Senate elections: Rabbani terms presidential reference mala fide, bid to mislead SC

ISLAMABAD: Former Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani Thursday termed the presidential reference, filed by the President of Pakistan with reference to the Senate elections, is as mala fide and an attempt to mislead the Supreme Court (SC). “On the question of ‘open ballot,’ the federal government tabled the ‘Twenty Sixth Constitutional (Amendment) Bill’ on the 29th of October, 2020, seeking amendments in articles 59 and 226, Constitution, 1973 and the said bill was referred to and is pending before the Standing Committee on Law and Justice, National Assembly of Pakistan,” he said in statement on Thursday. Raza Rabbani said with such a bill, pending before Parliament, for the president to file such a reference, is impinging upon the sovereignty of Parliament to legislate. He said the federal government, having failed to materialise a 2/3rd majority to amend the Constitution in both the houses of Parliament, through this reference is trying to circumvent Parliament and the Constitution, by now taking a U-turn, by tending that the elections to the Senate are not elections under the Constitution, 1973, hence a constitutional amendments is not required. Raza Rabbani said the president, like in an earlier reference, filed against judges of the superior courts, is misleading to use the Supreme Court to further their political agenda.