SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
For the first time the government has drafted an amendment bill to bring crucial changes to the Constitution in a bid to hold the upcoming elections to 52 Senate seats in a manner that will end the undemocratic practice of horse-trading. “Three new amendments are being considered to allow changes in existing procedures and rules for conducting election for senate seats. The proposed act will be called the Constitution (22nd Amendment) Act, 2015” reported Dawn.
A house which should have saner and wiser old men thinking about bigger issues and visionary solutions, the Senate has instead become a sanctuary for political favorites, cronies and those who can buy their way up. This is a sad fact of our perverted political culture. The PML-N has never been worried about all this but now – since it fears a secret ballot may cause it a seat or two – it has hurriedly proposed a constitutional amendment, to change the voting procedure from secret ballot to a show of hands. According to the constitution, voting for every position except prime minister and chief ministers must be done secretly. The PML-N’s rationale for a change is that it will prevent horse-trading. Obviously the PML-N is doing this out of self-interest since it stands to gain the most seats in the Senate and will have the most to lose if disgruntled party members vote for candidates of different parties in the secret ballot. We still recall that some years ago MPs showed their ballot papers even to cameras, just to confirm that they had stood by the deals they had struck. Although this amendment is just a result of fear and vested Interests yet it would helpful to end all those shameful acts of horse trading that were in place before this amendment.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
