Strengthen the Parliament
Thanks to the way politics is being micromanaged by the high and mighty; the genuineness of the election results has been challenged. A day after the declaration of the results, a number of parties called the exercise a theft of the voters’ mandate and demanded fresh elections under a new CEC.
After accusations of pre-poll rigging, fresh complaints emerged on July 25 indicating lack of trust in ECP. Like a number of other institutions, ECP too has gradually lost its luster. There were allegations of several polling agents having been turned out during the counting and denied a copy of Form 45. The Result Transmission System (RTS) collapsed adding further to doubts. Several presiding officers reportedly turned up unusually late at the ROs’ offices to submit the original Forms 45 and 46 giving birth to more suspicions.
The way shown by Fazl-ur-Rehman to resolve the complaints is neither in line with the constitution nor is it realistic. People come out only when they feel that the new set up has turned out to be worse than the previous one. They have yet to try Imran Khan. Meanwhile, the rejection of the call for resignations by the PML-N took the wind out of the sails of those who want agitation.
The PPP has meanwhile taken a more realistic stand. Bilwal Bhutto called it acolossal rigging on a scale never witnessed before and demanded that the CEC resign for failing to hold free and fair elections. The way out that he suggested is both pragmatic and in accordance with the constitution. The PPP would stay in the NA and seek the redressal of its grievances through parliamentary means. Further that the PPP would try to convince other opposition parties to come to parliament to build up pressure for their demands.
The combined opposition would be a formidable force, much larger in size, clearer about its aims and more united than after 2013 provided the parties give it importance. Those in power must realize that big mandates can’t help if voters aren’t genuinely concerned about the removal of a government and fail to spontaneously come out in protest when it is sent home.
