Presidential ordinance on senate elections is against constitution of Pakistan: Senator Rehman Malik

Islamabad: Former Interior Minister and senior PPP leader Senator Rehman Malik said that there are many challenges in Pakistan’s politics and of those the biggest challenge is preventing horse-trading in elections.

He said that horse-trading is not any new phenomenon happening for the first time in Pakistani politics but in Pakistani politics, it is happening since day first. He said that the government had enough time to bring legislation to prevent horse-trading but it couldn’t bring legislation and issued a Presidential Ordinance in haste. He said that the Constitution of Pakistan is very clear about the Senate elections which is indeed secret balloting adding the use of open ballots in the Senate elections should be decided by the Parliament and it is very important to follow the Constitution. He said that he was sure that the Supreme Court will refer this matter back to the Parliament.

Senator Rehman Malik questioned that under what law, the Presidential Ordinance was issued as it is clearly against the constitutional provision regarding the Senate elections. He asked if tomorrow the President wanted the term of the prime minister to be extended from five years to nine years, will he issue an ordinance, and would any such ordinance be constitutional and acceptable? He said that no Presidential ordinance can be issued against the Constitution of Pakistan. He said that what the need for a Presidential Ordinance was when the bill was already under consideration in the National Assembly and has been considered by the National Assembly and Senate Standing Committees. He said that it seems the government has lost its trust in its members of parliament. He said that if such ordinances are not repealed, it will become a precedent and every government will be bringing such ordinance per need.

He said that the morning session of the Senate remained very good as fellow Senators remembered and paid rich tributes to the late Senator Mushahidullah Khan. He said that Senator Mushahidullah Khan has always been loyal to the party and its leadership and stood by the party in every difficult hour. He said that he was glad to know that after late Mushahidullah Khan, his party PMLN awarded his son with Senate ticker and appreciates his party move for honouring Mushahidullah Khan’s loyalty and sincere services for the party. He said that honesty is the best policy and every politician should remain loyal to the country, democracy, the constitution, and the party adding democracy and the constitution could not get strengthen if politicians are not loyal and sincere. He said today if we didn’t remain loyal to the constitution of Pakistan, people will lose their confidence in parliament and elected representatives.