Winds of change

The winds of change have started to blow but it is yet to be seen if they are blowing in the right direction. The eclipse of a major political party that had adopted a fool-hardy policy to consistently agitate without a clear design and purpose has somewhat created a scenario resembling what is called a level playing field. This development will also go a long way to bring semblance of rationality back to the prevailing governance system. Closely allied to the restoration of rationality is the rationalised restoration of the electoral process as the mechanism through which peaceful and consensual transfer of political power takes place in a democratic polity. This is an essentiality required to rectify the balance within the polity after a tumultuous half-a-decade.
Political parties, the vehicles of democratic political power, are driven to governance through an election mechanism. As with all exercises associated with power the electoral process is also not free from manipulation. The predominantly subjective nature of electoral process further complicates the matter. The intense pull of this subject has resulted in a plethora of electoral reform proposals forwarded by countless organizations, specialists, commentators and wide array of public. Since this is a public welfare measure affecting all and sundry therefore a vast input from a cross section of citizenry should always be encouraged along with wide publicity accorded to this exercise. Before proceeding further it may be reiterated that an electoral system is the only process that determines allocation of parliamentary seats commensurate with voting strength of a party.
It must also be kept in view that the fragility of Pakistan’s democracy is unique even in nascent democracies. It is due to an arbitrary force that holds overriding clout in political domain and, to obtain desired results, massively intervenes in electoral process. The intervention is aggravated by the fact that the perception and goals of this arbitrary force are in direct opposition to democratic ideals and practice. Having been successful in creating a niche for them in political arena the arbitrary forces devised and rigorously maintained an iron grip on democratic process. The worst effect of the lengthening shadows of arbitrary rule was the initiative wrested by them to plan, organise and manipulate every election exercise in Pakistan.
Fortunately, the saner elements within the arbitrary structures have started to realise that the pervert policies followed by their predecessors have turned Pakistan into a quagmire of non-governance. They have belatedly realised that their ability to singlehandedly control everything in Pakistan has been seriously eroded. These forces tried passing the buck to civilians but found the weakened civilian structure ill-equipped to wriggle Pakistan out of this mess. There are growing signs that the current chaotic state of affairs in Pakistan is gradually unnerving the arbitrary forces although they keep up the bravado. They increasingly find themselves incapable of coming to grips with myriad problems of Pakistan and feel besieged by local and international factors limiting their maneuverability and countering their moves.
The resurgence in the spirit of the Election Commission has made it imperative to deliberate upon genetic composition, underlying assumptions, inherent limitations and supple variations of electoral practices in Pakistan so that they become all encompassing and considered legitimate by citizenry. They should be aimed to assist an institutionalised democratic system by consolidating the right to rule. More importantly, the electoral process should be considered a continuous national exercise irrespective of the fact that its occurrence is periodic. One of its essential aims should be to improve quality and equality of representation. It should also address manageability of party system since it could not solely be done through legislative measures construed widely to favor political class only. The electoral reform should clearly draw lines between the roles played by executive and judicial sectors. However, it is easier said than done but any electoral reform content is required to make it clear that any interference, overt or covert, in an election by anyone from outside the designated electoral machinery will be done under pain of punishment. This aspect should be widely publicised and independent watchdogs, local and international, should be exhorted to look into this aspect specifically.
Continuous delimitation of constituencies should be an essential ingredient of electoral process along with devising a fixed time frame for delimitation exercise may be initiated keeping in view the relatively fast changing demographics and population shifts in the country. Pakistan’s typical political matrix may be better served if the areas of representation are reduced increasing number of representatives. Dispersal of political mandate paves way for not only maximizing representation but also accommodating disparate political ambitions. The emphasis placed on voter turnout should be watered down. Democratic polities often complain about voter apathy but accept it nevertheless because their long electoral experience has taught them that it is the expression of average General Will that counts and not its level. A push to achieve higher voter turnout distorts the electoral picture, exposes it to manipulation and increases election costs. The Weekender