What happened in Senate moments before it passed resolution?

ISLAMABAD: In a startling revelation, Geo News senior anchorperson Hamid Mir on Friday said that all those senators who voted in favour of the resolution seeking a delay in the February 8 general elections were unaware of the bill even a few moments earlier. 

Speaking to Geo News, Mir said: “I was present in the Parliament House ahead of the resolution which sailed through the house. A few moments before the motion was adopted, all those senators who gave their nod to the bill were present in the office of Senate Chairman [Sadiq Sanjrani] and none of them knew that such a resolution was to be tabled.” 

During the informal discussion, the senators, who later cast their votes in favour of the resolution, were advocating against any delay in the upcoming general elections. 

However, PMLN Senator Afnanullah Khan smelled a conspiracy against holding the elections, the journalist added. “Prince Umar was saying that his nomination papers were approved [by the ECP] and he was preparing for the elections. Manzoor Kakar also said that he has started preparations for polls. While a minority senator was sitting silent. But then, suddenly, the Senate chairman went upstairs and the resolution was tabled.” At that time, there were only 14 senators in the house of 100, Mir said, adding that 12 of them cast their votes in favour of the resolution. Senator Afnanullah opposed the resolution moved by independent Senator Dilawar Khan during the session. Most of the senators who approved the resolution belonged to Balochistan and erstwhile Fata, the anchorperson said, adding that they hailed from smaller political parties. On his part, anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada termed the resolution “a conspiracy and wish of someone aimed at postponing the elections” and added that the motion had no legal and constitutional value. Referring to the security situations during the 2008 and 2013 elections, Khanzada said that neither the weather nor security reasons can be used as an excuse for postponing the election.