Since 1977, elections have been manipulated. When we, the students of the first generation of Pakistan, decided to challenge the might of the first Khaki dictator it was considered an uphill task. In 1968, Ayub Khan decided to celebrate his decade in power with a massive propaganda blitz that did not impress the youth who decided on street protests against his rule. There were pitched battles between the forces of the status quo and change. Finally, democracy prevailed. The first free and fair elections were held in 1970 in which all so-called ‘electables’ were knocked out. In East Pakistan, Mujib’s Awami League won 160 out of 162 seats while in the western wing, Bhutto’s PPP carried 81 out of 138 positions. The people of Pakistan voted overwhelmingly against the status quo and in favour of change.
When the people’s mandate was disregarded civil war started in the eastern wing followed by the 1971 war with India. Quaid’s Pakistan was dismembered and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sworn in as president of what remained. In 1977, Bhutto decided to seek a fresh mandate a year ahead of his term. Some of the heavyweights were in trouble and they decided to manipulate the ballot to keep their positions. The opposition under the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) decided to launch a movement to oust Bhutto. The delay in settling the terms for fresh elections provided an opportunity to General Ziaul Haq to topple the elected government.
Zia was a master manipulator. To legitimise his misrule he held a fake referendum followed by partyless elections in 1985, which were boycotted by the opposition. An army of electables was created, who then got elected. The independently elected legislators were then organised under the banner of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Pagara) and Muhammed Khan Junejo was elected leader of the house. Junejo was an astute politician who lobbied for restoration of democracy. There was a tussle between the PM and the master manipulator. Finally, an agreement was reached. Martial law was lifted after the passage of the deadly Eighth Amendment under which the president was empowered to dissolve parliament. Junejo sahib worked diligently for national interests. He even pulled out of the first Afghan war. On his insistence for an inquiry into the Ogri Camp disaster he was sent packing.
Finally, the master manipulator was blown to bits in an air crash near Bahawalpur and there was a sigh of relief. Elections were held in 1988 in which Bhutto’s party, under the leadership of his daughter, emerged as the largest group at the centre and her home province in Sindh while Punjab was divided. Following in the footsteps of Zia, Ishaq Khan, the acting president, dictated his terms with the connivance of the establishment. Benazir Bhutto was cornered and then shunted out to bring in Nawaz Sharif.
Master manipulator Zia used the term ‘positive results’ as a prerequisite for holding elections. He then devised several manipulation mechanisms that included the use of religion. Nawaz Sharif, a child of the establishment after ruling Punjab, was voted in as PM in 1990. Being a businessman, Nawaz wanted to use power for personal wealth generation. Through his cronies and appointees in various positions he was able to penetrate institutions including the judiciary. When his corruption-laden government was dismissed by Ishaq Khan, the Supreme Court (SC) under Nasim Hasan Shah restored it. However, the restoration was short lived. The PM/president tussle finally led to the General Kakar formula under which both were made to resign and elections were held in 1993 in which Benazir returned to power to be dismissed in 1996 by the president of her own party on the premise of political cleansing.
Farooq Leghari started off well but then lost his way and allowed the defaulters to contest the elections in 1997. Despite his landslide victory, Mian sahib lasted only for two years and was toppled by General Pervez Musharraf. Like the third khaki usurper, Musharraf adopted the same policy of positive results. The ballot in 2002 was again manipulated to bring the PML-Q into power. With the assassination of Benazir the scenario changed in the 2007 elections. While the PML-Q had prepared for its victory celebration, General Kayani decided to remain neutral. Then came the 2013 elections.
Since 1970, seven elections (1977, 1985, 1990, 1993, 1996, 2002 and 2008) have been manipulated for positive results as determined by the establishment (khakis, baboos, qazis). The people’s mandate has been repeatedly hijacked. Even the Constitution has been manipulated to ensure the rule of the khaas (special) at the cost of the aam admi (common man).
Only an honest ballot can sustain democracy. People decide the positive and the negative. Electability is another myth. If electables were so indispensable then there would be no need to rig elections. In some remote rural pockets pirs and sardars may enjoy some influence but an honest ballot conducted by neutral administrative machinery and ensured law and order can result in another credible election. Even the tame judicial commission has pointed out irregularities in the election process, which have to be corrected. Decisions are pending in two Lahore constituencies, NA-125 where Saad Rafique played havoc and NA-122 where the Speaker was elected. Every election since 1970 has been rigged to stall the democratic order to accommodate the forces of the status quo. Political mafias have to be dealt with with an iron hand to ensure a credible ballot. Recent local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa should be the trendsetter. Immediate re-elections were held in all disputed constituencies to silence the opposition’s claims of rigging. Mian sahib should do the same at the national level to strengthen democracy. When a politician runs away from an election it signals the beginning of the end, which may have arrived for him.
The writer is ex-chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation. He may be contacted at [email protected]