- By inducting extremists into electoral fray
By encouraging sectarian extremists and groups with terrorist affiliations to contest the elections the ECP has done a disservice to parliamentary system. That this has happened despite full knowledge of their credentials has led some to conclude that there is purpose behind the permission i.e., targeting the PML-N and secular parties on religious grounds. The extent of the damage these groups are capable of inflicting on society would however be much wider.
Only weeks earlier the ECP had refused to register the MML as a political party as it was backed by Hafiz Saeed whose JuD is listed by the UN as a terrorist organisation. The party then decided to contest elections under the rubric of AAT. Strangely its candidates were cleared by the ECP. The ASWJ which is the reincarnation of the banned SSP was suddenly removed from the Fourth Schedule, without any explanation. Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) comprising extremist Brelvi clerics who whipped up religious frenzy, laid siege to Islamabad, caused miseries to the residents of the twin cities for weeks and used foul language about judges too has been allowed to contest the elections.
None of these parties accepts basic democratic values: moderation, resolution of differences through peaceful discussion, renunciation of violence and adherence to the law of the land. They want to implement through force their views, which they claim are unalterable as these are based on eternal truth. Allowing them to contest elections amounts to providing them the status of legitimate political parties that they do not deserve.
It is highly worrisome that some of those who were party to the formulation of National Action Plan (NAP) are now undermining it by mainstreaming extremists, sectarian elements and banned outfits in pursuit of their latest agenda. Raza Rabbani and Bilwal Bhutto have compared the induction of these groups into the electoral process to the creation of the IJI and MMA by the establishment. Even if none of these candidates gets elected the networks would spread enough hatred during the election campaign. In case even a handful of them manage to enter the Parliament, they would make it dysfunctional through rowdy behaviour, recourse to threats and foul language.
