Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar has said that promulgating an ordinance on Senate elections is not an unconstitutional step and added that the government will take all possible measures to ensure transparent elections.

He was addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Tuesday along with Minister for Information and Broadcasting Shibli Faraz after a federal cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair.

About the opposition’s reaction on the ordinance on open ballot voting in the Senate, Asad claimed that those who have been trading votes in the past are objecting to the ordinance.

He said it is an open secret that buying and selling of votes have been a tradition in the past Senate elections.

Asad claimed that the PTI came into power with the aim to eradicate corrupt practices from the country, like horse trading in the Senate elections. 

The government introduced a bill to amend constitution in the National Assembly to hold Senate elections through open ballot, he added.

He said that the government also filed a presidential reference in the Supreme Court on open ballot voting system, and it will respect the court’s decision.

Asad said the opposition parties, especially the PML-N and the PPP, had promised in the Charter of Democracy to hold Senate elections in a transparent way, but now they are going back from this commitment.

The story was filed by the News Desk. The Desk can be reached at info@thecorrespondent.com.pk.

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