The special session during Senate Elections got off to a noisy start as the opposition, led by PPP’s Raza Rabbani, claimed that “secret cameras” had been installed at the polling booth. “This is against Article 226 of the Constitution,” he said, as the house resounded with chants of “shame, shame”.
The opposition further demanded that an investigation be carried out into who was “in control of the Senate”.
The presiding officer was asked to issue directives for changing the polling booth.
“The current polling booth should be removed, another should be set up afresh.”
He said.
Earlier in the day, PPP Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar claimed that he and PML-N Senator Musadiq Malik found “spy cameras” above the polling booth.
“What a freaking joke. The Senate polling booth has secret /hidden cameras installed. SO MUCH FOR DEMOCRACY.”
On his twitter account, Malik said.
Myself and Dr Musadik found spy cameras right over the polling booth!!!! pic.twitter.com/aqRGFRYFbq
— Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar (@Mustafa_PPP) March 12, 2021
The two opposition leaders also wrote a letter saying that they discovered four cameras “obviously installed to record votes to be cast” during the scrutiny of the polling booth.
What a freaking joke
— Dr. Musadik Malik (@DrMusadikMalik) March 12, 2021
The senate polling booth has secret /hidden cameras installed
SO MUCH FOR DEMOCRACY pic.twitter.com/S7OapMhZtn
The letter proposed the formation of a Senate committee consisting of an equal number of members from the treasury and the opposition. It also proposed the recovered cameras be secured and sealed till the final disposal of the matter.
Meanwhile, Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry responded to Khokhar’s tweet, stating that it looked “more like a CCTV cable” and that “spy cameras are far more sophisticated”.
Appears more like a CCTV cable,spy cameras are far more sophisticated Seceratay Senate should look into this claim https://t.co/JFmynURhtB
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 12, 2021
In another tweet, he shared an “example” of a spy camera. “The camera can be fitted in the head of a nail. The detection of such cameras is impossible. In all likelihood, the CCTV camera cable has been misunderstood as a spy camera,” he theorized.
This is one example of Spy Camera the camera can be fitted in a head of nail even,detection of such cameras is impossible, in all likelihood CCTV Camera cable is misunderstood as spy camera pic.twitter.com/KPu8a2RCpA
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 12, 2021
PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz also lashed out at the government, calling them “habitual, certified vote stealers”.
عادی، سند یافتہ ووٹ چور ہر بار ووٹ چوری کا نیا طریقہ ڈھونڈ کر لاتا ہے مگر رنگے ہاتھوں پکڑا جاتا ہے۔ مگر اب حالت اتنی پتلی ہو چکی ہے کہ ایجنسیوں سے فون کروا کر،گن پوائنٹ پر ووٹ لینے سے بھی بات نہیں بنی اور کیمرے لگا کر اپنے ہی ارکان کی جاسوسی کرنی پڑ گئی۔ ایسی تاریخی ذلت! توبہ !
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) March 12, 2021
“They have become so panicked that they have resorted to using cameras to spy on their own members when phoning agencies proved to be futile.”
