Big step forward
The clear-cut announcement by major political forces on democracy and announcing date for elections is highly welcome.
Leaders of opposition parties address a joint press conference in Lahore. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
A huge step forward has been taken in favour of a lasting democracy in Pakistan. The decision reached by almost all major opposition parties in the country, after a meeting at Raiwind under the chairmanship of Mian Nawaz Sharif, is highly encouraging. It indicates that finally, our democracy may have reached some stage of maturity, which will help it realise its full potential and value.
After a detailed meeting, parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Fazal), the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, the National Party and the Jamhoori Watan Party, came up with a unanimous statement demanding that a date for elections be announced. However, they made it quite clear that they disagreed vehemently with Tahirul Qadri’s demand that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) be dissolved, with Mr Sharif in particular saying that the parties had full faith in the body decided on by consensus. The leaders also opposed any dissolution of the assemblies, terming this an undemocratic step and emphasising instead that the next election should go ahead as scheduled.
This is a highly positive step. Even the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which had appeared to be dithering as to what to do, has after this development, decided to stay away from Dr Qadri’s sit-in. With this, Dr Qadri, with his band of supporters, has been left isolated. The situation has been handled deftly by the government with no major action taken to break up the strange gathering. Comment is already growing about the number of small children living out in the freezing conditions for more than three days. The clear-cut announcement by major political forces is highly welcome. It indicates that they may have recognised that above all else, our country needs continuity and stable democracy. The trust shown in the ECP is also good news. Its next role, as Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim and his team move on to centre stage, is to ensure that the poll is conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner, leaving behind no doubt in any mind about its conduct.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.
After a detailed meeting, parties, including the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Fazal), the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, the National Party and the Jamhoori Watan Party, came up with a unanimous statement demanding that a date for elections be announced. However, they made it quite clear that they disagreed vehemently with Tahirul Qadri’s demand that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) be dissolved, with Mr Sharif in particular saying that the parties had full faith in the body decided on by consensus. The leaders also opposed any dissolution of the assemblies, terming this an undemocratic step and emphasising instead that the next election should go ahead as scheduled.
This is a highly positive step. Even the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which had appeared to be dithering as to what to do, has after this development, decided to stay away from Dr Qadri’s sit-in. With this, Dr Qadri, with his band of supporters, has been left isolated. The situation has been handled deftly by the government with no major action taken to break up the strange gathering. Comment is already growing about the number of small children living out in the freezing conditions for more than three days. The clear-cut announcement by major political forces is highly welcome. It indicates that they may have recognised that above all else, our country needs continuity and stable democracy. The trust shown in the ECP is also good news. Its next role, as Justice (retd) Fakhruddin G Ebrahim and his team move on to centre stage, is to ensure that the poll is conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner, leaving behind no doubt in any mind about its conduct.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2013.