Jaranwala apathy
THE state had pledged to stand by the Christian community in the aftermath of the August 2023 Jaranwala rampage. However, this commitment seems to be faltering, as a petition filed with the Supreme Court says that the affected citizens are being ignored by the officials concerned. Filed by a minority rights activist, the plea says that the number of damaged houses on the official list is far less than the actual figure, adding that many families have yet to receive compensation. The petition also says that the reconstruction of damaged churches has been abandoned prematurely. The appeal raises issues about the lackadaisical attitude of the police and investigators. It says there are “flaws” in the police investigation of the mob attack on the Christian settlement, and that law enforcers have yet to make progress in recovering the victims’ belongings. A similar plea was filed with the court last December.
The Jaranwala affair — fuelled by spurious allegations of blasphemy against minority citizens — is a blot on the national conscience. While officials were quick to show their solidarity with the affected community in the aftermath of the violence, now that the incident has receded from the headlines, the state seems far less concerned. The administration must look into the complaints of the affected citizens regarding compensation and resolve these without lengthy bureaucratic delays. Similarly, the police need to cooperate with the victims so that their property is retrieved. As for the investigation, unless all the culprits responsible for this outrage are brought to justice, other such incidents of communal violence are bound to erupt sooner or later. The state must show through its words and deeds that it cares about minority citizens. It must redress their grievances. And as requested by the petitioner, the apex court should consider hearing the plea at an early date to ensure the administration is following the court’s directives.
Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2024
Archaic poll system
DESPITE having surpassed 75 years of independence, Pakistan has yet to establish a fool-proof electoral system.
The recent election day debacle, which exposed the ECP’s utter inability to transmit results on time due to a nationwide mobile phone network suspension, made evident inadequacies that have long plagued our poll infrastructure.
The 2018 elections were similarly marred by the breakdown of the much-vaunted Result Transmission System. These recurring issues have severely eroded public trust. A look at our neighbour to the east, India, is example enough of a robust election commission, which commands trust across the political spectrum.
This stands in stark contrast to the scepticism surrounding the ECP. This trust deficit is exacerbated by the reluctance of political parties to eschew alliances with entities inclined to manipulate poll outcomes. Once in parliament, these parties must prioritise the reinforcement of democratic norms and the ECP’s autonomy.
Two things are non-negotiable: an overhaul of Pakistan’s poll system and an end to interference from powerful quarters. The failure of the new Election Management System and the resultant chaos, with results still trickling in more than 24 hours after polling ended, necessitate technological and procedural reforms.
Moreover, the caretaker set-up not only failed to ensure neutrality, but also extended its mandate beyond its original scope — from dabbling in privatising the national carrier to booting out ‘illegal’ immigrants — further muddying the waters.
Drawing lessons from India, where the election commission operates with authority and independence even as the incumbent government continues with its limited powers, Pakistan could consider a model where the ECP is empowered to oversee elections without the need for a caretaker set-up.
This would of course require a transformation of the ECP, equipping it with autonomy, resources and the technological infrastructure needed to conduct elections efficiently and transparently. It is imperative for all political parties, civil society and the state to commit to these comprehensive reforms, which will doubtless be a legislative endeavour.
Strengthening the ECP and revisiting the caretaker government concept are pivotal steps towards ensuring that electoral integrity and democracy are allowed to take root and flourish in Pakistan.
The time has come to transition from an archaic, manipulated system to a modern, transparent, and accountable poll process that reflects the will of the people and strengthens Pakistan’s democratic foundations.
Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2024
Respect the mandate
DESPITE everything done to make these elections as controversial as possible, millions chose the ballot box this Thursday to make themselves heard.
In so doing, they demonstrated that public faith in Pakistan’s democratic political system endures and also that, if threatened, the people will jealously protect their right to self-govern.
Unfortunately, though the public’s decision was quite evident, some quarters still attempted to stamp their will over the election results. They should be warned that such meddling is no longer acceptable to the voting public, many of whom, if not most, have made their disapproval of its tactics amply clear.
We had seen state manipulation at work in the 2018 polls and earlier ones as well. However, this time, the political party that was targeted had almost everything taken from it.
From the pre-poll phase to election day irregularities to the post-poll counting process — the attempts to subvert the PTI were blatantly executed. The party’s leadership was jailed, its workers were picked up, its electoral symbol was denied through a contentious verdict, and even the independent candidates it backed were not allowed to campaign.
These machinations ultimately backfired: at the end of the day, as the votes for the independents showed, the people refused to be deterred by fear tactics. They chose the pariah party, proving wrong all so-called surveys fed to the media in the run-up to the polls. It seems the only thing the state was able to achieve through its persistent victimisation of the PTI was to turn it into a symbol of resistance for the people.
This paper frequently questioned the PTI’s decisions while it was in power and criticised it for its wrong actions. However, the treatment meted to the party in recent months has been patently unjust, and it is now evident that there is much anger against the establishment’s open and constant interference in civilian matters — interference which has only grown over the years because there has been no firm political consensus against it.
The powers that be should therefore drop their vendetta against the PTI forthwith. Some urgent corrective measures are also needed. Firstly, there should be no attempt to coerce any of the independent candidates, and the ECP must facilitate them in joining the party of their choice, even if it is the PTI.
Secondly, since no party has an absolute majority, whoever can cobble together an alliance should form the government. Nawaz Sharif may have delivered a victory speech, but forcing others to join a PML-N-led government will only precipitate a bigger crisis.
Lastly, the state must realise that, sometimes, a vote for the underdog is a vote against the establishment. Does it want an ‘election’ contest in the future where the people blame the state for their problems?
Published in Dawn, February 10th, 2024