LAHORE: Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Asma Jahangir on Thursday described the recent outburst of political leadership on holding a secret ballot for the Senate election as a unique spectacle of mistrust and ignorance.

In a statement issued here, she said a political figure called for show of hands for the Senate elections which could not happen as these elections carry a list of preferences for voting purpose.

“Others have also fallen in line and are asking for an open ballot thus violating the basic principles of secrecy and sanctity of the ballot. Amazingly, a parliament whose members go through the rigours of qualifying “ameen” and honest, are not trusted by their leaders.

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“On the other hand, party bosses want a herd and not colleagues in their parties. Such an open exhibition of flouting all norms of democratic principles and dignity of fellow parliamentarians is simply unprecedented.

“Regrettably this unanimous attempt of rigging the Senate elections will now become a part of the Constitution. We demand that the members of parliament oppose such insults to politicians and the electoral process,” she said.

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2015

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