Amid fervent protest by the opposition, the government on Wednesday managed to bulldoze amendments to the Elections Act, 2017 in the joint session of parliament, thereby allowing the use of electronic voting machines and granting voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.
This prompted the opposition to tear copies of the agenda and walk out of session in protest. Lawmakers also gathered around the treasury benches, chanting slogans against Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government.
Earlier, the bill on the use of EVMs was deferred at the request of Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan, but it was later taken up again and put up to a vote.
'Evil and vicious machines'
As the session started at around noon, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif termed electronic voting machines (EVMs) "evil and vicious machines" and accused the government of not being sincere in creating a consensus on electoral reforms.
Addressing the joint session of parliament, Shehbaz said that the government and its allies wanted to bulldoze important bills. He termed it "illegal" and said that it was equivalent to spoiling the traditions of parliament.
Shehbaz, who had earlier today written a letter to National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser airing his grievances about the haste in passing the bills without a consensus, said that initially the joint session was delayed after the government said it would consult with the opposition on the issue."You sent a letter to me and the whole joint opposition," he said, adding that in response he submitted a comprehensive answer with "great suggestions". "But speaker, you cancelled your contact and we received no answer from you."
Commenting on the proposal for consultations, he called it a "ploy to buy time" so that the government could secure the votes it needed. "You had no intention of doing consultations on the issue."
He said that there are always allegations of rigging during the elections. "This is the first time in history that there are allegations of rigging before the elections."
He claimed that the "selected government" wanted to introduce EVMs because it can no longer ask the people for votes.
Talking about the results transmission system (RTS), the opposition leader said that the government came into power in 2018 using the 'road transport system'. "Now the road transport system is being abandoned for the evil [and] vicious machine."
Shehbaz asked the speaker to defer the joint session so “comprehensive consultation” could take place on the matter of electoral reforms.
Addressing Qaiser, Shehbaz said that the people will not forgive him if he allowed the bills to be bulldozed in today's session and urged him to recognise his responsibility as speaker of the House. He also decried the "illegal and unconstitutional" way the bills were presented.
He said the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which is responsible for carrying out fair and transparent elections, had also expressed its reservations about EVMs. "They want to pass these laws despite their reservations."
He said that the party that had once talked about democracy, transparency and change, now wanted to pass "black laws".
"If you allow this black law to be passed, then Pakistan will be severely damaged for which responsibility will be on you and them," he said while addressing Qaiser.
Shehbaz also stated that the several countries had rejected the "evil and vicious machines".
"If the government used the energy that it is spending on this issue to tackle inflation, then we might have seen a difference. But they are not concerned. They are only concerned with remaining in power without securing the people's vote."
'EVMs will be used to bury evil, vicious designs'
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi began his speech by calling it a "historic day", stating that parliament will pass laws to make the electoral process "clean and transparent".
"Shehbaz said that the government wanted to introduce a black law. Absolutely not, the government wants to wash away the blackness of the past."
The minister added that the government did not want to bulldoze legislation, and said that they had consulted opposition members so that their reservations could be incorporated into the bills. "You didn't pay attention."
Qureshi also rejected the impression that the government had previously cancelled the session because it did not have the numbers. "If we didn't have the numbers, then how are we presenting these bills today? There is solidarity in government ranks and our allies are standing with us."
He said that the government followed legislative procedures, adding that the session was adjourned to remove the questions some of their allies had.
"You call EVMs 'evil and vicious machines' and that is your right. But EVMs are not evil and vicious machines, they are being introduced to bury evil and vicious designs." He said that the government wanted to prioritise a credible and transparent electoral process.
The minister said that overseas Pakistanis were the nation's asset and the government wanted to involve them in policy and decision-making.
Following Qureshi's address, there was a heated exchange between NA Speaker Qaiser and a parliamentarian. Qaiser warned the member of suspension and told him to "stay within your limits".
"Is this the [right] way to talk?" the NA Speaker remarked before inviting PPP leader Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to deliver his speech.
Bilawal criticises 'one-sided reforms'
Addressing the session, Bilawal criticised the government's "one-sided" electoral reforms which have never before been seen in the country's history.
He said that during the government of former premier Nawaz Sharif, the PML-N had a two-third majority. "If that government had unilaterally decided and used the majority to force reforms, then the PTI and the PPP would not have been able to do anything.
"If they had decided to introduce a Constitutional amendment, then we would have to accept their decision. But they achieved a consensus," he said.
He said that if the government had followed in the footsteps of its predecessor, then the opposition would have taken part in the legislation process. "If we carried out reforms together then the next election would not be controversial and it would have been Khan Sahab's success."
However, he said that the opposition would not accept the results of the next election if the government continued in the manner it was proceeding in.
He said that the PML-N and the PPP supported giving voting rights to overseas Pakistanis. "Despite this, the government wants to carry out one-sided legislation."
Bilawal noted that overseas Pakistanis had representation in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and called for introducing a similar system.
"How can we accept your suggestion where Pakistanis sitting in Paris, California and Britain decide for the people of Karachi and the tribal areas? They should have their own electoral college."
