Opposition Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which has boycotted July 30 presidential election on Monday lambasted Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in Senate, saying it failed to assert its constitutional independence against a Supreme Court decision.
Speaking on a point of order in upper house of parliament, Raza Rabbani, who was PPP's presidential nominee, categorically said the move by Supreme Court and ECP was a first step towards reintroduction of "one unit", which would certainly widen the gap between centre and provinces.
The PPP stalwart, fully backed by Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and Balochistan National Party-Awami (BNP-A), clayed ECP for its failure to exercise its constitutional powers, and said it always sought refuge in the lap of apex court in matters of national importance. "The ECP earlier rejected the PML-N request for rescheduling the presidential election, but at the same it also said that if the apex court directs it, there is no harm in following the directives [and] this is what it [ECP] did after the court announced its verdict without issuing notices to other presidential candidates," he added.
Rabbani said the decision to boycott the presidential election against SC was made in protest "meddling" into the jurisdiction of ECP at the behest of ruling party, adding the commission had fixed August 6 for the presidential poll by exercising its powers under Article 41 of the constitution, but it abruptly agreed to change the schedule without any objection.
He said the PPP participated in the election campaign with all seriousness and contacted all opposition parties, adding that his party also made efforts for fielding a joint candidate. "But we were left with no option but to boycott the election," said Rabbani, adding that Supreme Court did not issue any notice, nor did they hear the PPP or provide it an opportunity to present its point of view, "rather a unilateral decision was made. We see it as part of moves to strengthen the centre' once again," he maintained.
Rabbani said the Supreme Court decision made it difficult for him and other opposition candidates to carry out campaigns in four provincial capitals and the federal capital in just two days. He said they hoped the Election Commission would function independently after the 18th Amendment as it was the ECP's responsibility to announce the election schedule and hold the poll. The PPP leader said the party's decision to boycott the presidential election was a part of struggle against military and civilian dictatorships.
Leader of the house in Senate Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said that Supreme Court, ECP and PML-N had decided the matter without hearing the other parties, adding that the apex court dictated the election schedule to Election Commission, which the latter implemented obligingly.
The ANP, which has also boycotted the presidential polls, demanded immediate resignation of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, saying he had become controversial. Senator Zahid Khan of ANP said that with the one-sided decision of Supreme Court on a petition filed by ruling PML-N, Justice Iftikhar should immediately step down or else more controversies will surface that wouldn't augur well for the independence of judiciary.
Senator Haji Adeel of ANP also criticised the apex judiciary.
The members of ruling PML-N appeared helpless before enraged PPP senators and remained silent throughout the proceedings. However, it was really hard for Senator Zafar Ali Shah of PML-N who, in a fiery speech termed PPP's anti-judiciary remarks a smart move aimed at cashing in on the situation for political point-scoring.
He said the PPP which was not even ready to appoint Raza Rabbani as chairman Senate some years back was now shedding 'crocodile tears' for him, adding if PPP was so sincere to him, how he remained sidelined throughout PPP's five-year rule. "The PPP must not derail the teething democracy especially when a President of its own party is about to leave the office after completing a full five-year term in an honourable manner...forget petty political issues if you want to strengthen democracy," he added.