Devious to a fault

It is difficult to grasp the enormity of the deception practised by elected representatives, who will go to any length to prevent information about themselves and their assets from reaching the public domain. Very few of those elected to any of the legislative chambers could be regarded as of modest means or coming from humble backgrounds, and the vast majority are, by the standards of the majority of the population — very rich. Some rich even beyond the dreams of avarice. Being rich means that one’s assets are liable for a range of taxes, and not all of one’s assets may have been acquired transparently.

The upcoming election is revealing in the way that those who aspire to represent the masses are keen to keep their wealth out of the public gaze, and to that end when the previous parliament passed the Elections Act of 2017 which got unanimous approval in the house last October, there was an amendment in the nominations forms. A column was deleted, and to the surprise of nobody that column was the one that detailed assets and liabilities, specifically their worth. Column 3 was deleted which detailed the present value of property and assets, thus providing aspirant lawmakers the opportunity to undervalue their assets. With the form being a part of the Election Act of 2017 it cannot be changed without parliamentary approval.

The much-maligned Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and the Supreme Court have attempted to rectify the deliberate omissions by requiring an affidavit detailing them, much to the anger and irritation of the candidates. If this country is ever to drag itself out of the electoral mire it is ensnared in then a draconian and pitiless ECP is one of the tools by which it may do that. If that means the metaphorical butchery of an entire stratum of the feudal class that currently has the country by its electoral throat then so be it. Those that seek to rule us are devious to a fault and unlikely to willingly mend their ways. Harry them ECP, harry them until their pips squeak.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2018.

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