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Once again the same old voice was heard in the NA-4 election in KP. It was the voice of the election getting rigged. The same slogan was heard in NA-120 by-election and even in the general elections of May 11, 2013. It is expected it would be heard in the upcoming general elections of 2018. Why are elections in Pakistan always dubbed as rigged? Are we really not heading towards genuine democracy? These are the questions that arise in one’s mind every time one listens to the claims of the losers.
These voices challenge the authenticity of the elections. The winners will brag about their victory while the losers will claim massive rigging was conducted against them. At least, the federal ruling parties should not have raised these concerns as they have remained in power for many decades and had opportunities to get rid of loopholes found in the system. But they are politicians; it might not be their first priority to do so. These are institutions that have to play their role in rectifying the errors found in their departments.
The major responsibility, with regard to conducting elections with transparency, falls on the shoulder of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). It should be gratis from any political pressure. Pakistan has already faced stern consequences in the wake of rigging slogan raised in preceding elections especially in 2013 by PTI.
The practice of fake CNIC id cards in casting votes, thumb non-verification, undue influence inside and outside of the polling stations by the candidates, crossing the election’s expenditure limit of 1.5 million rupees in the election by every candidate, etc, etc, are the real issues ECP needs to take into consideration. The absence of women voters is also an added challenge that is primarily linked to the security agencies if not with ECP.
I really am afraid of the future of Pakistan and the coming elections. I am sure the rigging slogan will be teasing the nation in the upcoming general elections. They are still going to get stained with the same specks of rigging. This seems for sure and the public is going to face the music.
One of the major components of stronger and flourished democracy is the genuineness of the results. The opposition accepts its defeat rather than challenge it in courts and on roads. Will there be any era in Pakistan when all the parties would accept the result of the general or by-elections? When this time comes, Pakistan will become a fortress of democracy where the governments are elected on the basis of performance rather than by spending resources lavishly to buy votes. Unless the electoral reforms are implemented, the results of the elections will remain open to discussion.
ECP has a lot of responsibility to conduct free and fair elections in the country. It is still indefinite as to how much time it will take to rectify the errors, especially the ones mentioned above. ECP would have to neutralize itself from the political influence in discharging its responsibilities. One can just hope for the best.
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