ISLAMABAD: Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, the joint candidate of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) from Islamabad in the Senate election, has sought the vote of Prime Minister Imran Khan in the upcoming polls.
The PPP leader Gillani, who is contesting the Senate seat from the PDM’s platform in the upcoming polls on the Islamabad seat against Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh has written a letter to all lawmakers to support him in the election.
In the letter, Yousaf Raza Gillani said that decisions made today will determine the future and that his decision to run in the Senate election was a conscious one.
He further wrote that he has been a member of parliament since 1985 and his 4-decade political journey was open for all to see. As PM, the doors of the PM House were kept open for the opposition, the letter said.
“Political and ideological differences are the beauty of democracy. Solidarity is needed for the Senate elections and members must come together for the sanctity of Parliament,” he added.
The former PM said that he was not contesting the election to satisfy his ego or against any government and hoped that on March 3, members would make a decision after considering his life and character.
Today, the Supreme Court (SC) has announced its judgment on the presidential reference regarding Senate polls, directing that elections for the upper house of parliament will be conducted through secret ballot, according to Article 226 of the Constitution.
The Supreme Court had reserved its decision on the matter on February 25 after the conclusion of proceedings on presidential reference seeking legal opinion to hold Senate elections on the open ballot without a constitutional amendment.
A five-member larger bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed and comprising Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi announced the verdict in open court.
The apex court ruled that the Election Commission is empowered to take all the steps to ensure transparency in the polls. The court said it was the responsibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to conduct free and fair elections. The commission can use technology to ensure the transparency of the polls, the short order stated.
