A wake up call for all parties
The PML-N and PPP governments were unwilling to hold the Local Government elections as, among other things, any possible upset was likely be to interpreted as a negative judgment on their performance. Elections for the Cantonment Boards were finally held after 17 years under the pressure of the Supreme Court. Despite promises to amend the Cantonment Act to ensure that the elections were conducted on party basis, the PML-N government failed to affect the required changes. The Lahore High Court had to, therefore, step in and order the polls to be held on party basis.
The results of the elections leave much for the mainstream parties to ponder over. The emergence of a strong bloc of 55 independent representatives is significant. With the PML-N bagging 68 seats the independents constitute the second largest elected group followed by PTI’s 42 seats. The presence of such a large number of independents shows that many voters are dissatisfied with the achievement of the elected parties. While the PML-N remains a winner in its stronghold of Punjab, its position in Cantonment Boards outside the province is dismal showing a lack of confidence in its working. The PTI has fared even worse. The way the party failed to win a single seat in Rawalpindi should be an eye opener to it. In case the report about 15 independents winning in KP against 10 from PTI is true, this would show the party in power in the province has been relegated to a second position by the voters in the Cantonment Boards. The PPP which is the second largest party in NA faced a humiliating defeat. It got no seat in Punjab or Balochistan while it held second position in Karachi and Hyderabad.
The military enjoys the upper hand in running the affairs of the Cantonment Boards. After the polls the boards will have an elected administration side by side with the military administration. It remains to be seen how issues related to turf are decided by the two sides in days to come.