Mushahid proposes political consultation by Election Commission on security of candidates

Date : April 18, 2013

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence & Defence Production in a speech to the Senate on Tuesday, April 16, 2013, proposed that the Election of Pakistan immediately convene a high level consultation of top political parties and leaders, along with the caretaker ministers for Interior and Law, on all important issues of security of candidates for the forthcoming general elections.

Participating in the debate on law and order, Senator Mushahid Hussain, while expressing solidarity with political parties, which have lost their leaders during the recent election campaign, proposed that the way out was the formulation of an Action Plan by the Election Commission of Pakistan in consultation with the caretaker government and the political parties which are under threat, so that vulnerable candidates and constituencies be identified and adequate security be provided to them particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, FATA, Balochistan and Karachi.

The Chairman Senate, Syed Nayyer Hussain Bukhari directed the Minister for Interior to take Senator Mushahid’s proposal into consideration regarding the security scenario for candidates contesting the elections.  Later, the caretaker Law Minister, Mr. Ahmer Bilal Sufi called Senator Mushahid Hussain and informed him that based on his proposal, which had been endorsed by the Senate, the caretaker government will take the issue with the Election Commission.