Elections have been held all over the country, but how have these elections been conducted that there is a noise of rigging everywhere? Someone is hollering at the door of the Election Commission and someone is demanding justice from the judiciary. It appears as if democracy has once again been shattered in the name of elections. BBC has also stated in its report that Pakistan has not learnt anything from past mistakes and stability in the country is not visible following these controversial elections.
Strangely, stability in the country is the most pressing need of the hour, but no one is serious about bringing it to the country. Everyone here is pursuing their interests at all costs and deviating from their own narrative. PPP chairman Bilawal Zardari Bhutto, while explaining the party policy for government formation after the general elections, said that he will not form a government together with the PML(N), he also said that it would be a shameful to be fooled twice by one person and the majority of the people do not want to see Nawaz Sharif become Prime Minister for the fourth time, but now the leadership of the PML(N) and the PPP are meeting to form the government, they are settling matters with each other that in one term both will enjoy the Prime Ministership and it appears that the strings of both parties are being pulled from somewhere else.
This situation indicates that the story will proceed under the script, regardless of the public. The Army Chief has also stated that the nation requires redemptive communication to move beyond the politics of anarchy while the people are in shock that their decision is being changed once again and what was rejected by the people is being brought back. How long will the people’s perspective be held hostage by force and will they continue to tolerate everything silently? The people’s patience is wearing thin; they have witnessed how their votes have been humiliated and how late-night election results have been shown to be different, no one has stopped this process, rather the Election Commission of Pakistan has also appeared to be helpless.
Politicians must recognize that the people have given their representatives the mandate to form a government by exercising their right to vote and political parties should respect the people’s will because Pakistanis do not want any more chaos now, nor do they want to reverse their decision. People want the country’s political and economic conditions to improve so that there will be some change or prosperity emerging in their lives, but this can only happen if power is transferred to those who were elected by the people. The value of public mandate will bring political and economic stability in the country
Seeing all this helplessness, International observers have also had to say that freedom of expression was not given in the elections in Pakistan, nor was access to the Internet and telecommunication services given. Condemning this coercive situation of election-day, the US spokesperson says that the USA is concerned about the allegations of interference in the election process or that all claims of rigging in the election should be thoroughly investigated.
But how will this all be done? When even the media is under siege and repression is so severe that no one is openly discussing the worst rigging and dealing of independent candidates, nor is the media raising its voice against power sharing. However, the President of Pakistan has shown great courage in saying that further excavation into election results should be halted immediately, but this excavation is continuing in such a way that it is not coming to an end.
It is certain that along with the caretaker government, the Election Commission has also failed to fulfill its responsibilities and it’s a matter of shame that praises are being demonstrated for the successful conduct of a controversial election., while most of the political parties are protesting outside their offices and raising their voice against their irresponsible role. Now, the Election Commission has time to rectify its mistakes and remove the stains of corruption, otherwise the people will not forget, nor will the affected politicians forgive. Political leaders are already demanding the resignation of the Election Commission, but this demand is not having any effect on the Election Commission nor is it changing its approach, rather it seems to be proceeding with the completion of its agenda.
Politicians must recognize that the people have given their representatives the mandate to form a government by exercising their right to vote and political parties should respect the people’s will because Pakistanis do not want any more chaos now, nor do they want to reverse their decision. People want the country’s political and economic conditions to improve so that there will be some change or prosperity emerging in their lives, but this can only happen if power is transferred to those who were elected by the people. The value of public mandate will bring political and economic stability in the country.
