ECP to probe allegations of horse trading in Senate polls 2018

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced on Tuesday to probe allegations of horse trading by certain political organisations after Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) won majority in Senate elections held on March 3.

According to a notification issued Tuesday, the commission has directed party heads and parliamentarians to file details of horse trading with the department by March 13.

The authorities have asserted that legal action would be pursued against those who were part of alleged horse trading in Senate elections 2018.

Notification of the commission has come after Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQMP) and federally ruling PML-N among others leveled allegations against political opponents.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan stated on Twitter following the polls that Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) managed to bag two Senate seats from PTI-governed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province only because of horse trading and not on merit.

“The horse trading in Senate elections allowed PPP to win 2 seats in KP where they only have 7 MPAs,” Khan wrote.

It should be mentioned here that the party chief and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Khan skipped voting and did not cast his vote in Senate polls with PTI leaders maintaining that he had other commitments on the day. However, PPP leaders denied the allegations and said that the party did not resort to such practices.

State minister Marriyum Aurangzeb branded political opponents of the ruling party known horse traders and said that it did not suit politicians with questionable past in this regard to level same allegations.

“Those who were trying to give lessons of morality and crying hoarse to end corruption from Pakistan used money to win elections,” she said.

The minister said that time has come to purge the political system of such bad practices of horse trading and changing loyalties. Chaudhry Nisar, forme interior minister had demanded off state institutions to play active role in curbing alleged horse trading.