AS the D-Day of 08 February approaches rapidly, with voters set to decide the fate of those contesting the general election, tension and confusion are mounting due to terrorist incidents, self-centred approach of various political parties, aggressive propaganda campaigns through social media, verbal attacks against one another and growing incidents of violence. While every political party is entitled to hold rallies and public meetings to attract voters, there is dire need for their leadership to exercise utmost restraint, avoid issuing provocative statements, follow the code of conduct in letter and spirit and extend fullest possible cooperation to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and law enforcing agencies to make the entire exercise smooth and peaceful allowing voters to exercise their right to vote with complete peace of mind.
It was unfortunate to witness clashes between police and workers of the PTI, who staged rallies and protest demonstrations in various parts of the country on a call by founding Chairman of the party Imran Khan. Some arrests were made in Karachi and some areas of Punjab on violation of Section-144 that has been imposed in the province ahead of the general election, which requires parties and candidates to get special permission for organizing rallies and public meetings. Political parties and candidates are also complaining about tearing and destruction of banners and pamphlets by workers and supporters of rival candidates and parties which speaks volumes about growing intolerance in the society due to politics of allegations and counter-allegations. There was a hand grenade attack on the election camp set up by the National Party in Mastung area of Balochistan, injuring two persons while two other people were injured in an explosion in Bannu outside the house of a former provincial minister of PTI. While healthy and constructive debate on party manifesto, programmes, past performance and personal traits of candidates as well as their ability and commitment to serve the masses is always welcome but fake propaganda and character assassination clouds thinking of the voters. We have been emphasizing in these columns that parties should run their campaigns on the basis of their programmes and policies for welfare of the people and plans to salvage the economy. In this backdrop, PTI has done well by announcing an unusual manifesto that promises drastic reforms in different spheres of national life. It was good to hear from the party that it is committed to the rule of the law and equal treatment of all citizens as the pledge comes in the wake of divisive politics pursued by the party in the past. The party is also promising constitutional reforms envisaging direct election of the Prime Minister by the people, reduction of the tenure of the assemblies from the existing five to four years, direct election of fifty percent Senators and reduction of their tenure from the existing six to five years. Irrespective of political motivations behind the proposal and complications in case the party of the PM could not secure a majority, the direct election of the Prime Minister has the potential to bring an end to the curse of horse-trading and change of loyalties by the elected representatives. However, the proposal is, in fact, akin to presidential form of government, a theme that remained close to the heart of the PTI leader but he could not implement due to ground realities. Similarly, in a country like Pakistan where leg-pulling of the elected governments begins from the very first day, there is a logic to bring down the tenure of the assemblies to four years so that people get an early chance to decide the fate of the rulers based on their actual performance. PML(N) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif is also promising to restore the glory of Pakistan if returned to power after the February 08 elections. Addressing a gathering in Sialkot on Sunday, he pledged to reverse all wrongdoings committed after 2017, in order to put the country on the road to progress and prosperity again. PPP leader and former President Asif Ali Zardari is also spreading a message of hope and reconciliation by telling disgruntled elements in Balochistan that their survival is in democracy and not in raising arms. This is what the national leaders should be doing.
