Our need for an election system people can have faith and trust in is immense. Events we have witnessed over the past years have proved this time and again. Yet, when attempts are made to make things better, they are apparently thwarted by the government itself. This is what seems to have happened in the case of Tariq Malik, the chairman of the National Database and Registration Authority, who was apparently sacked after moving ahead with directives from election tribunals to verify results from NA-118 by checking thumb impressions on ballot sheets. On that Lahore seat, Riaz Malik of the PML-N had emerged victorious. His nearest rival was Hamid Zaman of the PTI. The result was challenged.
What is especially disturbing are the accounts coming forward of exactly what transpired. It has been reported that Mr Malik was summoned by the Punjab government, and essentially told by the provincial law minister to give up the exercise involving thumb impressions. When he refused, he was sacked. Mr Malik has been able to obtain a stay on his termination order from the Islamabad High Court, which has also suspended the appointment orders of Brigadier (retd) Zahid Hussain, appointed to replace him. The court intervention is welcome as is the news that it will be taking up the matter for hearing. But given the gravity of the issue, we need to hear a full explanation from the government. If there is any truth in what we hear, due action is required. The matter needs to be taken up at the highest levels, and the ugly taste all this has left removed. It is not reassuring to know from any quarter that an apparent attempt has been made to cover up a matter concerning an election result, while the question also arises that if there was no element of unfair play in the election in NA-118, why there should be so much concern over the attempt to look into the outcome by comparing fingerprints or why a man who seemed to be doing his job should have been treated in such a fashion.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 5th, 2013.
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PML(N) supporters, where are you? :)
This clearly proves elections were rigged and fraudulent. Otherwise why would you be so afraid of checking? Such blatant misuse of power and openly threatening one of the highly qualified individuals of the country is akin to the worst form of dictatorship. On a side note, did anyone hear CJ taking a suomoto on this hugely important issue?
I agree with the editor that reinstatement should not end the matter but the Government be asked to explain the rationale of the (midnight) decision!
Entering PM House through rigged polls is as treasonous as entering aboard the trucks of 111 Bde.
This is what happens when sombody moves towards right track.Mr Malik gave accurate data to trace out the mal-practices done in the elections which annoyed so many and will many more in future if thats gona happen in Punjab where PTI has already filed petitions in the courts. PML(n) should hesitate doing such blunders which uprooted the fame of previous govt.its time to face the music now
We, the self proclaimed protectors of democracy, blame every institution (Army/Judiciary) for failure of democracy in Pakistan except the Prime Minister and the Parliament, who share the biggest blame for not letting democracy flourish in our country. They are up to their old tricks again.
Zardari did the same and I don't expect much difference from Sharifs. Once in power they resort to all kinds of power manipulations. This also gives us the answer why the only disciplined institution has to ultimately intervene. This kind of power play will undoubtedly and shamelessly continue for another 5 years making it unbearable for everyone. Someone shouild tell them to please make other institutions strong for their own survival. Please don't move towards another dictatorship by these actions.
Let me tell you a story, of a nation that likes shortcuts. It's called Pakistan. We used to depend upon the familiarity of the Army to take out the dirty laundary in the past via martial laws, then we loved the familiarity of Nawaz and BB, we didn't care how they came to power, as long as they had a badge saying 'democracy' on their chest. . We need to get out of our comfort zone, know that new faces bring change, not old faces. We need to learn that the law must be followed, no matter how boring it sounds. No government can govern if it didn't come to power via legal means. . The next time someone says 'forget the elections, time to govern', I would like to give him/her a lesson in democracy. Again, democracy is all about following rules, accountability, debate, oversight. It's not about frigging politics of reconciliation, or politics of confrontation, or politics of this and that.
This is what happens to honest officials, they are barred, demoted and shamed instead of the other way around while those who do illegal, unethical work to do the bidding of political masters are rewarded.