Daily Times

The July 25 elections now bear the stains of blatant coercion, engineering and other tactics meant to deny a level playing field to candidates who aren’t a part of the ‘favoured party’.

Instead of an election — a pre-requisite to establishing a democratically elected dispensation — these polls have turned into a war of survival between the anti-democratic forces and proponents of civilian supremacy. The adage ‘everything is fair in love and war’ is being applied literally. Apparently, civilian supremacy is under attack because, seemingly it has refused to compromise and continue to play second fiddle to the establishment in the power game.

However, the employment of brute force and coercion by the establishment without bothering maintain any veneer indicates that the anti-democratic forces are bearing the brunt of the ongoing fighting.

Despite Nawaz Sharif’s ouster through a questionable verdict, his supporters’ love for the three times elected prime minister could not be dimmed as they marched defiantly on the streets of Lahore to support him upon his return from London, a decision placing him on the right side of history.

The Lahore rally by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on July 13 proved to be much more than the simple act of receiving Nawaz Sharif from the airport, it was an act of resistance. The extraordinary measures taken by the caretaker government of Punjab to seal Lahore to prevent entry from outside, the imposition of Section 144 and placing of barricades in the city to deny right to free movement and assembly in the pre-election days failed to achieve the intended outcome.

Notwithstanding the crackdown on PML-N’s workers, according to statistics released by the police, roughly 16,000 PML-N workers were among those arrested with the overwhelming majority hailing from Lahore. Yet, PML-N workers only thronged to the streets in a more defiant and charged mood, virtually impinging the city with their presence from afternoon to midnight.

So far Nawaz’ greater success is getting through his narrative of ‘respect the vote’ and naming the forces behind his ouster. On July 13 ‘vote koi izzat do’ was the most chanted slogan on the streets of Lahore.

Any observer can tell that in such a challenging situation only committed political workers and die hard followers dare to come out on the streets. By that account, PML-N demonstrated its power impressively and wisely. Taking the charged crowd to the airport would certainly have ended in a confrontation that could have, in all probability, further provoked the anti-democratic forces against the PML-N and use it as a pretext to postpone the elections.

Perhaps, the July 25 election is unique, though not in a positive sense, in the political history of the country to constantly remain in a limbo. For the democratic forces it is a dilemma of take it or leave it. In case of tough resistance or confrontation, the postponement of the election might be a cherished option applied indefinitely by the establishment. And in case the elections take place they will have to follow the format set by it.

Another aberration from the past is that the nitty-gritty of political engineering and pre poll rigging is common knowledge before the election. For the first time the politicians, starting from Nawaz Sharif followed by the PPP leaders, named those involved in pre-poll rigging.

Analysts also indicate that the recent sudden spike in terrorist attacks in Peshawar, Bannu and Mastung are a threatening signal meant for some political elements and to put the overall political atmosphere under pressure.

In a country where the Constitution was never allowed to assume supremacy, much cannot be expected of a civilian constitutional body. Yet, the least the ECP could do was keep up appearances

Unfortunately, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), a constitutional body responsible for conducting free and fair elections outsourced its responsibilities to other institutions that reduced its status to a toothless and servile entity.

Thus, it should not be a surprise that in a country where the Constitution was never allowed to assume supremacy, much cannot be expected of a civilian constitutional body. Yet, the least the ECP could do was keep up appearances.

The deployment of about 370,000 army personnel, granting its officials with magistrate’s power in and around the premises of polling stations and the responsibility to transmit the election results to the Returning Officers (ROs) are almost unprecedented. In the given circumstances wherein military has been facing criticism for interfering in and having a stake in the election, the ECP should have minimised its role to ensure that it is free and fair.

In the NA-120 by-election last year, as a result of disqualification of Nawaz Sharif by the Supreme Court, reports were circulating on social media complaining that voters with PML-N’s symbol or identity were barred entry to the polling stations that resulted in altercations with the security personnel. Thus, there are fears that security personnel equipped with magistrate’s power can deter certain voters, preventing them from exercising their right to vote.

The alarming situation forced the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) to express its grave concerns regarding free and fair elections. In one of its strong worded statements issued on July 16, HRCP communicated its serious reservations on a range of issues related to the elections.

In the given circumstances, the military establishment can succeed in manipulating the outcome to install its favoured dispensation. But how successful can the establishment be in providing a cover to its policies under the people’s mandate through a docile set up, which both the previously elected governments at least resisted even if they were unable to change? Would the manufactured set up enjoy the status of legitimately elected dispensation in the international as well as domestic community?

Unlike the past, much has been disclosed to become part of people’s knowledge. Moreover, there was hope against hope among the people that perhaps the third election and transfer of power would strengthen the democratic institutions, particularly parliament to formulate pro-people policies. But if the elections are blatantly rigged to establish manipulated outcomes, they will trample hopes hinged on peaceful and gradual democratic evolution.

It will be extremely unfortunate if Pakistan’s democratic journey is derailed this way. A further stunting of the democratisation process will be the forced cornering of the two major federalist political parties as well as their allies demanding civilian supremacy. And with a popular leader like Nawaz Sharif in jail it might provide a basis for a post-election resistance movement, resulting in political instability.

The writer is a political analyst hailing from Swat. Tweets @MirSwat

Published in Daily Times, July 19^th 2018.