Poll day in Punjab

A battle of nerves is underway in Punjab as 20 constituencies go to bye-polls today (July 17). Apart from the enthusiasm it has created on national mosaic, what is more important is that the outcome of the polls will determine the fate of Punjab Assembly, and subsequently the governance modus operandi. Kick-starting with the disqualification of PTI MPAs who voted for Hamza Shehbaz, the entire exercise of going to poll has turned out to be a mini-general election with the ousted PTI from the federal government campaigning tooth and nail. The restive PMLN too is also keeping its fingers crossed, and the biggest blow to its political assertiveness came in the form of restrictions slapped by the court of law in restraining the incumbent chief minister from exercising his writ to influence the polls. Former prime minister Imran Khan, nonetheless, has left no stone unturned in giving the campaign a big hit and literally has canvassed a larger picture for the electorate, which will have far reaching consequences as the results pour in and the powers-that-be sort out their priorities.

The biggest challenge for the local administrations is to hold the poll in a peaceful decorum. There are misgivings that the Punjab government is trying to manage the outcome of ballot, and has put in necessary measures to hoodwink the opposition. The PTI is already up in arms and has blamed the invisible quarters and the federal government for masterminding pre-poll rigging, and the qualm is no secret. This is where the contention rests as the polls are being held at a very delicate moment of history in an era of instability and economic downturn. The people are restless and months of political bickering has unnerved national cohesion. The onus is on the Election Commission to strictly abide by the law and ensure a free and fair ballot. This will help reassert its image, as there are allegations of muddling with certain power quarters. While people are the best judge, the verdict will itself speak for the transparency and legitimacy of the ballot.

For 20 Punjab Assembly seats, a total of 4.57 million registered voters will go to poll at 3131 polling stations. This mega exercise will be supervised by police and paramilitary forces, and there are reports that the army will be at the beck and call of the administration. The least that the electorate can afford is lawlessness, and it will prove to be detrimental to the country at large. Notwithstanding jingoism, the responsibility rests on political parties across the board to exercise restraint and enable the ballot in a conducive environment. These bye-elections will surely cast its shadow on the provincial, as well as the federal government, and is a test case of sorts. With the ruling PMLN in need of nine MPAs to consolidate its position and retain power in Punjab, the PTI will have to overwhelm the outcome by grabbing at least 12 seats. While the constituencies erstwhile belong to the PTI, it is widely hoped that Punjab will see a change of guard. Let the will of masses prevail over engineered assumptions.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2022.

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