Main hurdle removed
With the publication of the final delimitations of constituencies’ list, the only imponderable in the timely elections has been eliminated. The decision by the ECP cannot be challenged in any court. Earlier in March, both the CJP and COAS had been quoted that if the delimitation wasn’t finished on time this might lead to the postponement of elections. The ECP had however assured that it would complete the task well within time, a pledge it has redeemed.
As it is common in Pakistan for the rumour mill to start grinding conspiracy theories, statements attributing motives behind a possible postponement of elections came both from the legal community and politicians. A Pakistan Bar Council executive member expressed fears that the judiciary might be used to postpone elections. He wrote a letter to all 22 representatives of the legal fraternity’s apex body, calling upon them to pass a strong resolution to resist any move to postpone the upcoming elections. Javed Hashmi’s fertile imagination brought forth another doomsday scenario. He maintained that a caretaker government would be formed without consultation with the prime minister and leader of the opposition and the SC with the caretaker set up would postpone the elections for an indefinite period.
A perception is being formed that both Zardari and Imran Khan are dissatisfied about their electoral prospects. Zardari has suggested that dire necessity might lead the two to join hands against the PML-N after the elections. Postponement of the elections could be another way out. Two weeks back Sheikh Rashid predicted that the elections would be postponed “keeping in view the ongoing political climate of the country” and would be delayed to September or October. In his latest TV interview Imran Khan predicted the elections could be deferred by 30-45 days.
Both the SC and the ECP have promised to hold free, fair and timely elections. PM Abbasi’s lame duck government cannot effectively deal with the internal and external challenges faced by Pakistan. The IMF has underlined the problems the country could face if political uncertainty was to be prolonged. This requires elections to be held on schedule and an orderly handing over of power to the next elected set up.