Transparent polls real strength of democracy: Faraz

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Information and Broadcasting Senator Shibli Faraz on Sunday said that transparency in elections is the real strength of a democracy.

In a tweet, Faraz said that by "opposing the [proposed] open balloting [during the forthcoming Senate polls], the opposition made clear their intention that they don't want the politics of money to end."

اپوزیشن کا سینٹ انتخابات میں شفافیت کو یقینی بنانے کے اقدام پر واویلہ مچا نا سمجھ سے بالاتر ہے۔اوپن بیلٹ کی مخالفت کر کے انہوں نے واضح کردیا کہ یہ سیاست میں پیسے کی سیاست ختم نہیں کرنا چاہتے۔انتخاب میں شفافیت جمہوریت کی مضبوطی ہے۔

— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) February 7, 2021

Opposition parties' hue and cry over the step [open ballot] to ensure transparency in the Senate elections is beyond comprehension, he added.

His tweet comes days after the government promulgated a presidential ordinance to amend the Elections Act of 2017, paving way for the upcoming Senate elections to be held through an open vote.

Reports citing sources said that the measure would allow the government to amend the Constitution as presidential ordinances cannot be utilised to enact any constitutional amendments.

Leaders of the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM), an 11-party opposition alliance, on Saturday opposed the move, saying the amendment could only be brought about through the parliament.

“The government is horrified by the Pakistan Democratic Movement's (PDM) decision to contest Senate elections,” Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said during a press conference.

In January, the PDM announced to jointly contest the Senate polls.