ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) said on Tuesday it would conduct March 3 senate polls through secret ballot, though it also established a special monitoring cell at its secretariat to identify any corrupt practices in the elections.
The ECP made the announcement after the country’s top court encouraged it to use technology to make the electoral contest as fair as possible.
Following the apex court’s opinion in response to a presidential reference, the commission constituted a three-member committee to prepare recommendations for the use of technology in the Senate elections.
The committee will finalize its recommendations within four weeks, the ECP said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The commission also decided that due to time constraint, ensuing Senate elections scheduled for March 3, 2021 will be conducted as provided in the constitution and law as per past practice,” it said.
Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government sought the apex court’s opinion through a presidential reference filed on December 23, 2020, asking if voting in senate polls could be held through open ballot.
After several court proceedings, the Supreme Court said it was the ECP’s job to ensure transparent senate polls.
The commission said on Tuesday it had taken numerous steps to ensure transparency in Senate elections including publicizing its email addresses and phone numbers and requesting the general public and all relevant institutions to register complaints in case of any malpractice in the polls.
The electoral body said it had established a vigilance committee, a complaint management system and a special monitoring cell to curb any corrupt practices in the polls.
The chief election commissioner also held a meeting with heads of Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) and Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to seek their suggestions in how to hold fair and free elections.
The commission directed all relevant agencies and organizations to remain vigilant and inform the election commission for early legal action in case of any illegality in the polls.
Lawmakers in the national and provincial assemblies constitute the electoral college and vote for 48 Senators. Each member of the Upper House of Parliament is elected for a six-year term. Half of the senate members retire after every three years and new ones are elected. The house has equal representation from all four provinces.
Political and legal experts said the election commission should use its authority to restore public trust in the transparency of the senate and general elections.
“Secret voting in senate elections gives legislators an option to decide as per their conscience, instead of just casting their votes in favor of their party candidates,” Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, president of the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), told Arab News.
He said that political leadership should focus on introducing democracy within their parties and make decisions through consultation instead of forcing decisions on their members.
“If the parties select candidates through a democratic process, the issue of corruption in Senate elections will die down to a large extent,” he said.
Barrister Saad Rasool, an expert on election laws, said transparency in the polls could not be ensured unless the election commission takes action against those who violate the campaign finance laws.
“We cannot achieve true democracy in Pakistan if we continue to allow wealthy and influential candidates to trample the election finance laws,” he told Arab News. “It is the responsibility of the election commission to provide a level playing field to all contesting candidates.”
Pakistan election commission establishes monitoring cell to curb corrupt practice in senate polls
https://arab.news/7mjuc
Pakistan election commission establishes monitoring cell to curb corrupt practice in senate polls
- Commission has established a three-member committee to finalize recommendations for use of technology in senate elections
- Legal experts say the commission must enforce campaign finance laws to allow level playing field to all candidates
Qatar, Pakistan resolve to boost strategic, economic cooperation at Doha talks
- Both countries urge dialogue on Afghanistan amid renewed border tensions between Islamabad and Kabul
- Discussions focus on bilateral trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Qatar on Tuesday agreed to deepen their strategic and economic cooperation during high-level talks between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Sharif’s office said.
Sharif visited Qatar along with a high-level delegation on the invitation of Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The Pakistani premier also held meetings with Qatar’s trade and defense ministers to discuss cooperation in various domains.
The visit came at a time when Pakistan is seeking closer economic engagement with Gulf partners amid its broader push to stabilize the economy and attract investment, while maintaining security and defense cooperation with key regional states.
During their meeting in Doha, PM Sharif and Qatar’s Sheikh Mohammed discussed bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and international developments, according to the Pakistan prime minister’s office.
“They reaffirmed the strong brotherly relations between Pakistan and Qatar and expressed satisfaction at the growing momentum in political, economic and institutional ties,” Sharif’s office said.
“Discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in the fields of trade and investment, energy, defense, manpower and labor and culture, with both sides stressing the importance of their task force to accelerate cooperation in all these areas.”
Pakistan and Qatar maintain strong trade and investment ties. In 2022, the office of Qatar’s emir said the Qatar Investment Authority planned to invest $3 billion in Pakistan, targeting sectors including transport, aviation, education, health, media, technology and labor.
Nearly 300,000 Pakistanis live and work in Qatar, according to Pakistan’s foreign office, with many employed in health, education, engineering and public services, as well as construction and transport. The two countries engage through forums such as the Bilateral Political Consultations and the Joint Ministerial Commission.
Sharif said he had productive discussions with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on how the two sides could transform their brotherly ties into mutually beneficial economic relationships.
“We also took stock of the regional situation,” he said on X. “Pakistan and Qatar will continue to work together for peace and stability in the region and beyond.”
DIALOGUE WITH AFGHANISTAN
Earlier, Sharif and Qatar’s Deputy PM Sheikh Saoud Al-Thani discussed the situation in Afghanistan and called for dialogue to support regional stability.
The meeting took place amid renewed tensions after Islamabad carried out airstrikes last week on what it described as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) targets inside Afghanistan. Kabul said the strikes killed civilians and vowed to respond to what it called a violation of its sovereignty.
“Regional developments were also discussed, in particular the situation in Iran and Afghanistan,” Sharif’s office said in a statement. “Both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, de-escalation and collective efforts to promote peace and stability in the region.”
This was the second time in less than six months that Pakistan conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan. The last strikes triggered heavy, weeklong clashes between the neighbors along their border before Qatar and Turkiye mediated a ceasefire between them in Oct. last year.
Separately, Sharif held meetings with Qatar’s State Minister for Trade Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al-Sayed and a delegation of the Qatar Businessmen Association (QBA), highlighting Pakistan’s investment-friendly reforms.
He invited QBA members to explore opportunities in infrastructure, logistics, energy, agriculture, technology and export-oriented manufacturing, his office said.
