Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
Pakistan’s economic, political and social stability is linked with free, fair and inclusive general elections to be held in last week of January as announced by the ECP.
This was the majority view of the speakers at a thought-provoking consultative session organized by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) at Serena Hotel on Wednesday.
The interactive session aimed at addressing the crucial topic of ‘How to Ensure Free and Fair General Elections.’ The discourse brought together a diverse group of experts and key stakeholders, including legal scholars, politicians, civil society members, media and academia to discuss the challenges and potential solutions in the realm of democratic elections in Pakistan. While opening the debate former Governor Punjab Shahid Hamid emphasized the importance of elected representatives of the people, highlighting the role of the President, the National Assembly, the Senate and Provincial Assemblies in the democratic process.
The constitution’s provisions on the dissolution of legislative bodies and the appointment of caretaker cabinets were discussed to underscore the legal framework for conducting elections. Former Senator Farhatullah Babar, representing the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) delved into the need for an independent investigation into the incidents of May 09, the failures of the Result Transmission System (RTS), and the ongoing necessity for electoral reforms. He called for exploring the implementation of compulsory voting and introducing a ‘None of the Above’ (NOTA) option to enhance the democratic process. The participation of minorities and the role of social media in manipulating election results, especially by state institutions, were identified as critical concerns.
Babar said that the prospect of holding the 12th General Election by the last week of January 2024 appears to be probable and not certain.
