During the first Senate meeting after the general elections on February 8, there were repeated requests on Tuesday to take legal action against the top election commissioner and look into how the polls were conducted.
The meeting was presided over by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, and a proposal to halt the proceedings was made and accepted. After that, the upper chamber started talking on the most recent general elections.
Senator Mushtaq Ahmad of Jamaat-e-Islami said that Article 6 should be used to prosecute CEC Sikander Sultan Raja for treason and to hold him accountable for his violations and betrayals of the Constitution. In addition, he emphasized the necessity of an open inquiry into purported anomalies that occurred during the elections.
Ahmad insisted that the recent polls had driven the nation toward a “severe” economic and political catastrophe and added that the manipulation was revealed by the now-former commissioner of Rawalpindi.
The JI senator went on to say that the elections were marred by a “bullet that overshadowed the ballot,” and he restated his demand for the CEC’s resignation. In addition, he declared that “we did not achieve freedom from the British only have some government servants sitting behind closed doors enslave us” and that a judicial commission should be established for an open inquiry.
The nation’s democracy is still distorted.
Senator Bizinjo voiced his opinions in the Senate, saying that even after 75 years, the nation’s democracy is still distorted. He claimed that although there is less tolerance for diversity in the nation, no one is eager to take lessons from the past.
“Mistakes are being repeated, whether one likes to admit it or not. No matter how supervisors oversee the elections, they are always divisive. The elections this time around are the most controversial.”
According to Bizinjo, the true representatives of the people in Balochistan were vanquished.
The drug dealers and feudal lords were introduced to the assembly with the help of two main parties. The nation will remain beset by crises as long as the military and the judiciary fail to carry out their respective duties. Was the PTI government’s removal by the courts the right decision? Will these manipulated elections lead to political and economic stability?”
He repeated Senator Ahmad’s call for the chief election commissioner to be arrested and for legal action to be taken.
“One group was singled out.”
Speaking on the elections, Senato Syed Ali Zafar claimed that one party was singled out for special attention. “People experienced harassment, and PTI leaders were taken into custody. PTI was prohibited from hosting any kind of event while the election was underway. To prevent voters from supporting the PTI, it was singled out.”
“The people have made a clear decision, regardless of the outcome of the elections,” he continued. Whether one likes it or not, Imran Khan has won the support of the populace. During the elections, the youth demonstrated their optimism. People were made to feel afraid and intimidated in order to keep them indoors on voting day. PTI candidates were arrested and prevented from conducting their electoral campaigns. We lost our electoral emblem a few days prior to the election.
“Post-poll rigging was observed when pre-poll rigging was unsuccessful. By manipulating the votes, the losing candidates prevailed. The mandate of the people was pilfered. It’s not easy to look forward, but we must. The person who has been given the mandate by the people should take the lead. Ask the Election Commission to reclaim the stolen mandate by presenting a resolution today.”
According to Senator Shafiq Tareen, “the people’s mandate was stolen”.
“The public contributed Rs. 50 billion to the government’s election expenditures. Since the most recent elections were prearranged, the parties in power need to be permitted to form the government.”
PML-N “Our country has an unpleasant history of elections,” stated Senator Irfan Siddiqui.
“For twenty-three years following Pakistan’s founding, elections were not held. The country was divided as a result of the 1970 election results being rejected. We had eleven years of martial law after one election that rocked the nation. It is noteworthy that nobody discusses 2018. Those who made fun of our penalties in 2018 ought to have second-guessed themselves. Four days later, the 2018 election results were announced.”
Senator Siddiqui went on to say that the Supreme Court used to provide us with justice, whereas subordinate courts used to penalize us. “The outcomes of the general elections align with the pre-election Gallup poll. Rather than sitting with democratic parties, why not visit Maulana Fazlur Rehman? Come to Parliament and act as the opposition if you have concerns about the elections.”
I am a dedicated student currently in my seventh semester, pursuing a degree in International Relations. Alongside my academic pursuits, I am actively engaged in the professional field as a content writer at the Rangeinn website.