Make Senate votes verifiable to end horse-trading: PTI

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Saturday urged the Supreme Court of Pakistan to advise the Election Commission of Pakistan to make the Senate votes verifiable to end sale and purchase in upcoming polls, making the process more transparent.

Speaking at a function organized here at the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House to celebrate the Pakistan Day, he said like Quaid-i-Azam, Imran Khan also believed in true democracy, which could be judged from his decision that he awarded tickets to party loyalists and he was made the party chairman.

Gohar pledged that they would leave no stone unturned to make Pakistan a truly independent Islamic welfare state, where there would be supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law. He said March 23 was the day of renewal of the pledge that the Muslims of the Subcontinent rendered matchless sacrifices to get an independent state where they could live their lives freely, where there would be supremacy of the Constitution and rule of law.

Pakistan Movement leaders, he noted, waged a struggle to break the shackles of British subjugation and secure independence to establish a true democratic state. However, the PTI chairman said even after many decades, people were still battling for the restoration of Constitution and upholding the rule of law in the country, and PTI founder Imran Khan, party leadership including women and workers, were unjustly languishing in jails.

Speaking on the occasion, PTI senior leader and MNA Asad Qaiser said Allama Iqbal was a source of inspiration for them who awoke the nation, adding that the PTI was a beautiful bouquet of unity and harmony in the country. He said March 23 was a day of renewed commitment but they must have to think whether the purpose for which Pakistan was created was served and an Islamic welfare state was formed.

He lamented that it was not the Pakistan for which their ancestors rendered matchless sacrifices as the Constitution was virtually suspended and there was no rule of law in the country. He went on to say that Punjab was virtually converted into a police state, where even rallies and public gatherings were not allowed. “You have insulted the mandate of our people, remember we will not let you sit in peace until we take back the stolen mandate,” he vowed.

Qaiser made it clear that the time had gone when PTI people were coerced into joining other parties, adding that if anyone thought that they would take decisions of their choice and run the country’s affairs as per their free will, they were really mistaken. “I will ask my party leadership that by-elections are to be held, hence they should announce schedule for public gatherings in Punjab instantly,” he said.

Asad Qaiser made it clear: “Don’t push us against the wall and don’t drag us to the point of no return.” He demanded that the chief justice of Pakistan form a judicial commission to probe the May 9 riots and take decision on merit to punish the actual culprits, adding that if fair investigations were carried out, it would be established that Mohsin Naqvi and the IGP Punjab were behind the entire episode.

PTI Senator Walid Iqbal said he had joined the PTI because Imran Khan was an incorruptible leader. Quaid-i-Azam was a great advocate for women’s political participation and Imran Khan accomplished his dream, which showed their practical participation in the February 8 general elections. Addressing the event, former Gilgit-Baltistan chief minister Khalid Khurshid said it was a great day for him because he could see happiness on the faces of PTI people who were subjected to worst brutality and barbarism during the past two years. “Our leader is in jail because he is struggling to make Pakistan a truly independent country because our ancestors did not render sacrifices for a slave Pakistan,” he added.

PTI senior leader Shehryar Afridi urged that they “should not compromise on their self-belief come what may because our Allah is enough for us”.

Ali Muhammad Khan said the Resolution of Pakistan meant ‘freedom’, but he raised the question whether they should celebrate the Pakistan Day as their leaders and women were languishing in jails. PTI leader Seemabia Tahir said Imran Khan was in jail but he was not ready to compromise on ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ as he did not seek an NRO and stood like a rock on his principled stance to make Pakistan a truly independent state.

PTI’s Faisal Javed said the nation stood by Imran Khan in his struggle for ‘Haqeeqi Azadi’ and protection of Pakistan like the Muslims of Subcontinent had stood by Quaid-i-Azam for making Pakistan.