Avoiding slander
Personal mud-slinging against one another would only further damage the image of politicians.
The ECP’s code of conduct urges candidates to criticise one another only on the basis of their policies, programmes and track records. PHOTO: FILE
In the latest effort to ensure that political parties adhere to the code of conduct laid out by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), the commission has prohibited political parties and their candidates from carrying out personal attacks against one another. This has been in response to the presidential spokesperson’s complaint to the chief election commissioner about what he termed the “political vilification” of the president.
Indeed, such attacks, which include name-calling and personal references, amount to slander and must be avoided at all costs. Personal mud-slinging against one another would only further damage the image of politicians. Voters need to believe that their representatives are the best possible people to elect to serve them, and launching personal attacks not only makes for weak campaigning but does not say much about the personal integrity of the politicians either. Ironically, the very reason politicians indulge in personal attacks is due to an attempt to show themselves in a better light, but slander is only counterproductive and, in fact, may even adversely affect the desire of voters to support the candidate, or in the case that most politicians are indulging in slander, lead to a low voter turnout. The whole exercise undermines the idea of free and fair elections, by making all democratic options less appealing. Also, parties should not expect, or for that matter, want voters to ignore the fact that they have been violating the code of conduct. This amounts to insulting the intelligence of the electorate and is also an attempt to condition it to ignore party wrongdoing.
The ECP’s code of conduct urges candidates to criticise one another, and rightly so, on the basis of their policies, programmes and track records only. For, at the end of the day, it is not empty rhetoric but the ability of candidates to deliver that matters. Indeed, the rules laid out by the ECP are there for a reason — to ensure that elections are as credible as possible, and in the interests of these, political parties must cooperate and adhere to the rules.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2013.
Indeed, such attacks, which include name-calling and personal references, amount to slander and must be avoided at all costs. Personal mud-slinging against one another would only further damage the image of politicians. Voters need to believe that their representatives are the best possible people to elect to serve them, and launching personal attacks not only makes for weak campaigning but does not say much about the personal integrity of the politicians either. Ironically, the very reason politicians indulge in personal attacks is due to an attempt to show themselves in a better light, but slander is only counterproductive and, in fact, may even adversely affect the desire of voters to support the candidate, or in the case that most politicians are indulging in slander, lead to a low voter turnout. The whole exercise undermines the idea of free and fair elections, by making all democratic options less appealing. Also, parties should not expect, or for that matter, want voters to ignore the fact that they have been violating the code of conduct. This amounts to insulting the intelligence of the electorate and is also an attempt to condition it to ignore party wrongdoing.
The ECP’s code of conduct urges candidates to criticise one another, and rightly so, on the basis of their policies, programmes and track records only. For, at the end of the day, it is not empty rhetoric but the ability of candidates to deliver that matters. Indeed, the rules laid out by the ECP are there for a reason — to ensure that elections are as credible as possible, and in the interests of these, political parties must cooperate and adhere to the rules.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2013.