Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed said on Thursday there should be democracy within the parties as well, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

In his remarks during the hearing of a presidential reference seeking court’s opinion on holding Senate elections via open ballot, the CJP said almost all parties in Pakistan were a one-man show. “Political parties are infested with dictators,” he commented.

A five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court (SC), headed by CJP Justice Gulzar Ahmed, is hearing the presidential reference.

During the hearing, Justice Ijazul Ahsan opined that since people voted for the politicians on the basis of their party affiliations, therefore voting against the party lines by a legislator would amount to breaching the public trust.

The CJP, on the occasion, said that it would be better if the party head took each and every member of the party into confidence on which candidate to vote for. “And before that party reaches any conclusion, party members should give their opinions for or against the candidate,” he suggested.

He further said that political parties in the country were known by their leaders. “It is being alleged that the intentions of those seeking holding of Senate elections through open ballot are not good,” the CJP remarked.

Justice Ijazul Ahsan emphasised there should be checks and balances within political parties as per the constitution. “It would be unfair if a party having a majority in the National Assembly is prevented from attaining majority in upper House of the parliament as well,” he observed.

Speaking on the occasion, Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan said that transparency in Senate elections would promote democratic norms and culture within political parties.

The court then adjourned hearing of the case until February 8.