The election challenge

Out of the many pressing challenges that await the new government and all its components, one is holding a free and fair election that is as devoid of controversy as possible. In the current political situation, it is crucial that the election be transparent, that neutral observers be called in to monitor it and to avoid a situation that leads to further divisive differences with the PTI and possibly other parties. In the first place, there is the issue of delimitation, which applies to Karachi and notably the former Fata area now incorporated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The incorporation of these areas brings down the KP seats. The ECP will need to ensure that the delimitation done is valid, and that there is no controversy surrounding the exercise. This is even more important in Sindh, where delimitations have always been a source of doubt and misunderstanding as well as accusations openly thrown by one party against the other. The need for a census is also still pending. The provisional census held in 2017 will be used, but even this raises doubts in some minds and the provisional nature of that exercise could lead to the opposition raising its own objections. How this problem is overcome needs to be seen.

But perhaps the key issue is the Electoral Act, 2017 which was amended by the PTI government in November 2021 via a joint session of parliament that approved the use of EVMs and voting for overseas Pakistanis. While the ECP has said it fully supports this measure and is working on the technology needed to make it possible as well as other intricacies in applying it, it greatly doubts that it would be possible to hold the new election under this technology if it is called this year or even early next year. This again will obviously lead to accusations of foul play by the PTI which had pressed hard for the EVMs to be set up, and whose politics has largely revolved around overseas Pakistanis. The ECP has pointed out that in the first place, simply acquiring the number of EVMs required for the exercise is an extremely difficult task, whether they are bought internally and a corporation perhaps commissioned to construct them, or purchased from other countries.

Under Article 218 of the constitution, the ECP holds sole responsibility for conducting the election. We will have to see how the coming months proceed in terms of some degree of harmony between political parties that are divided into two clear camps, one of which is not above using all manner of accusations against its political rivals and any state machinery that disagrees with it. In such a polarized environment, elections will in any case be controversial. The ECP and whichever caretaker government comes in to conduct the elections will need to ensure that fair play is priority one for the next elections. Otherwise, it may well be back to the containers on D-Chowk for another round of protests and allegations.