Daily Times

Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz Saturday said the democracy derives strength from free, fair and transparent elections and that opposition’s stance against open balloting in Senate election is illogical and beyond comprehension.

Talking to media persons after submitting his nomination papers for Senate election here at the Provincial Election Commission, he said the government is striving to devise an inclusive mechanism so that no one can dare to raise finger on credibility and impartiality of elections results in future. He said free, fair and transparent elections provide moral ground to flourish democracy and strengthen democratic institutions, adding that the government’s electoral reforms will help ensure credibility, impartiality and transparency of elections, including Senate polls.

Senator Shibili Faraz said instead of supporting the government’s efforts to introduce electoral reforms, the opposition is creating hurdle by opposing open balloting in Senate election, which is tantamount to encouraging horse-trading and corruption during the election process. He said the opposition parties including PPP and PML-N who ruled the country after 2008 and 2013 elections for 10 years have completely failed to prepare any mechanism for electoral reforms, opening room for horse-trading, corruption and sale and purchase of votes during Senate elections.

The minister said opposition is still working against electoral reforms that are aimed at eliminating chances of corruption, sale and purchase of votes and horse-trading in Senate elections. Despite having power, influence and resources, he said, the government has offered open balloting to opposition during Senate polls to eliminate corruption and horse-trading but response of opposition towards the key legislation is pathetic. “How a political party having representation of few members in the parliament or a provincial assembly will secure a seat in Senate election,” he asked, adding the opposition did not take lesson from the past and would try to purchase political loyalties in a bid to get representation in the Upper House.

He questioned that whether people would make their children become a role model like Prime Minister Imran Khan or want them to become Nawaz Sharif or Asif Zardari, adding that every patriotic Pakistani will certainly like his children to follow the footprints of the prime minister who is the only leader having highest level of honesty, integrity and dedication to take the country’s to new height of prosperity.

Shibli Faraz said the government electoral reforms will open doors of elections for middle class and general strata besides professionals to actively participate in the decision-making process and the country’s socioeconomic development. To a question, he said PTI lawmakers would extend all-out support to candidates who have been given the party’s tickets by the leadership. He expressed the confidence that PTI will emerge as the signal largest political party in the Upper House after which it will be in a strong position to implement the party’s manifesto and make electoral reforms.

To a question, he said PTI strongly believes in service delivery to masses and has awarded tickets on merit, keeping in view the integrity, loyalty, commitment and services of the candidates. “Any political worker or leader which supports PTI government’s agenda, manifesto and anti-corruption efforts will be respected and considered as an invaluable asset,” he said.