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Imran says PML-N not serious in 22nd constitutional amendment to end horse trading
INP
ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday said that he had spoken with Pakistan People Party (PPP) Co-Chairman Asif Zardari on a one-point agenda: to bring an end to horse trading in the Senate elections which was destroying democracy in Pakistan, especially in the wake of the rigged 2013 General Elections. Imran said that it was because of PTI’s commitment to ensure transparent and fair elections that it had demanded open balloting for the Senate elections. He said that when the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) government showed readiness to move in this direction, PTI had shown its support and sent its representatives to the APC called for this purpose. However, Imran said that it has become evident that the government’s intentions to end horse-trading by bringing in a constitutional amendment were never sincere and that is also reflected in Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif taking off for Saudi Arabia at this crucial time. Imran said that his efforts to persuade Asif Zardari to oppose horse trading have also failed. The PPP remains opposed to open balloting because it is deeply involved in horse trading along with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F), he said. Imran said that PTI would in no way support either PPP or PML-N in their undemocratic, corrupt designs for the Senate. Instead Imran said that he himself would lead PTI’s efforts to ensure a clean Senate election in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and expose the horse trading presently taking place. He said that there was no deal nor can there ever be any deal with any party on Senate elections. He reiterated that his conversation with Asif Zardari was on a one-point agenda of ending horse trading in Senate elections. In the same vein, PTI’s participation in the APC on a constitutional amendment was also an effort to end horse trading that is going on in the upcoming Senate elections. But given the intent of the PPP and PML-N, PTI will now fight the Senate elections with a renewed commitment to expose and defeat those trying to buy their way into the Senate.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk