–Senator Mushaidullah says ‘some people’ have turned democracy into ‘marketplace’
–Ahsan Iqbal suspects anti-Pakistan forces behind rigging, says no Pakistani can contravene constitution by doing such a thing
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders on Friday likened the defeat in a no-trust vote against Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani with 2018 general elections, saying, “Yesterday was a repeat of when the mandate was stolen in 2018.”
The comments were made during a press conference held by PML-N leaders Senator Mushahidullah Khan, Ahsan Iqbal and Marriyum Aurangzeb outside Parliament House.
Commenting on the controversial no-trust vote, he said some people have turned democracy into a “marketplace” and questioned whether such practices would benefit democracy.
“They harm the country and democracy for their own gains,” he added.
“We are investigating how many billions of rupees were doled out,” said Senator Khan a day after Mir Hasil Bizenjo claimed Rs2bn were dished out to senators to change loyalties.
Speaking about the vote, he said when 64 senators stood up to endorse the motion against the Senate chief, it was decided there and then [instead of the final secret ballot].
In a jibe at the government which said the opposition senators voted Sanjrani in line with their conscience, he said: “If it is a question of one’s conscience having awoken in the secret ballot, it is strange that it was asleep until that point,” said the PML-N senator.
He also talked about a video of Senator Muhammad Saif, in which the senator could be heard saying “54 votes for this resolution”, and said the matter was being investigated.
He said that in the government’s resolution against Deputy Chairman Saleem Mandviwalla — who had been fielded by the opposition for the post — there could only be 32 votes cast, but as it turned out, there were 34.
Khan also sought to “clarify that the party’s own members involved in the debacle were minimal in number”.
The opposition had been dealt a startling blow despite having the support of 64 senators when the no-confidence resolution was tabled. The final count after a secret ballot, however, had shown only 50 votes cast in favour — three short of the required 53 to oust Sanjrani.
PML-N’s Ahsan Iqbal said Aug.1 will be remembered as a ‘dark day’ in the history of Pakistan. He said 64 votes were cast into a box but they were 50 at the time of the result. “Such horse-trading is not even witnessed in the union council,” he added.
“Who exerted such pressure that they turned into 50 votes,” he questioned.
“If in the Upper House, 22 per cent members sell their souls out, there is no bigger disgrace than this,” said Iqbal.
He suspected that some anti-Pakistan forces were behind such an unconstitutional act. He said that no Pakistani institution would do such a thing and that no Pakistani can go against the constitutional oath.
“We must investigate whether RAW was involved in this.”
