The upcoming elections of May 11 are no doubt the most important elections in the history of Pakistan. The future of the country heavily depends on the success of these elections. If God forbid anything bad happens, it would be destructive for Pakistan. Currently however, the different measures taken by the election commission, supreme court and most importantly, the Army, are quite satisfactory. However, more needs to be done to ensure a smooth democratic transition to the next government.
The May 11 elections are most important in the history of Pakistan because it is the first ever time that a democratic government, without Army’s guidance, has completed its five year term. Moreover, there is going to be a smooth transition of power from a democratic force, to a democratic force. Thus, it becomes extremely necessary that each institution play its positive role in holding fair and free elections.
Security, without a doubt, is going to be a major hurdle to successful holding of the elections. In this regard the role of Army would be of great importance. They must ensure to work in cooperation with Election Commission to provide a level playing field for each party. The election commission has already given a list of about 28000 polling stations which are labelled as sensitive. Ensuring security of such large number of sensitive polling stations would be a real challenge. To meet this challenge the deployment of Army is inevitable. Without Army’s deployment it would be impossible to hold peaceful elections.
In the recent Corps Commander conference, Army agreed to provide security to sensitive polling stations. They have decided to work closer with ECP and act upon its directives to ensure trouble free elections. This is quite a positive development because Pakistan Army is already stretched apart and, in addition to fighting extremist forces in the tribal areas, is busy in securing both eastern and western borders of the country. Their sparing of about 50,000 troops to secure all of the sensitive polling areas, is ofcourse appreciable and sends out a positive message.
This move would, without a doubt, increase the integrity and legitimacy of the whole election process. The successful and peaceful holding of these elections is a key to a bright future of Pakistan. If elections were held in a transparent way, it would get Pakistan on the right track of prosperity. However, despite this unflinching resolve from almost every sector to hold free and fair elections, there are some challenges that have to be dealt with.
The security situation in Balochistan would be the biggest challenge that the caretaker government, ECP, and the Army have to face. There is lawlessness in Balochistan. A nationalist insurgent movement is underway. It is extremely important that the grave security situation be mitigated to atleast create an electionish environment. Three main nationalist parties, Akhtar Mengal’s BNP, Abdul Malik Baloch’s National party, and the Mahmood Khan Achakzai’s Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, which boycotted the 2008 general elections, are contesting the upcoming elections. It becomes even greater a challenge to address the concerns of these parties and go even an extra mile, if needed, to restore their confidence in the transparency of the whole system.
The ten strictly Baloch districts of Balochistan are going to be the real game changers. A smooth and transparent election process in these districts would give legitimacy to the overall electoral process. However, any problem here would seriously dent the whole system. The world community, despite doing such hectic efforts, might not accept our claims of holding free and fair elections.
Moreover, ensuring that no fake degree holders, tax defaulters and or decoits contest the May 11 elections, would be an acid test that ECP must pass if it has to show itself as an independent and transparent institution. During previous parliament more than half of the parliamentarians were tax defaulters and almost similar are believed to have fake degrees. Purging these criminals, and many fresh entrants like them, from the electoral process, is something which must be done with priority.
However, no matter what the challenges may be, we all, as responsible Pakistanis, must ensure and work for holding free and fair elections. Each and every Pakistani has a role to play. The upcoming election of May 11, 2013 is without a doubt a golden key to a brighter future of Pakistan. A key of democracy. Let us give a chance to sustainable democracy!
