Govt responsible for announcing date of Senate elections: Fawad Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry on Wednesday said that both the federal government and Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) have a role to play in the Senate polls as the former is responsible for its date while the latter announces a schedule, ARY NEWS reported.

Speaking during ARY NEWS programme, 11th Hour, Fawad Chaudhry said that nothing would happen if Senate polls are conducted in February 2021.

“There should be a setup before the retirement of outgoing Senators,” he said adding that the Constitution has clearly defined the timeline during which Senate polls could be conducted.

The minister said that the last talking point PDM is left with is the Senate elections and even if they are held, then the opposition would be left with nothing to sell as their narrative.

He said that other than JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, many people in PDM especially PML-N will be left behind when the time would come to tender the resignations.

He lamented Bilawal Bhutto and said that he speak on different issues in Punjab and Sindh province. “Whenever he meets Asif Zardari, there is a change in his narrative,” Fawad Chaudhry said.

Read More: Names of top PML-N, PPP, PTI Senators set to retire in March 2021

It is pertinent to mention here that a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday decided to hold Senate elections through a show of hands procedure rather than a secret ballot.

The federal cabinet has decided to approach the Supreme Court of Pakistan in this regard, where it would file a reference under Article 186 of the Constitution of Pakistan for the changes.

Under the reference, the government would seek a recommendation from the apex court on the matter and proceed under the guidelines for holding the Senate elections through a show of hands process without making any amendments in the constitution.

Moreover, the federal government has also decided to hold Senate elections in February rather than in March.