Daily Times

The Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Syed Khurshid Shah, has proposed hiring some politician or a bureaucrat for the position of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) instead of a member of the judiciary as has been the practice hitherto. It does not really matter who heads the commission from these three categories. What matters is that the CEC is appointed on merit and is allowed to work independently, without coercion from any quarter. The credibility of any election depends on the perception of integrity enjoyed by the members and chief of the election commission.

The importance of an independent election commission has been neglected when it comes to our elections. In the past, the commission more often than not played a subservient role to the powers that be. Commissions in our political history, with only a few exceptions, have been accused of being involved in rigging. This sordid legacy affected the integrity of the electoral process with the result that many voters stayed away on election day. The 2013 general elections were held under an independent election commission and CEC appointed with the consensus of the Leader of the House and Leader of the Opposition. Despite that, the results of these elections have been viewed with suspicion amidst allegations (unproved so far, it must be said) of rigging that had eventually resulted in a confrontation between the government and the PTI. Reforming the election commission is still a lingering issue that can be resolved if a truly honest and consensual CEC is appointed at the earliest.

It has become questionable whether elections, as an instrument of change, could automatically weed out the anomalies hollowing out the politics of emerging democracies. Elections alone do not guarantee stability. Many elections have ended up destabilising countries or at worst drawing them into civil wars. Pakistan’s case is not different. Here controversial elections have been a source of destabilisation of the democratic political system. In any case, our elections, have been reduced to a tool to become richer, more resourceful and powerful. That is why an ordinary citizen cannot fight elections in Pakistan because of the high cost of contestation involved. However, things are changing now. The nature of this beast will have to be change or the country will suffer a cauldron that might send it into a prolonged political crisis. If the recent sit-ins are of any reference, Pakistan has to adapt itself to the reality that elections are just the tip of the iceberg of constructing a democratic society. The journey towards the success of this project starts with appointing a credible CEC and election commission. *