Prime Minister Imran Khan lambasted on Wednesday the opposition parties in the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), saying they should be asked why they didn’t try to stop horse trading in Senate elections despite being in power for 30 years.The premier was addressing the media after attending a ceremony for the second phase of the Ehsaas Kafalat Programme at Kallar Syedan Tehsil in Rawalpindi. “When the political leadership [of the opposition] knows that money is traded [for Senate elections], why didn’t they make an effort to change it [the system]?” questioned the prime minister. “Because they themselves make money from it,” he added.
“These thieves who call themselves politicians and have made a union in the PDM to protect their corruption, all of them should be questioned […] your parties have been in power for 30 years, why didn’t you try to stop it [horse trading in Senate polls]?”The prime minister further said he himself had been offered money many times for a Senate seat “not just from one person but from many people”. He stated that members of his parliamentary board also received similar offers and the current alleged price for becoming a senator from Balochistan ranged between Rs500-700 million. He said that when politicians come to the Senate after spending such vast amounts, they look to make back that amount instead of serving the position or province in any meaningful way.
“Do we want to hold [Senate] elections according to this same system when we know there is a money market set with rates for politicians?” the premier questioned rhetorically. He asked why the PPP and PML-N had backtracked from their stance on open balloting when it was stated clearly in their Charter of Democracy.
“It is easier for the government to gain more members [in the Senate elections] than our seats” but despite that, the PTI was calling for open ballot, he said. “These same people [the opposition] will cry if the PTI gets more senators than its seats,” he alleged.
Source: dawn.com
