ECP takes notice of horse-trading allegations

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Tuesday took notice of horse-trading allegations leveled against parliamentarians following the Senate elections.

According to a press release, ECP had issued notices to chiefs of political parties and lawmakers who have given statements to the media and made allegations of horse-trading. They have been summoned by the commission on March 14 to initiate an investigation into the claims so that action could be taken against those who sold their votes in the polls.

Earlier in the day, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) leader Dr Farooq Sattar had stated that he would approach the Supreme Court (SC) and ECP regarding the alleged horse-trading during Senate polls and coercion of party candidates from different quarters. Sattar claimed that loyalties of 15 members of the provincial assembly (MPAs) from MQM-P were bought due to “threats and bribes”.

On Monday, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan had claimed that some members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly who were affiliated with the party had sold votes in the Senate elections. Terming this ‘disappointing’, he said a committee had been constituted to probe the matter and strict action would be taken against such individuals.

He also alleged that many MPAs had turned down offers amounting to Rs 40 million. “I salute those who chose not to do so. Those who traded votes for money would be dealt with strictly,” Khan had warned.

Since earlier this week, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and PTI have accused each other of being involved in horse-trading in the Senate elections in Punjab and KP. The PTI chief blamed PPP for indulging in horse-trading in order to ensure the victory of its two candidates, even though the party only had seven MPAs in the province.

In response, the PPP leadership accused PTI of doing the same in Punjab to help Chaudhry Sarwar win a lone seat for the party in the province.