatullah Babar was of the view that utmost care should be taken to ensure free and faire election on time. “It was this parliament that provided autonomy to the ECP,” he said, adding how could it stop the Upper House from overseeing the election process.
About security concerns, he said the TTP had clearly announced to target three political parties’ candidates in the general election, and regretted that official security was withdrawn by the order of the SC.
JUI-F leader Abdul Ghafoor Haideri said the security situation in Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan was deteriorating, and “under such circumstances, withdrawing official security from political leaders by the order of the SC is regrettable”.
He said that the government had withdrawn security, and also put a ban on keeping private guards, “which means that the leaders are at the mercy of terrorists”. He said that the returning officers had made a joke of candidates by scrutinising them under articles 62 and 63.
Haideri said that there was no issue of educational degrees, but the SC had taken up the issue once again and was creating hurdles for candidates. “Old cases have been reopened and several senators de-notified.”
ANP’s Senator Zahid Khan questioned how could the SC order for withdrawing official security from political leaders, as judiciary itself kept a large security set-up. “What is the need of security for judges? Political leaders are the ones who have to meet the people.”
He also regretted that the ECP was busy in removing the managing directors of different organisations but was totally silence over security-related issues. “The terrorists targeted three political parties, but no other political party said a single word over it.”
PPP Senator Saeed Ghani said this parliament had empowered the ECP, but lamented that it was now going in the “opposite direction”.
MQM Senator Tahir Hussain Mashhadi said his party workers were being targeted in Karachi on a daily basis but the law enforcers took no action.
He suggested that there should be a “level playing field” for general election. “Under the current circumstances, it is difficult for our leaders and workers to come out from their houses.”
As a protest over the poor situation of law and order, he walked out from the Senate.
The Senate also passed a bill and referred it to the standing committee concerned.
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