The one-way ballot

The PML-N's triumph on all the five National Assembly seats in Punjab by-polls was on the cards, as the opposition candidates were devoid of a level-playing field. Polling was held in 13 constituencies for six national and seven provincial assembly seats, as they had fallen vacant due to the disqualification of PTI legislators over the May 9 riots. The lackluster election, which saw a very low turnout, was broadly boycotted by the PTI, except for the two constituencies of Lahore in Punjab and Haripur in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. There too it was an impossible task for the PTI to even make its presence felt as the party faced political as well as legal discrimination.

Thus, the contest was essentially between the two major allies at the Centre: PPP and PML-N. And the outcome anyway was to be in the treasury benches favour. The fact that the PTI found itself under pressure in K-P, and was unable to post a resilient comeback in Lahore too, poses questions of fairness in the entire exercise, and depicts the distrust of voters in the order of the day. The PML-N's majority on the floor of the lower house, however, saw a shot in the arm as it comfortably won Dera Ghazi Khan, Sahiwal, Faisalabad and Lahore, as well as the lone seat from K-P in Haripur.

The PPP was only able to post a consolation victory, bagging one Punjab provincial assembly seat. While formal results are yet to be notified, the fortune nonetheless rests with the PDM-2 coalition. Reports of non-availability of Form-45 in several constituencies, especially in Lahore; unusual deployment of police with the explicit intention to comb out the opposition; blocking of candidates' access to the returning officers; and removal of PTI camps at places and detention of its workers were widespread, something that is tantamount to pre-poll rigging.

The ballot has hardly helped in crafting a narrative of positivism for the ruling parties. Rather, it has dented the spirit of adult franchise and free choice of the electorate. This is where all political parties must unite to help restore the confidence of voters in the system, and in the veracity of elections.