PDM and democracy
AS political rival, government is jubilant on the divisions in the opposition. Although PPP is going to decide about resignations but it could continue with its tacit NRO with government to protect individual interests, Sindh government, dangling prospects of getting back Senate Chairmanship and a foothold in South Punjab.
To consolidate its position in national politics, PPP CEC can vote against the resignations. It can be used as face saving gesture also. PML (N) may not resign after changes in PPP policy.
JUI (F) will not go for long march unless other parties resign. There are no signs that of no confidence vote in Punjab.
It shows that PML (N) is also having NRO with the government to protect individual interests.
The party may be popular in the masses but it is losing ground at national politics. Gilani is the best option for opposition leader in the Senate. Miftah Ismail has filed nomination papers for NA-249 by-election.
It is a good move to challenge the government while staying in the system. It proved successful in Senate and by elections also.
If PML (N) really wants to regain its political space, it will have to give alternate economic, jobs and agriculture development plans for the voters. It should announce to make Southern Punjab a province.
It has no representation in Senate in general and women’s seats. It will mitigate PTI and PPP influence in capital.
Due to current political deadlock, the sugar plantations in cotton belts cost $4.7 bn in cotton imports in last two years (PBS). Consumers have to pay Rs100 against international price of Rs75 and turned Pakistan from a wheat exporter to importer country.
PDM needs to stay together to save democracy. They have to keep a democratic check on the government that is already on the rampage against the judiciary, the ECP and bureaucracy with the help of police.
Since the government is using accountability to target the opposition, PDM should also make a strategy to use PAC, courts, media and reforms to hold government accountable.
It should also make policies to force government to deliver on cost of living, good governance and corruption.
The government’s demands for resignation of ECP are unconstitutional. It violates the Election Rules 2017. Under Article 10 of ER 2017, the Commission has contempt powers of a High Court with powers of disqualification and removal from the office.
In 2019, legal experts warned that if UK PM refused to follow orders of the court he could face prison in contempt of court. Opposition leader said that PM is not above the law.
It is widely believed that government is pressurizing EC to protect itself in cases of (a) Daska by-election (b) foreign funding, which could blacklist the party (c) rejection of ballots in the Chairman Senate election, and (d) disqualification of party senator.
The Supreme Court is not empowered to change the Constitution and its opinion is not binding on the Election Commission in secret ballot case. ECP is a constitutional organization and government of the day cannot challenge it.
Bilawal has condemned government’s demands for resignation of ECP as blackmail. Ex-PM Abbasi rejected EVMs as new way of stealing election.
The US Congress has also passed SAFE Act (June 27, 2020) to safeguard American democracy against digital threats under which paper will replace paperless EVMs as part of election security.
The voting machines will be just scanners and results will be verified with paper ballot. In August 2020, election security experts from Harvard, Stanford and Brennan Centre for Justice recommended phasing out of paperless voting.
The dissolution of Punjab Local Bodies is violation of the Constitution. It has disenfranchised 58,000 LBs representatives.
The provincial government failed to hold fresh elections within a year. There are three tiers of government federal, provincial and LBs. It is clear that LBs were kept dysfunctional to protect political interests of ruling party.
This is a blatant abuse of the Constitution and it merits judicial accountability. Local Bodies elections have not been held in any province. They should be held immediately.
PDM should defend State owned enterprises. The closing of Pakistan Steel is waste of foreign currency.
In 2019 alone, Rs 650 ($3.9bn) was spent on import of iron and steel which is going to increase with time (PBS).
The privatization of railway, healthcare, etc, has failed in the UK. It failed to bring down prices, improve services and save public funds. According to the inquiry reports, they are cartels and overcharging their customers.
The ruling party of South Korea won election on agenda of keeping healthcare and railways in public sector after SARS pandemic.
It paid off in Covid. We should use local factories of coaches and sleepers to build Pakistan Railways.
PDM should give alternative strategic plan for food, water, jobs, IT, seeds, fertilizers, urea, dairy and value addition for poultry, meat industries for domestic use and exports to cut $14bn related imports in 2019(PBS).
China is manufacturing its own planes and vaccines, and has its own space programmes. Why can’t Pakistan?
—The writer is senior political analyst based in Islamabad.
