THE Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has kicked off the process for holding of by-elections for the vacant National Assembly seats and consultations are being held on the dates for elections of Punjab and KP assemblies but uncertainty is deepening about the very conduct of the polls due to a variety of reasons. This is despite the fact that President Dr Arif Alvi has asked the Commission to immediately announce a date for elections in Punjab and KP as their assemblies stand dissolved and elections have to take place within 90 days as per relevant constitutional provisions.
There are all indications that elections in Punjab and KP and may be by-elections on vacant NA seats might have to be delayed to a later date, possibly till the time the general election is due in the country. No doubt, Governors of Punjab and KP have shifted the responsibility of fixing a date for elections to the ECP but it is a foregone conclusion that the Commission cannot do so in a void as it has to depend on a number of institutions to carry out the job.
During the consultative process undertaken by the ECP, it transpired that none of the stakeholders was ready to extend the desired cooperation for smooth and peaceful conduct of the polls. Media reports suggest the defence and finance ministries as well as the judiciary have expressed their inability to support the general election in Punjab and KP and NA by-elections citing security, high expenses and lack of manpower as the main reasons. Given the precarious security situation, large-scale deployment of the troops was needed to conduct elections peacefully but the defence ministry has argued that the Army, Rangers and FC personnel could not be deployed at the polling stations for security duties in the wake of increasing terrorist attacks in the country, and serious law and order situation in various parts of Pakistan.
The Finance Ministry too has expressed its inability to provide required funds for holding of elections in the two provinces and understandably so as the country finds it difficult to manage payment of even salaries and pensions due to the financial crunch. The Registrar of the Lahore High Court (LHC) has also expressed inability to provide services of judicial officers for holding the polls due to case pendency that runs into hundreds of thousands. It may also be mentioned that the KP police chief had already expressed apprehensions about the threat of terrorism during elections and now the IGP Punjab has also informed the Election Commission about the possible security concerns around conducting elections amid growing threats of terrorism in the province.
Maintaining that a police operation is underway against terrorists, which will take four to five months to complete, he has proposed holding of elections in Punjab along with the general election in the country. He also referred to the enormous expenditure involved if elections are held separately for NA and provincial assemblies and proposed holding of at least by-elections for NA and elections for Punjab Assembly together to save money. Apart from all this, a huge manpower would be engaged for the national census, which begins from March and, therefore, Army and Rangers might not be in a position to spare necessary manpower for election duties. Under these circumstances, a delay in by-elections as well as elections for Punjab and KP assemblies is highly likely but it is to be seen what conclusion the ECP draws from the consultative process.
Now or at a later date, elections will have to be held and it is time the ECP undertakes a comprehensive media campaign for education of voters so that they make an informed and correct choice while exercising their right to elect representatives for national and provincial assemblies. Unfortunately, most of the people are elected on the basis of clan, influence and wealth and not on merit/personal traits. It is because of this that a majority of lawmakers fail to play their due role in the elected houses and complete their tenure as a silent spectator. Many of them remain aloof from their electorates and take no worthwhile interest in the resolution of problems of their constituencies.
The country is witnessing daunting challenges on economic, security and external fronts and it needs competent, committed, sincere, honest, motivated and visionary leaders to steer the country out of troubled waters. The voters should, therefore, rise above all considerations to elect the right people to represent them in the assemblies.
