CJ seeks ‘democracy’ in political parties

Sun, February 07, 2021

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Thursday stressed that there should be democracy in the political parties, saying almost all the parties in the country had a one-man rule.

A five-member larger bench of the apex court heard the presidential reference seeking an opinion on open balloting for the upcoming Senate elections.

The bench was headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprised Justice Mushir Alam, Justice Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Yahya Afridi.

During the course of proceedings, Justice Ahsan said people vote for the parliamentarians because of their affiliation with party. When lawmakers vote against the party, they hurt the public confidence, he added.

The chief justice asked how could there be majority in parliament if there was no discipline in the party.

The attorney general said the parliamentarians who contested elections as independent candidates could vote with their choice in Senate elections. The party in the government is trying to fulfil its election manifesto, he added.

Commenting on the political parties having one-man show, the chief justice called their heads “dictators” and emphasised that there should be democracy within the political parties too.

Referring to the past army coups, the attorney general stated that four unelected people in the past had been deciding the fate of the next prime minister.

The chief justice pointed out that people also confessed after voting against their conscience. Those who voted against their conscience were bound by the orders of the party chief, he added.

He said it would be better if the party chief decided the issues with the consensus of all.

Justice Bandial observed it seemed that the open ballot was not included in the 18th Amendment intentionally.

The court adjourned the hearing of the case until Monday.

Published in the Express Tribune on 5 February 2021

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