ISLAMABAD: Debate on the 2013 elections is in full swing but it seems that only the ruling regime is completely sure that the polls will be free, fair and transparent. Official assurances, unfortunately, do not convince a vast majority of the people who have repeatedly tasted the unfulfilled promises of this clueless regime. I shall argue that there are at least 10 roadblocks, which make the holding of fair elections unlikely.
1) Presidency is the number one problem, which stands in the way of credible elections. The current presidency has been fighting pitched battles against the judiciary since 2008. If the top office does not believe in the rule of law, how can you expect it to promote fairness. Presidential statements promising fair elections, therefore, do not carry weight. The most powerful president, notwithstanding constitutional amendments, has also become one of the most controversial and there is no guarantee that there will be an orderly transfer of power through the instrument of vote.
2) Extremism is the second-most powerful roadblock. The government believes that mere condemnation of terrorist attacks is a good substitute for good governance. The rulers do not realise that corruption is also a form of terrorism. The powers that be do not understand that the exponentially growing trust gap between the rulers and the ruled is a fertile breeding ground for militancy.
3) Political opportunism is another problem. Politics without morality has become an epidemic, which has poisoned the atmosphere that is needed for a fair electoral contest.
4) Pakistan has no great tradition of peaceful and fair elections. Can we break that ugly tradition? I have my serious doubts.
5) As far as civil-military relations are concerned, it is still doubtful whether these can move from being a manipulated equation to an impartial, independent and peaceful one. Such a move is clouded by fears and uncertainties.
6) A government that does not follow the Constitution in letter and in spirit, beyond paying lip service to it, is not fit to hold a general election, much less a fair one.
7) A society which has become morally and intellectually bankrupt does not qualify for any kind of fairness.
8) A nation divided against itself is an open invitation to foreign meddlers in its internal affairs. Why will foreign powers promote the cause of fair elections if a united Pakistan does not suit them?
9) The relationship between religion and the state that exists in the country right now is in sharp conflict with the vision of Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The current relationship does not provide an environment conducive to a democratic exercise like elections.
10) Who has defined the national interest of Pakistan since 1947? If we do not agree on anything, it is safe to predict the destination to which we are blindly heading.
I hate pessimism but that is just the picture reality on the ground paints. By burying our heads in sand, the future cannot be planned in advance. Let us face the truth and unite for fair elections by overcoming the hurdles mentioned above.
BA Malik
Published in The Express Tribune, February 8th, 2013.
