Daily Times

Got the bat. Lost the bat. Got it again. Lost it again. No intra-party polls equal no chance of recognition as an official political party. So what if the polls have been held, and transparency is not at par with the Elections Act? So what if these concerns were addressed, some Mickey Mouse believes the matter should be investigated further.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s administrative troubles in the past few months read like a tragic comedy. While the party claims to have the support of millions of people, it has been struggling to free itself from the shackles of superficial bureaucracy and focus on its core mission of becoming the voice of the masses. The latest of these troubles saw the election commission entertaining one more plea regarding the legality of PTI’s intra-party elections, bringing its legitimacy to the forefront once again. It is worth noting that the election commission, which is supposed to be the watchdog of general polls and the country’s democratic identity, has been dedicating a significant amount of time and resources to scrutinize the affairs of a single political entity. When asked to extend the same no-nonsense, razor-sharp focus on results to other members of the spectrum or the actual exercise of the franchise, one is greeted with a long list of platitudes, half-cooked ideals or pledge after pledge to present irrefutable evidence of its sincerity. The most laughable of all has been the utter disregard of the chief commissioner who–in a manner befitting someone living under a rock–appears practically proud of all that he has done. This raises serious questions about the commission’s priorities and whether it is truly serving the interests of the people.

PTI struggles to get hold of iconic ‘bat’

The PTI has been calling for accountability and transparency within its ranks, but it seems that the election commission is more interested in punishing the party for any perceived irregularities. The commission’s silence on the inconsistencies of Forms 45 and 47 on February 8, as well as its failure to address the concerns raised by opposition members about the results of recent by-polls, is a cause for concern. Shouldn’t an organisation that is on a crusade to go down in history as most committed to democratic ideals be more worried about a huge dent to its reputation with reports of public officials stuffing ballot boxes in broad daylight and bizarre impunity?

It is high time that the PTI be given the right to use its original symbol and be recognized as an official political entity, or that the relevant authorities go through the affairs of every single outfit with the same fine-toothed comb. The election season has long ended, and it is time for all sides to move towards the second act.

However, the PTI must also take responsibility for its shortcomings. It must work towards achieving greater transparency and accountability within its ranks, and address the internal bureaucratic hurdles that have been hindering its progress. The party must also focus on its core mission of becoming the voice of the people, rather than getting bogged down in administrative issues. Why is it that despite its claims to being a representative organisation of the entire Pakistan, little to no efforts were (and are) made to sort out the intra-party polls?

While the PTI’s challenges are significant, they can be overcome with a concerted effort from both the party and the relevant authorities. All that’s needed is a slight interest in moving towards the next act.