The democratic pathway

One triumph, if it can be called a triumph at all, throughout 2016 was that we were able to cling onto our fragile democracy, despite moments when it appeared to be slipping away. This is an achievement in a country that has for so many long periods in its history been ruled by military dictators. Their efforts to govern people and do so by putting in place policies that best suited their interests – essentially retaining power at all costs – are why we stand in such dark, dank waters today.

Already, less than two years away from the next general election, we see what can be described as disturbing efforts to throw this exercise into doubt and possibly create chaos. Imran Khan’s statement that the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had been infiltrated by government personnel or agents placed there in order to manipulate the next general election is unsavoury for many different reasons.

One, the ECP is an autonomous body, constitutionally assigned with the task of conducting a fair poll. The ECP has strongly fought back these damaging claims and pledged that its sole intention was to conduct fair elections. There have been other whispers too from similar channels. These are in many ways even more absurd. They suggest that the election of local government bodies in 2016 was conducted after a long delay only to make it simpler for the ruling party to strengthen its hold on the country in 2018.

In the first place, the LB polls were ordered by the Supreme Court after much resistance from provincial governments. Also, while it is true that parties in power have an advantage when it comes to elections, and that malpractices, notably at administrative levels, almost inevitably do take place, no evidence has been provided of large-scale manipulation. International and local monitors have not raised any warning flags. This then seems to be paranoia pushed forward by a desperate quest for power. The insinuations are unfortunate. They are unfortunate because, in the first place, they raise doubts over democracy and the manner in which parties come to power.

Since the general election stands at the very heart of any democracy and is a primary tool which enables people to play a part, the suggestion that the votes people cast are insignificant because the results will be tampered with can only make citizens think harder about whether to vote at all and also frame the idea that governments come to power through methods other than the number of votes they obtain. Perhaps this has happened in the past, in our country and in others. But we have no proof that it has happened during the two general elections held since 2008. The question then is why democratic parties would choose to damage the very system they form a part of.

The answer is not difficult to come by. The cries of manipulation, which we are already hearing about, well in advance of 2018, essentially come from groups that have no real hope of winning the polls. It seems quite apparent that the PML-N is well poised to claim the next election in Punjab and quite possibly in other provinces as well. The PTI has faltered in its efforts to present anything resembling real opposition on the ground. Its tactics, based around staging dharnas, loudly raising calls of foul play and possibly attempting to find other ways to power have alienated people rather than winning them over. Yet it seems even in the 18 months or so it has left, the party – instead of preparing for the next polls – is determined to carry on with the same action plan – stubbornly and without much wisdom.

As for the PPP, we see within it something resembling a charade. Former president Asif Ali Zardari has now decided he will enter parliament himself in preparation for the next polls, alongside his son Bilawal, and according to some reports, also his daughter Bakhtawar. Precisely what purpose the presence of these three people in the National Assembly will serve is a little unclear. So far, Bilawal has certainly not succeeded in winning people over through his rallies and his aggressive stance – warning of ‘long marches’ and other protest tactics. Essentially, even if the trio or duo – comprising father and son – arrives in the National Assembly, there is doubt as to whether they will have enough time in the lead-up to 2018 to alter the current slide downwards of the PPP and emerge as a realistic party for which people will choose to vote.

The attempts to undermine the entire voting system meanwhile will of course have a negative impact on the people eligible to vote as they decide whether or not to cast their ballot. This issue goes beyond party politics and affects democracy as a whole.

Certainly, there are terrible flaws within our democracy. There are flaws in others as well. After all, the US voted in Donald Trump as its president for the next four years. The start of his tenure is now only a few days away. The other criticisms of democracy, often centred on the fact that uneducated people often make bad choices, become somewhat irrelevant when we look at the US. Even though most US citizens are literate or at least semi-literate, it does not appear their judgement is well-balanced. In fact, at home it has consistently seemed that people, whether or not they have been to school, have made the wisest choices they possibly can. As in all democracies, they must of course choose from a limited field.

It is also true that millions of votes simply become redundant in the first-past-the-post system that we use, as is the case in the US presidential system and in many others. These are flaws built into the system. But despite their presence, democracy works and delivers people some goodness – unlike dictatorships – and therefore, needs to be protected. The efforts now beginning to cast a shadow over polls that have yet to be held should be a cause for some alarm.

We do need greater transparency and greater rigour in our balloting system. There are weak points. Some of these were shown before courts and tribunals after 2013. India’s electronic balloting system, using incredibly simple and sturdy machines that survive being hauled long distances and can be used even by those unable to read, is a mechanism we need to think about – although we must hope our voters use greater sense when punching into them than the Indians did in placing Narendra Modi in office. But these are amendments and adjustments that come as democracy moves along.

The attempt at presenting the election process as an exercise that has no meaning or purpose because it is manipulated in the first place, inflicts enormous damage. We have seen manipulated elections in the past. In each case, some evidence of alleged rigging has come in through figures and statistical data. The case brought by Asghar Khan proved beyond doubt the high-level efforts led by the ISI to prevent the PPP from winning the 1990 elections. But there has been no proof at all of systematic rigging in 2013. Yes, random wrongdoings may have occurred and will occur again. But such mishandling or acts of thuggery do not mean the entire election has been fabricated and this is something that needs to be put across strongly and clearly ahead of 2018.  

The writer is a freelance columnist and former newspaper editor.

Email: kamilahyat@hotmail.com