Corruption is one of the biggest menaces that plague the politics and democratic culture in third world countries and Pakistan is no exception to this. The illegal use of money power is a distinct but a sophisticated form of political corruption whereby public representatives are being bought or sold to seek political benefits. Although it varies from region to region but this illicit trade of switching loyalties for the sake of personal interests, betraying their own leadership and their own parties has been going on here for last several years despite the fact that several attempts were made to rid the politics of this menace.
In a bid to end this undemocratic practice of horse-trading the incumbent government had drafted an amendment bill to bring changes to the Constitution. The Draft suggested that elections to the Senate will be held through open voting instead of the secret ballot. Prior to senate elections the ruling party (PML-N) had come up with a suggestion that the Senate elections should be held through show of hands, instead of secret balloting. But some major political parties at the eleventh hour expressed their reservations on different pretexts regarding this amendment. Rejecting the ruling PML-N’s decision to amend the Constitution to allow senators’ election through show of hands, the Pakistan Peoples Party said that it was too late for such an action.
It would have been a great service to the parliament and democracy, had all parliamentary parties in the national assembly given their assent to this much needed constitutional amendment. Now that political parties are trading allegations accusing each other of resorting to hoarse-trading the ground reality is that the onus of responsibility to change the law and procedure of polls lies with the parliamentarians. Chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Imran Khan and JI chief while voicing their serious reservations over the buying and selling of votes in recent held senate polls have appealed the chief justice of Pakistan to take notice of the matter.
Instead of laying burden on already over burdened judiciary the politicians must rise above their differences, partisan interests and play their role in bringing necessary amendments in the constitution to get rid of this menace of horse-trading that has brought bad name to politics. Parliamentary parties’ role in this regard would be a great service to the parliament and political process, which will go a long way in strengthening political parties and democratic institutions in the country. Besides working painstakingly to make necessary amendments it is the prime responsibility of political parties to hold accountable those legislators who have taken bribes and betrayed their parties.
To expose such elements there is dire need that those who believe that their MPAs or MNAs have switched loyalties or sold their conscience for their own financial gains should initiate an inquiry at party level to hold them accountable. Rather than cursing and mourning over what they had or hadn’t done the political parties and their respective leadership should introduce a proper screening and scrutiny mechanism at party level whereby no space is left for such political opportunists.