PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Monday stated that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) is even ready to face the government for an open ballot in upcoming Senate elections, a private TV channel reported.
“The government wants to make the Senate elections controversial like the general elections were made controversial,” he said, adding that the federal government is attempting to do so through ordinances and references. He said that the ‘right to secret ballot’ is available for every citizen of Pakistan so that no one can impede their right to elect their representative without fear of any reprisal or revenge of any sort. “My right to secret ballot is being attacked, my MPAs’ right to secret ballot is being attacked,” he said. “We are supportive of electoral reforms but this government does not want it,” he added.
Bilawal said that if the government wanted to bring about electoral reforms, it could have done so easily over the past three years it was in power. “When they got to know the Pakistan Democratic Movement is contesting Senate elections and they knew their MPAs and MNAs were not happy [with the government], they showed a lack of confidence in their own parliamentarians,” he added.
The PPP chairperson said that the opposition will challenge the presidential ordinance on the open Senate ballot signed by President Dr Arif Alvi. “If this law [ for open balloting in Senate election] passes then you should lock the assemblies,” he said. “If the entire process has to be carried out through the president’s office, then what is the use if assemblies?” he asked.
Bilawal termed it a ‘dangerous precedent’, adding that the government’s facilitators should understand that through such measures, a very bad impression and message of the country will be projected throughout Pakistan and abroad. He gave the government a dire warning, stating that its own members are ready to cast votes against them in case an open ballot is held in the Senate elections. “Your [government’s] own members are ready to vote against you in an open vote,” he said. “We are ready to face you even in an open vote,” he added.
When asked about his recent meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazl, Bilawal said that he and the PDM chief spoke about the ordinance and the anti-government protest movement. Responding to reports of more cases being prepared against PML-N vice president Maryam Nawaz, Bilawal said that “we are coming towards them [government] on March 26.
Bilawal reacted to the DG ISPR’s statement, saying that he agrees with it 100%. He said that the military’s spokesperson had said that the armed forces are not involved in politics. “This is what me and my party want,” he said. “How can there be any contradiction in this?”
The PPP chairperson said that Fazl had not given any ‘final location’ for the long march, adding that discussions were held on whether the opposition parties wanted to congregate at Rawalpindi or Islamabad. “These are decisions which will be taken by the PDM. Maulana Sahab has not given a final location,” he said. However, he said it does not matter where the opposition parties gather. “When our long march begins, our strength will be visible to everyone before we even reach Rawalpindi,” he said.
A day earlier, Maulana Fazlur Rehman had said that the ‘long march’ on March 26 would be held for one express purpose: to demand fresh elections since this government is not acceptable. He said the march will not be so “we simply come and go”, adding, “We will sit there. Imran Khan will be put under public pressure.”
Fazlur Rehman, speaking of the 11-party Opposition alliance’s anti-government campaign so far, which has seen numerous rallies, said, “The people’s war is fought in the people’s court. We never needed to approach any other forum against election rigging.”