DEMOCRACY is government of the people, by the people, for the people. Parliamentary democracy is the form of govt. that has withstood the test of time and proved to be the best form of governance known to human society. Election is the backbone of any form of democracy. It gives an opportunity to the voter to express his / her acceptance or rejection, and to bring in power the party to whom he / she believes that will work for a betterfuture and prosperity of the country.
Pakistan is one of 167 countries in the world where democracy is opted as the form of running state affairs. The state of Islamic Republic of Pakistan is being operated under parliamentary democracy. A system of government in which people directly elect representatives to the parliament is known as Parliamentary democracy. The parliament elects the prime minister from within its members and through the parliament the Prime Minister and his cabinet are directly answerable to the people. The parliament is responsible for making laws and taking other important decisions for the country.
The first general elections on the basis of one man one vote based on population in Pakistan were held in December 1970 under the military regime of General Yahiya Khan and perhaps the only general elections in our history to be considered fair and transparent by all political parties contesting polls at that time. History of general elections in our country is a sorry tale of election engineering, voter fraud and polls rigging. Results of all elections in the past have never been accepted by all the political partiesand now if the next elections in February 2024 become controversial we will see the undermining of our political and economic stability resulting in grave and dangerous consequences for the country something that the country cannot afford at any cost.
Pakistan today is in the vicious grip of some frightening horrors such as economic collapse, rising inflation, terrorist attacks, increasing population, poor governance and an uncertain future. The multiple dangers faced by the country are in urgent need to be met head on and addressed by the next elected Govt. The common man of Pakistan expects the political elite to find permanent solutions to the problems and provide relief to the electorate groaning under the weight of untold miseries and economic hardships. The people expect the next govt. to lay out a road map for future governance of this country.The coming elections should not be just an exercise for securing power for one political party or leader but the chance for them to be in a position to solve the immediate problems of the country. So far politics in Pakistan has been nothing but a shameless power struggle and denigration of political opponents with no regard for public welfare.
It appears that the next assembly will again be a hung parliament and no party will command a majority resulting in a coalition govt. once again. Political parties have yet to unveil their party manifestos for the public to understand their views on different national and international issues but most manifestos are full of election promises and undertakings that are neither practical nor ever fulfilled.The February 8, 2024, general election represents an opportunity for the country’s military and civilian leaders to change course and set Pakistanis on a better path. At this stage when elections are around the corner the voters are worried and apprehensive about the next elections and they have many questions regarding the future elections. People are anxious to know if we will have strong and stable govt. or we will again have a hung parliament and a federal Govt. unable to deliver on its election promises. At this stage it appears that the PMLN appears to be in a commanding position compared to the PPP, PTI, JUI and some other smaller parties but at this stage it is not possible to predict the number of seats the PMLN will win.
The situation will become clearer in the next few weeks. The most intriguing questions being asked are will we see political stability and the end of the chaos after the elections? Will the Govt. elect succeed in ending the rising cost of living? Reduce unemployment? Provide relief to the poor? Control the rising poverty in the country? Pakistan today is in desperate need of an election that shows the real will of the people. The general opinion in Pakistan is that elections just reflect the will of the powerful institutions and not the will of the voters and what we need is an election reflective of the preferences of the voters and not of the powers that be in the country.
A controversial election like the one in 2018 will not help end political polarization, instability and confrontation.
Pakistan not only needs an election but an election that nobody can point a finger at. We need free, fair and transparent elections – without any interference, and without pre-poll rigging, political engineering and manipulation. If the results of the next general elections become controversial and the defeated party refuses to accept the results the country will be plunged into another round of confrontation, chaos and political instability. Almost all political parties including the PTI and the PPP are asking for a level playing field and the PTI is shouting from the roof tops that it is not being allowed to take part in political activities and most of its top leaders are in custody. If the complaints of all political parties are not addressed it will result in another controversial elections that will not be of any benefit for the country.
—The writer is Professor of History, based in Islamabad.
Email: tariq.aqil@headstart.edu.pk
views expressed are writer’s own.
