'Spy camera' in polling booths in Pakistan Senate, Twitter trolls Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Chairman election in Pakistan, which has already been marred with controversies, became murkier on Friday when the opposition senators claimed that the government had installed spy cameras near and inside the polling booths.


In the special session, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP's) Raza Rabbani claimed that "secret cameras" had been installed at the polling booth, reported the Dawn.

The opposition further demanded that an investigation be carried out into who was "in control of the Senate".

Pakistanis, as usual, took to Twitter to share hilarious memes and tweets on it.

One person shared a screengrab of interior minister Sheikh Rasheed and referred to him as a spy camera.

Another Twitter user was disappointed that this was all that the Pakistan authorities could allegedly come up with after the billions in funds they had.

Earlier in the day, PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar claimed that he and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) senator Musadiq Malik found "spy cameras" above the polling booth.

"Myself and Dr Musadik found spy cameras right over the polling booth," tweeted Khokhar along with an image of the hidden camera.



On his Twitter account, Malik said: "What a freaking joke. The Senate polling booth has secret /hidden cameras installed. SO MUCH FOR DEMOCRACY."

During the morning session, senator Syed Muzaffar Hussain Shah administered the oath to the 48 members.

The session was adjourned till 3 pm.

Former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani (PPP) and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) have been fielded by the Pakistan Democratic Movement as its joint candidates for the posts of chairman and deputy chairman, respectively.

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Imran Khan had nominated Senator Mirza Mohammad Afridi -- a billionaire from erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) -- for the post of the Deputy Chairman and incumbent Senate Chairman Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani as its candidate for the post of chairman.