Daily Times

The 2018 general elections have proven to be a watershed moment for the Pakistani people. Despite the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government’s “honour the vote” slogan, and the insistence of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Safdar that only the people could judge elected representatives, the people did not cast their votes in the PML-N’s favour. Rejecting the status quo, the masses have opted for change by reposing their confidence in Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

PML-N’s worst nightmare has now come true. Refusing to assimilate this ignominy, they are now accusing unseen powers of providing an unfair advantage to the PTI Chief. Votes have been very close in a number of constituencies, while PML-N emerged victorious in Punjab before the independents and smaller parties cast their lot with PTI.

Pakistan’s military is notorious for toppling democracy four times. However, for the last one decade, the military has demonstrated that it is a strong proponent of the supremacy of Pakistan’sdemocratic system.

It is quite unfortunate that Nawaz Sharif, who was created by military dictator Zia-ul-Haq himself, has gotten into another dispute with the military. Nawaz has served as Prime Minister thrice, has chosen multiple different Army Chiefs – at times superseding competent incumbents to prop up his favourites. Perhaps the problem lies with Nawaz Sharif, as he has never been able to get along with the army beyond the pre-natal stage of his political career.

This year three prominent election candidates and over two hundred people including army and police personnel were martyred in terror attacks. On polling day, a suicide bomber targeted a polling station in Quetta. Twenty people were killed in the incident. In such a milieu, the presence of army personnel at each polling station was a necessity

International vested interests have used their clout in the foreign media to tarnish the image of both the Pakistan military as well. They have also targeted Imran Khan, who is perceived as a person who follows his own mind and is sometimes considered obstinate. Alas a few local political elements have also towed this linein pursuit of their own political interests.

Keen observers of past elections in Pakistan will vouchsafe that this is not the first time that troops have been deployed to oversee the election process. This year three prominent election candidates and over two hundred people including army and police personnel were martyred in terror attacks. On polling day, a suicide bomber targeted a polling station in Quetta. Twenty people were killed in the incident. In such a milieu, the presence of army personnel at each polling station is a necessity.

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During the current general elections, the military had pledged to play its due role in conducting transparent, free and and impartial elections in the country and it lived up to this promise. It would be safe to conclude that the military is a neutral institution entrusted by all political parties as well as by the masses to ensure free and secure polling. PML-N, PPP, PTI and the rest of political parties had all welcomed military deployment.

Similar accusations against the judiciary are also unfounded. There has been a strong and visible change in the behaviour of Pakistani people. They have finally begun questioning time tested political leaders who have not been able to deliver. This is what led to PTI’s victory. Corruption is now a major political issue. This combined with the PTI manifesto, which promises education, health and clean drinking water, led to the PML-N’s downfall.

It was heartening to hear the comments of SYQuraishi, India’s former Chief Election Commissioner, who was in Pakistan as part of the Commonwealth Observers team. His observation, shared on NDTV was that he found it to be an open, free and fair election. According to him, no rigging was observed. This absolves the ECP of neglect or wrongdoing – as far as facilitating rigging is concerned.

The writer is a retired Group Captain of PAF. He is a columnist, analyst and TV talk show host, who has authored six books on current affairs, including three on China

Published in Daily Times, August 4^th 2018.