Islamabad
Calling Imran Khan government’s decision to prevent Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) members from participating in the no-confidence resolution unconstitutional, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has asked the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) and Chief Election Commissioner to intervene and ensure the protection of lawmakers’ right to vote.
Bilawal termed the government’s decision a violation of article 6 of Pakistani’s constitution.
“I will appeal to the chief justice of the Supreme Court and the CEC. You must have heard the statements of the prime minister. You must have seen the government’s tactics,” the PPP chairman said at a news conference on Sunday in Islamabad.
“I appeal to you that every member should be allowed to use his right to vote and no one should be allowed to stop them,” Bilawal was quoted as saying by Pakistani newspaper Dawn.
Questioning Pakistani PM’s intention, Bilawal said, “Article 6 of our constitution is very clear and applies to every person who wishes to meddle with a constitutional process. When everyone can see that this man [prime minister] is trying to commit ‘rigging’ and his representatives are announcing that the votes of the members will not be counted and police are forcibly barging into Parliament Lodges to arrest honourable members, what message is being sent out?”
The PPP chairman also asked the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court, that how would they protect the public’s right to vote when they can’t protect the voting rights of the members of parliament.
Earlier this week, the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs, Babar Awan informed that the government had decided that no member of the government would attend the NA session when voting will be held on the no-confidence motion.
“This is our right and a parliamentary tool. Just like it is the common man’s right to go to the voting booth and cast their vote, it is a parliamentarian’s right to vote in the no-confidence,” the PPP chairman was quoted as saying by Dawn.
