Daily Times

The end of Dr Tahirul Qadri’s dharna (sit-in) in Islamabad last month with a government-Dr Qadri joint declaration had led many to believe firmly that a last ditch bid to sabotage the forthcoming elections had been thwarted. Nevertheless, certain developments with ominous signs on the national political horizon in the last few weeks have again resurrected the doubts about the next elections being held on time. Despite repeated assurances by Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and leading members of his cabinet to hold elections on time, the rumours about postponing the elections and prolonging the period of the caretaker set up beyond its constitutionally mandated tenure continue to make the rounds in the country.

A well-coordinated multi-pronged offensive against the smooth and timely transfer of power to the next elected government has been launched by the same elements that had in their earlier attempts failed to get the present democratic dispensation replaced with an authoritarian set up on the lines of the Bangladesh model. From one front occupied by Dr Qadri, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has been made the target. He has launched a straight attack against the ECP by deciding to challenge its composition in the Supreme Court after the federal government refused to entertain his demand for its dissolution. Dr Qadri has been joined by the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf’s chief Imran Khan, who, in a press conference in Islamabad on February 5, called for the reconstitution of the ECP, and at the same time, demanded President Asif Zardari step down. The two leaders assert that without meeting their demands, fair and free elections are not possible. The main opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), while supporting the ECP in its present shape and demanding that elections be held on time, has called for the replacement of the governors in all four provinces as part of a government-opposition deal on the caretaker administration for holding elections. A series of deadly terrorist attacks in quick succession by the Pakistani Taliban such as in Hangu and Lakki Marwat last week and the fast deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi have added to the already deep uncertainties regarding the fate of the next elections. A statement by the former president, General (Retd) Pervez Musharraf, suggesting a caretaker administration for a period of three to four years for what he calls ‘clearing the mess’ has further confounded the situation. Musharraf’s statement corroborates the statement made earlier by Senator Raza Rabbani wherein he had claimed that there were plans for a prolonged caretaker administration following the end of the present assemblies’ term.

The voices in support of these ludicrous suggestions/demands may have become louder and targeted as the dates for the next elections draw nearer. However, the fact is that an orchestrated and sustained campaign to undermine the present democratic dispensation has been underway for the last five years. There has been a whispering campaign for quite some time casting doubts on holding the next elections on time. This campaign was carried out by maligning the democratically elected and representative institutions as collections of thugs, thieves, fake degree holders, tax dodgers, loan defaulters and the corrupt. With a clear objective of preventing the people of Pakistan from becoming masters of their own fate by establishing civilian-political supremacy through their chosen representatives as envisioned by the founding fathers in the Objectives Resolution, a deliberate vilification campaign was launched against politicians and political forces, tarnishing their public image. With a view to alienating the people from the universally accepted and recognised mechanism of participatory democracy — change through the ballot — the whole process of elections to the assemblies was branded as a back door channel for power-hungry and unscrupulous politicians. These insinuations have continued non-stop. The attackers have changed their direction but the target is the same. The demand for the dissolution of the ECP or for its restructuring is being raised only to find an excuse for delaying the elections.

It should be noted that the present ECP is the product of the 20th constitutional amendment based on a consensus between the government and the parliamentary opposition for an independent, impartial and empowered constitutional body capable of conducting fair, free and transparent elections. Political parties who have no representation in parliament also endorsed the constitution of the present ECP, including the appointment of the Chief Election Commissioner. But suddenly, the ECP is made controversial and even those elements that had earlier accepted the ECP with its present composition are demanding its reorganisation, knowing well that this a constitutional body and its members cannot be removed save in accordance with the procedure provided in the constitution. Similarly, a prolonged interim arrangement would be tantamount to a violation of the constitution. Then why are these elements pressing for their unconstitutional demands?

The answer to this question can be found in a close examination of the post-Musharraf trends in Pakistan politics. These trends reflect a growing consensus among almost all political parties on (a) stopping military interference in the country’s politics; (b) continuity of the democratic political process and opposition to martial law; (c) avoidance of the polarisation of the 1990s; (d) arriving at decisions on vital national issues through consultation in a spirit of give and take; (e) preservation of the federal parliamentary system of government, and (f) transfer of power through impartial, fair, free and transparent elections. The unconditional and unequivocal support by the opposition parties, including those from outside parliament, to let the PPP-led government complete its term despite its failure to provide good governance and notwithstanding its finalisation of the NFC Award and the passage of the 18th and 20th constitutional amendments is an example of this growing consensus. These landmark achievements are also indicative of the growing maturity of the political parties of Pakistan and their commitment to democracy in the country. Unfortunately, there are still some vested interests in Pakistan for whom unity of the political forces is a nightmare. Frightened by the growing prospects of democratic consolidation in the country, these forces have resorted to their traditional tactics of pitting political parties against each other and delaying elections on one pretext or another. By delaying elections and installing a caretaker set up for a period of three or four years, these elements aim to thwart the victory of the political forces committed to establishing civilian supremacy in the country.

The writer is a professor of International Relations at Sargodha University. He can be reached at Rashid_khan192@yahoo.com