PPP President Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari responded by saying Monday that the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) was even prepared to handle the ruling party with an open Senate vote and give it a “tough time”.
“The government wants to make the Senate elections controversial like the general elections were made controversial,” said the PPP chairperson, adding that the federal government was attempting to do so through ordinances and references.
He retorted that the “right to secret ballot” was accessible to every individual of Pakistan so that no one could inhibit their right to elect their member without fear of any kind of repercussion or revenge.
“My right to a secret ballot is being attacked, my MPAs’ right to a secret ballot is being attacked,” he stated “.
“We are supportive of electoral reforms but this government does not want it,” said Bilawal.
He said that if the PTI’s government wanted to enforce voting reform, it could have done so quickly in the last 3 years that it was in power.
“When they got to know the Pakistan Democratic Movement was contesting Senate elections and they knew their MPAs and MNAs were not happy [with the government] they showed a lack of confidence in their own parliamentarians,” said the chariperson.
The PPP chairperson added that the Opposition will challenge the presidential ordinance on the open Senate ballot signed by President Arif Alvi.