Imran issues critique of 20th Amendment

Imran Khan, Chairman PTI, Tuesday issued a strong critique of the 20th Amendment and its passage through the National Assembly and the Senate.
Imran called it the worst kind of horse trading and “muq muqa”, once again proving that the main opposition party, the PML-N continues to play out the farce of being an Opposition in the Centre whereas in reality it was bolstering the wrongdoings of the government so that both could have a share in the corrupt power structures prevailing at present.
According to Khan, the release of Rs 366.1 million in a matter of five hours for Senators, simply to get the 20th Amendment through the Senate, was a despicable reflection of the shameful antics of the country’s legislators. While money cannot be found for development in Balochistan or giving relief to the common citizen in terms of fuel and utility prices, money is readily available for bribery and corruption.
Khan declared that the 20th Amendment itself was a fraud on the Constitution because it condones elections carried out against the provisions of the Constitution. First the government commits a violation of the Constitution, then it brings a constitutional amendment to condone the wrongdoing.
In simple words, the government in collusion had committed a complete fraud with the main opposition party. The Chairman PTI further added that the 20th Amendment also condoned the existence of bogus voters since the elections it seeks to regularize had the participation of the bogus voters identified by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
On the issue of the Caretaker government, Khan objected that the 20th Amendment was stacked up against the PTI in particular which was becoming a real electoral threat to both the PPP and the PML-N.
Khan further added that the appointment of the Caretaker Prime Minister/Chief Ministers was all in the hands of the partisan and biased Prime Minister/Chief Ministers and Leader of the Opposition which would not allow for a level playing field for other parties – especially the new and strong third force of the PTI.
To make matters worse, the Election Commission itself will be based on the choice of the partisan and biased Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition rather than being a truly democratic procedure through consultation of all the registered political parties.
Khan found it shocking that the Election Commission had been conferred the final authority to choose a caretaker prime minister/chief minister which was unheard of anywhere in the democratic world. Election Commissions are meant to check governments during election process and ensure non-interference and strict neutrality.
The Election Commission appointing a caretaker government will divest itself from performing its vital task of ensuring free, fair and transparent elections.
Imran declared that clearly the deal-making on the 20th Amendment by the PPP and PML-N had been done to fortify themselves against their fast dwindling power in the electorate and to try and stack the deck against the PTI in the next general elections. The PTI Chairman firmly rejected this Amendment as it violated the spirit of the Constitution and democratic principles.