He said that the government's efforts, that were based on bad intentions, had been underway for some time and said that it had given an NRO to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav.
"If you have to give relief to anyone then it should be the poor people of Pakistan who are facing a multitude of problems [...] how can you expect that we will permit you to use this House to give an NRO to that Indian spy?"
Govt laying basis of discord
Speaking next, JUI-F's Maulana Asad Mahmood accused the government of laying the basis of discord and chaos by introducing such laws, adding that if the government bulldozed the legislation, the nation would not accept it.
The JUI-F lawmaker warned that a law, which had become controversial even before passage, would lead to protests in the country for which the government and its supporters would be held responsible. He advised the government not to pass the law in haste.
When it was his turn to speak, MNA Mohsin Dawar — an activist of the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement — reminded the lawmakers that one of their colleagues, Ali Wazir, was not present in the session.
"It is sad and shameful that Ali Wazir is not present in this house," he lamented, adding that while negotiations were being done with groups such as the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan and even the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, MNA Ali Wazir was languishing in jail for his one speech.
"It is sad that Waziristan is not represented here," he said, adding that any legislation on the conduct of elections must be done with the consensus of all lawmakers as has been the case in the past.
Bill presented in session
After the speeches, Awan presented the bill to amend the Elections Act, 2017 [The Elections (Amendment) Bill, 2021]. The lawmakers present in the session voted on whether the bill should be tabled in the Assembly.
Those lawmakers who were in agreement stood up in their seats while those opposed to the motion remained seated.
Some time later, the speaker announced that the motion to present the bill had been passed with 221 lawmakers voting for and 203 against it.
However, the opposition claimed that the counting had discrepancies and that the prime minister's advisers, who are not in fact elected officials, had also been included in the count. At this, the speaker ordered a recount.
Govt confident of passing bills
Prime Minister Imran Khan, who arrived at Parliament House shortly before the session was expected to begin, was hounded by the media as he made his way to chair a meeting of the PTI's parliamentary team but remained tight-lipped. The government's coalition partners were also part of the meeting.
"You are conducting so many meetings. Are you worried about something despite having a majority?" asked a reporter.
"Who is meeting people?" PM Imran shot back as he appeared to discourage the impression that he had to convince his allies for support in today’s session.
"When a sportsman steps onto the playing field, he is prepared for every possible outcome and vows to perform better than his opponent," he added.
Speaking to the media after the parliamentary party meeting, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that the premier had thanked the government's allies for their support as well as lawmakers who had managed to arrive despite personal circumstances.
Chaudhry said lawmakers had expressed confidence in the premier's leadership, which would be reflected in the joint session. He said that the bills the government would table would be "easily passed".
Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who also spoke to the media at Parliament House, said that the government had complete trust in its allies. "We trust them because the people of their constituencies have given them the mandate," he said.
He said that the government wanted fair and transparent polls which would strengthen democracy in the country. The minister said that the government wanted to protect the rights of the people, which was the basic responsibility of legislators.Later, a delegation of opposition leaders called on National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser and handed over a letter written by Shehbaz,
In the letter, the PML-N president said that he had provided a comprehensive proposal to achieve consensus on the bills. "Unfortunately, no response was received from your side which creates doubts about your intentions," he said.
"Instead of considering our proposal to achieve consensus on the bills, late last night we received less than 16 hours notice from your office that the joint sitting of Parliament had been called to meet at 12pm today. Is this how consensus on issues of national importance is achieved?" he asked.
He said that the bills being considered today included amendments to the election laws. "We want to remind you that in the history of Pakistan, legislation regarding elections has never been done in this unilateral manner; election laws have always been made with extensive consultation and consensus with all parties in parliament," Shehbaz said.
"Your partisan conduct in handling these bills of national importance and the joint sitting removed our confidence in you as custodian of the House. We therefore demand that you take immediate action to rectify this egregious wrong before today's joint sitting is convened," he wrote.
Fawad hopeful for law on voting rights for overseas Pakistanis
Ahead of the much-anticipated session, the information minister was hopeful that lawmakers would pass a law to grant voting rights to overseas Pakistanis.
Taking to Twitter, Chaudhry said that the ruling PTI would complete another one of its election promises once this is done.
"The laws on electronic voting machines (EVMs) and voting rights for overseas Pakistanis will prove to be a milestone in strengthening democracy in Pakistan," he said.The government's confidence comes after assurances of support from its coalition partners. The PTI government's disgruntled allies — the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) — decided on Tuesday to vote for the bills to be tabled in the joint session after their concerns were addressed by PM Imran.
The premier spent a busy day at the Parliament House, meeting a number of parliamentarians hailing from the PTI, MQM, PML-Q and the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA), who assured him of their support in getting the bills passed.
Meanwhile, PPP Senator Sherry Rehman said that a "manufactured majority" in parliament starts to cripple the system.
"So much arm-twisting going on in the capital right now by the shaky 'government' that Islamabad’s orthopedic surgeons should be on alert. The opposition is united and picking up steam," she said.