PM Imran Khan asks NA speaker to form parliamentary body for electoral reforms

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has written a letter to Speaker National Assembly Asad Qaiser to form a parliamentary committee having representation of all parties for electoral reforms, ARY NEWS reported.

“I have asked the speaker to form a parliamentary committee having a representation of all parties,” the prime minister said adding that the committee should mull over electoral reforms and reach a conclusion in this regard.

The prime minister said that Senate elections have once again proved the use of money for buying votes as the recent elections were held in a non-transparent manner.

“It is in the interest of Pakistan and democracy to make the voting process transparent and reliable,” he said in a letter addressed to the speaker.

“The motives which have led to corrupt practices being used in the Senate polls should be abolished,” the prime minister said and added that the corrupt parliamentary system is harming the democracy in the country.

Imran Khan said that he and his party has sought an open ballot for transparency in the Senate polls as there was a previous practice of votes being bought using money.

“We tabled a bill for an open ballot in the Parliament and later also approached the apex court,” he said while highlighting the government’s efforts adding that the Supreme Court had directed the ECP to hold free and fair polls, besides also remarking that secrecy of the votes was not for an indefinite period.

He, however, said that unfortunately, the ECP didn’t pay heed to the observations of the apex court.