Senate votes to delay February 8 polls, twice

Senator Dilawar Khan, in a separate move, submitted a bill to the Senate Secretariat, reinforcing the need for transparent elections.

Senate votes to delay February 8 polls, twice. In today’s session, Senate approves resolution to postpone elections schedule and delay polls. The resolution was presented twice; first time in the absence of caretaker information minister Murtaza Solangi, and second time in his presence. Both times the senate passed the resolution with majority.

Senate session, Senator Kahuda Babar voiced serious concerns about the deteriorating security situation in the country, particularly highlighting the vulnerability of election contestants. The Senator questioned the government’s efforts to ensure the safety of both the general public and those participating in the upcoming elections.

Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi further intensified the discussion by disclosing that he had received threats from an unknown number, adding urgency to the matter. He called for the chief secretary to be summoned to the interior secretary in areas where the situation was particularly dire.

During the session, Senator Behramand Tangi urged cooperation with security forces to create a conducive environment for elections. Expressing distress, he mentioned threats faced by prominent figures such as Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Amil Wali Khan, emphasising the need for united support from political leadership in collaboration with security forces.

In response to the escalating concerns, Senator Dilawar Khan presented a resolution to the Senate Secretariat. The resolution emphasized the imperative need for a conducive environment for elections, citing the alarming situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It highlighted recent attacks on political leaders such as Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Mohsin Dawar, and the issuance of threats to figures like Aimal Wali Khan and others.

The resolution called for the Election Commission to suspend the schedule for the February 8 elections until a more favorable environment could be established. It underscored ongoing acts of terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, as well as concerns raised by the health department about the potential spread of the coronavirus during the electoral process.

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Senator Dilawar Khan, in a separate move, submitted a bill to the Senate Secretariat, reinforcing the need for transparent elections. He argued that the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) primary responsibility is to ensure a high voter turnout and expressed concerns about attacks on political leadership.

However, Senator Dr Afnanullah opposed the suspension of the election schedule in the House. Despite the opposition, the resolution to postpone the February 8 general elections was ultimately passed by a majority vote.