As the poll inquiry commission rejected Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) claims that 2013 general elections were systematically rigged, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said the report endorsed the government’s point of view on the issue, as well as the mandate of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). The three main allegations of PTI included organized rigging, non-transparent polling and stealing of the public mandate. The report, pre-maturely leaked out, also states that none of the allegations levelled by PTI and other parties against any individual or institution are proved.The PTI had staged a sit-in for 126 days last year in Islamabad during which Imran Khan used abusive language against his opponents and accused the PML-N of stealing the public mandate and rigging elections on a large scale. The report states that none of the allegations levelled by the PTI and other parties against any individual or institution were proved. No systematic pattern of rigging could be established and the public mandate was not stolen. The Commission pointed out procedural irregularities in the 2013 elections but held that on the basis of these irregularities, the elections could not be declared void. During his address to the nation, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said that the Commission’s report has vindicated their stance regarding the elections. While announcing that the report would be made public, he said that an elections reform committee has been formed. He vowed to continue the politics of reconciliation and cautioned others against indulging in negative politics. While vindication for the PML-N is here and the PTI is left to reflect on how and why it dragged the country through the dangerous and destabilising times that was the months-long dharna in Islamabad, the Commission’s report does underscore that there is a great deal of work to be done before Pakistan can traverse the ground between credible and acceptable and free and fair. In particular, the report amounts to an indictment of the Election Commission of Pakistan and its ability to conduct and organise elections. As rightly suggested by the Commission, it was the many failures of the ECP that combined to produce a sense of injustice and even conspiracy theories in the minds of many of the electoral losers in May 2013. However whatever the shortcommings were there in election, Now it would be incumbent upon all parties to demonstrate political maturity by accepting the findings in letter and spirit and without ifs and buts. Of course, legitimate questions are being asked as to why the entire country and its economy was made hostage for months if there was no substance in allegations that formed basis for agitation and protest. However, it is also a fact that it is because of 126 days of sit-in before the Parliament House in Islamabad that there is now growing realization about transparency of the election process and hopefully, the parties would now focus on making future elections as perfect as humanly possible. Imran Khan should demonstrate maturity and act more responsibly now. After all, he is the head of a mainstream political party and he should adhere to some ethics and moral values.
pk.shafaqna.com
