Rule of thumb

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 5^th, 2013.

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