Transparency issues

This letter refers to the article ‘All about electoral participation' (September 25, 2023) by Naazir Mahmood. The article discussed a paper by activist Tahir Mehdi about how to make our elections credible. There is nothing new about the seven areas for reform mentioned in the paper. The ECP is an independent body with the power to frame election rules and incorporate changes but the problem is its alleged politicization.

This creates a transparency issue, with the losing parties always claiming that the results have been manipulated. I believe there are various steps that can be taken to solve this problem, such as releasing the election results quicker, but we do nothing about the loopholes in the process, creating unnecessary controversies. We must also focus on holding elections within the constitutionally stipulated 90-day period and ensuring that caretaker governments do not stick around a day longer than this.

Mukhtar Ahmed

Karachi