PPP asks political parties leaders to stand against money use in Senate elections

By Ashrafuddin Pirzada

LANDIKOTAL: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Khyber Agency leaders asked the other political parties leaders and civil society members to join them in the peaceful protest they started against horse-trading in the Fata senate seats.

The announcement was made by the PPP Khyber Agency president Hazrat Wali Afridi, while speaking to a press conference held here in Landikotal press club on Friday. He showed a grave concern over alleged use of money in the forthcoming senate elections in which four new senators from Fata would be elected and termed it as a detriment to democracy.

He said that the current and ex-members of the national assemblies have started struggle to buy votes for their near and dear ones. He alleged that if they were being elected by illegal means would not serve the countrymen. He said they would take up the issue at every forum to stop such immoral and the ghost way to get enter into the respectable upper house of the parliament.

The PPP leader accused that biding on a single Fata senate seat has reached to Rs 4,00 million which was a huge amount for those who deserve to represent Fata and work for the betterment of their people. He said taking advantage of their wealth the so-called senator then sale his soul and take commission in each project.

Khial Rasool, another PPP leader asked those who were in the run that spend such huge amount on the welfare of their supporters if they were really sincere with them.

The PPP leaders demanded of the Election Commission and Supreme Court of Pakistan to take notice of 'use of money' in the coming Senate elections.

Hazrat Wali asked leaders of the different political parties to join them in such national cause and stop violation of rule of law. He said that they would also arrange a protesting camp in Landikotal and Jamrud on Sunday to force the authorities to take serious action against those who violate the election rules.

The PPP leader demanded from SC to bar those who were guilty of buying sympathies of the MNAs for election to the upper house and to take sue moto action of alleged use of money by some tribal candidates in the senate elections.

Other PPP leaders Khial Rasool,Gul Mat Khan and Saeed Khan called upon the political administration to take the local political leadership in matters of agency concerns and demanded of the Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to direct all the political agents not to ignore political leadership in local matters.