…for free, fair and transparent elections
One of the most important turning points in Pakistan’s checkered history was the valiant and vibrant movement, led successfully by the lawyers’ community, to restore the honour of the judiciary in 2007, which has been a landmark achievement in the history of the subcontinent. The support given by the newly emerging civil society and the role of the media will also be remembered as a major contribution in the annals of history. Albeit all this, the doors of justice remain closed for the forgotten builders of the nation — the working people of Pakistan. And, the agenda of the movement, however, remains unfinished until the foundations of a strong and dynamic democratic society are established. We have a long way to go to salvage the country from apparently an imminent disaster. Nonetheless, the environment of hope for a bright future for the coming generations is in the offing as we can notice the public opinion is surging against the so-called democratic system and imperialism.
The people of Pakistan strongly desire to emancipate themselves from the corrupt and putrid system of governance. It is evident from the ever increasing momentum in public unrest and the recent mammoth public response to Dr Tahirul Qadri. This demonstrates the burning desire of the people for a political change. A qualitative change that should make people master of their destiny rather than to bring back in power the same corrupt people who have been ruling the country for the last 65 years. These people are part of the problem, not the solution.
Allow me to recount briefly some of the events of the recent past of our checkered history. Each time people have registered protest against bad governance of our rulers, their untiring struggle and sacrifices have been rendered fruitless by those who rose to control the reins of power. We are witnessing the same, rather worse, current regime which controls the reins of the government as a result of the February 2008 general elections. The successive regimes, both civilian and military, with strong federalist and authoritative orientation, centrally controlled and lacking people’s participation, have, time and again, failed the people and the country.
Two decade-rule of Zia and Musharraf and the bad governance of current regime have brought the country and its economy to a disastrous point. The political leaders, so-called champions of democracy, while in office, remained true to their class interests. A feudal-hari relationship between them and their nominated, sycophant and nincompoop courtiers is central to their leadership style, where jiyalas don’t figure anywhere. All this failed to articulate democratic values.
Holding an election alone, in a milieu of feudal and colonial value system, is not the solution of our ill-fated society. We need to transform the society and become a catalyst to uproot the value system impregnated with dishonesty, corruption, immorality, absence of rule of law and good-governance. Democracy is a culture and way of life that requires the adoption of an entire value system.
Now I come to elections, the central point of this article. I intend to convey my viewpoint with the hope that it can become the theme of discussions among the knowledgeable concerned citizen of Pakistan and become the vanguard of democratic movement.
In the past, elections have not brought any healthy and qualitative change in our society because it has been a luxurious privilege of our wealthy classes. Nevertheless, election must be held and it should be free, fair and transparent. In the urban centres, the people are relatively freer than in rural, feudal strongholds where the people display the stress of centuries of long subjugation to a culture of forced obedience and servitude. Hence the ensuing helplessness does not permit them to exercise their right to vote freely. To ensure free, fair and transparent elections, to monitor the enormous sums of money spent in the campaign, to prevent bribes and kickbacks to the election officials, to stop massive buying of general voters, and to improve general security during elections, the following proposals are to be considered for debate and discussion:
There should be complete ban on conventional way of campaign — public rallies, posters, loudspeakers etc.
Each candidate for National and Provincial Assembly should deposit with the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) rupees one million and half million respectively as election expenditures.
ECP would make arrangements for debates on close circuit TVs among the candidates in each constituency. The topics of debate should be issues like foreign affairs, agriculture, education, health care, security and socio-politico-economic problems etc.
The ECP would distribute slips showing an individual’s voting details taken from the official voters lists 10 days ahead of Election Day to all voters at their homes.
All polling stations must be located not more than a 10-minute walking distance from the voter’s home.
A complete ban on transport. The ECP would make arrangements for the transportation of the handicapped voters.
The agents of candidates should not be allowed to gather and harass the voters at polling stations. The polling staff would be appointed by ECP.
No reception camps of candidates should be allowed at the polling stations.
A new vote counting method should be evolved which is acceptable to all the candidates.
International/national observers should have access to polling.
The entire election operations must be supervised by the Supreme Court of Pakistan/Pakistan Army.
In this way, I hope a major part of our population of middle class and intelligentsia from the civil society, such as professionals (lawyers, doctors, professors, working class leaders etc), would be able to contest elections making our assemblies representative of all sections of our society.
The writer is a member of Central Committee, Pakistan Peoples Party-Shaheed Bhutto. Email: [email protected]
