- Abbasi says Law Ministry working on draft law to curb ‘horse-trading’, will bring amendment in parliament if all parties give their approval
- Says meeting with CJP was not a secret, finding solutions to problems can’t be termed as ‘tension’
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that he had asked the Federal Law Ministry to prepare a draft summary for an amendment to discourage the practice of horse-trading, adding that if all the political parties agreed on it then such an amendment could be brought in the parliament.
The PM expressed these views in an interview on Wednesday night.
The prime minister, while lashing out at those who allegedly sold or bought votes in the recent election of Senate chairman and deputy chairman, said if the curse was not ended then such people [horse-traders] would be sitting in the parliament.
He said a ruling party, having a majority in the Senate, offered the slot of Senate chairman to the opposition party’s candidate but they refused. Had it happened it would have strengthened democracy in the country, the prime minister added.
“I will withdraw my statement regarding horse-trading in the election of Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and deputy chairman, if Pakistan People’s Party Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan declared on oath that they did not use money in the election,” the PM said.
Responding to a question, Abbasi said that seats in the Senate should be allocated according to the party’s position in the provincial assemblies. It would increase the stature of the parliament and also discourage all those who were using money in the Senate polls, he added.
Abbasi, while addressing an event in Dera Ghazi Khan on Saturday, had said that if the politics of the current times meant electing a chairman with bought votes, then the system needs to be corrected.
“Should our senators be those who buy votes of other people? Should the chairman be a person who bought votes? This is the quality of politics nowadays. This is the wrong we have to correct with the power of votes,” he had asserted.
The PM had called out Sanjrani for buying votes, saying, “You should take an oath of honesty and issue a statement saying that you haven’t bought the top slot.”
“I was advised by people not to intervene in Senate election, but I will keep interfering if something wrong is going on,” the PM had added.
‘NO FAVOURITES FOR CARETAKER PM SLOT’:
Expressing hope on a consensual caretaker prime minister, Abbasi said that caretaker premier should be such a person, who remains undisputed and non-controversial, and whose past is clear, adding that he had no favourite for the slot.
Answering a question, Abbasi said there was no logic in delaying the upcoming elections as any holdup in that regard would be dangerous for Pakistan.
‘MEETING WITH CJP WASN’T A SECRET’:
Responding to a question about his meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar, the premier said there was nothing unconstitutional or illegal in the meeting where he and the chief justice put across their own point of views and talked on all issues openly.
“My meeting with the CJP was not secret and finding solutions to problems could not be termed as tension.”
“Such kinds of meetings will strengthen democracy in the country, and if necessary he will meet the CJP again,” the prime minister added.
The past mistakes of the judiciary had damaged its credibility, he said. “Justice delayed is justice denied,” the prime minister added.
He said powers of judiciary, executive and legislature were clearly defined in the constitution and all should work within their limits.
To a question, Prime Minister Abbasi said the legislation was the job of the parliament and no one could snatch that right from it.
To another question, he said neither he nor former prime minister Nawaz Sharif had any tension with the institutions. He, however, said that “we don’t expect any justice from the accountability court”.