The Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Saturday rejected a presidential amendment ordinance allowing the federal government to hold the Senate elections through open ballot.
Speaking to the media, PDM deputy spokesperson Hafiz Hamdullah said on Saturday the ordinance was in violation of Article 226 of the Constitution. Through this ordinance, he said, the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) tried to dictate the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He said that an incompetent government was trying to impose the decision of its choice through this ordinance. He said the government got the presidential ordinance issued at a time when the National Assembly session was in progress and this was height of rulers’ incompetence.
Earlier this week, PDM Chairman Fazlur Rehman had announced the alliance of 11 opposition parties would march on Islamabad on March 26. Addressing a press conference after a meeting of the heads of PDM member parties in Islamabad on February 4, Fazl had said that opposition parties would contest the upcoming Senate elections jointly; they would not field candidates against each other.
Fazl had rejected the government’s plan to amend the constitution to hold Senate elections through open ballot instead of secret ballot. He said that opposition parties believed in a comprehensive reforms package. He criticised the government for giving development funds to PTI lawmakers ahead of the Senate elections and called it an attempt to influence the Senate elections. He said the ruling PTI wanted the Senate elections to be held through open ballot and this showed the ruling party did not trust even its own lawmakers.