The who’s who of PTI are out of the electoral race, as of this moment. This blanket rejection of the beleaguered former ruling party’s candidates has come in a bad taste, and has simply furthered the impression that the electoral watchdog is going over the brink, and allegedly exhibited its bias. Though nomination papers of many have been rejected, based on relevant lacunas as per law or for not being in an ordained manner, the aspect that all the big wigs from the PTI were shunted out in the scrutiny stage is difficult to stand the litmus test. This is why the PTI hopes that their appeals will stand the test of veracity, and will go on to knock the doors of superior judiciary, if need be.
With former Prime Minister Imran Khan and almost all those who worth a merit in the party being cleansed out by returning officers, it has opened a floodgate of accusations. There are questions as to why not a single nominee from any other party wasn’t turned down, as many of them too are in the shade of litigation, as well as indictment and conviction. The ECP must go on to address this phenomenon in a fair manner, and must desist from being judgmental. The constitutional body’s primary task and mandated job is to hold elections, and not to witch-hunt the candidates. Let it function as a regulatory valve and not as a court.
A number of steps by the ECP – such as annulling the PTI’s intra-party elections, denying it the symbol of ‘cricket bat’, and now almost across-the-board scuttling of its candidates – have charged its supporters with venom. This is not good for electoral serenity, as well as the credibility of polls. The ECP would be better advised to adjudicate the appeals in conformity with law without any self-erected benchmarks, and at the same time must adhere to judicial rulings in such matters. Let the people of Pakistan decide over the eligibility, or otherwise, of the candidates through a free and fair ballot. Influencing the process at the executive domain will be detrimental.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 1st, 2024.
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