The New CEC, PTI’s Plan-C And The Rigging Probe

For the last 16 Months, the Appointment of the new Permanent chief issue has remained the much echoed or trumpeted issue as all the current political crisis was surrounding the top Slot as the Election Tribunals were controversial and Electoral reforms could not be materialized in the absence of a permanent Chief for Election Commission of Pakistan. However, the efforts of parliamentary Committee for the Search and Selection of Chief Election Commissioner succeeded to name a unanimous candidate for the Position of Chief Election Commissioner.

Justice Sardar Raza Khan has been appointed as Chief Election Commissioner as all the Parties agreed over his name. Whereas the seat of CEC is not a bed of roses as it will have a bumpy road ahead in terms of Policy Making and Reforms, holding of Local Body Elections in almost three Provinces i.e. Sindh Punjab and KPK  , conducting Delimitation exercise in Sindh and Cooperating with Judicial Committee likely to be formed to end Current Political Crisis .

On the other hand , PTI’s November 30 ,rally in Islamabad  may be concern for all the parties specially the Government to constitute a Judicial Committee to Probe the rigging in  May 11 ,2013 Election for which PTI is of the view that there was high level of  Rigging and in their opinion , it was RO’s Elections .With Judicial Commission , it will be analyzed  that how  the Election were manipulated to bring in the most favored Party the Power . The Judicial Commission will also identify the Flaws and Bottlenecks in current Electoral Frameworks giving access to rigging or manipulation.

As So far, the so called Parliamentary Committee for Electoral Reforms has missed the deadlines as per the opinion of political Pundits and analysts that it is deliberately attempting to delay the process to prolong the tenure Govt: tenure since it is headed by the Senator Ishaque Dar who is currently serving the cabinet with the most important Portfolio of Finance Minister raising Question over impartiality of Committee.

As the Proposed EVS (Electoral Voting System) was made controversial by some analysts and even the ECP was reluctant to give their input that without the Permanent Chief in place, they cannot give their Opinion over EVS or proposed points of Electoral Reforms Committee.

But now, when a permanent CEC has taken the oath of the Office of Chief Election Commissioner, it would be easy for ECP to put forward their Opinion over EVS and other proposed Electoral Reforms including the ECP’s own draft calling for amendment in Representation of People’s Act to ensure Free and fair Elections. Since, the Present CEC, Sardar Raza Khan has already remained Acting CEC of Election Commission of Pakistan Twice.

He understands the matters of ECP in-depth and will come up with the best plan to make the most important Institution efficient , transparent and trustworthy as earlier Election have raise questions upon its reliability and efficient as had failed miserably to win the trust of both the candidates in general and the Public in Particular. As the previous governments failed to deliver on the basis of entry wrong ones into the Assemblies. That’s why we are observing the aftershocks of the inefficiency displayed by the former Governments which continue to haunt the present Government and will create problems for future governments if not addressed efficiently and sensibly.

PTI’s formula to organize Youth and tasks of creating mass awareness regarding Mass Awareness against Manipulated or Rigged Election have worked to the extent that even the visually impaired Persons protesting before Punjab CM House for Want of Jobs were denied access and subjected to brutal physical torture by Punjab police were demanding that after all, what is their guilt and why they were not being allowed to enter the CM house.

The Bleeding Disabled person made all the people unhappy and aggrieved to the extent that every person was to believe that with brutally torturing visually impaired citizens, the Government has invited the wrath of Almighty. Once done by the Great Leader of Muslim Word Shaheed Zulfiquar Bhutto by giving courage and voice to make the leaders accountable for their injustices and ask the government to explain why they are not being served in a democratic way.

With Plan C announcement from PTI to show street power as earlier pressure of Freedom and March and Rallies did not work to compel the Government to accept their demands of formation of Judicial Commission to probe the Rigging in Elections, Introduction of Electoral Reforms and Resignation of PM.

However , on the intervention of their coalition partners in KPK Government, Stalwart of Opposition Jirga and Ameer Jamaat Islami  Siraj-ul-Haq  , they have withdrawn from the point of resignation but they still demand the Judicial Commission to Probe Election manipulation and Electoral Reforms to pave the way of Future or Midterm Election whichever possible after the outcome of the Probe.

Since, their withdrawal from Resignation conditional. If the rigging Allegation proved against PML-N, the PM will likely to resign and announce Re-Election. Even, the Supreme Court May issue such directives to ECP for Re-Election.

The Plan C is the production of PTI’s Change in their Line of Action from Protests (dharnas), Marches to display of Street power to stop the Government’s easy functioning. With their proposed Start of PLAN C in a series of Wheel Jam Strikes to paralyze the Business Hub Cities of Lahore ,Faisalabad and Karachi and Finally ,shutting down the whole country is clear message to the Government that they have changed their course and intensified  their struggle for their genuine demands .

They also warned the Government that Plan D will be very offensive which in their opinion that Government will not be able to tolerate.  The government seems to be killing the time and prolonging tenure considering PTI as mere Pressure Group but the Analysts have predicted that it is high time for the Government to take the issue seriously and respond to end the lingering Political Crisis that has paralyzed the whole country for the last Three Months. It is very dangerous for democracy that Government and Opposition should have a Nexus or in sporting term fixation of match.

If the opposition continues to play a friendly match with Government and waiting for their turn then it will be very dangerous for the new players to enter the Game of Politics with a thumping majority in the subsequent elections.

The Change of turns has become harmful for the nation since the Country has been going through the serious problems of Internal and External Security , Militancy , famine like Situation in Thar with unending deaths of infants , IDPS rehabilitation,falling FDI and Deteriorating Economic Outlook and the Challenge of Holding Local body elections and implementation of Electoral Reforms.

It would be sensible action on the part of Government to understand the grave issues of Country and resolve them on the priority basis to save the country from falling prey to lawlessness, ethnicity, economic Crisis and militancy.

The government should hold talks with the PTI and other Stakeholders without any further delay to resolve the issues through dialogue and set an example for predecessors that PML-N is not a power-hungry party and welcomes constructive criticism to improve the service delivery.

Since  Splits in the ruling PML-N have already surfaced in form of disgruntled Muslim Leaguers- KHOSA Family of Punjab and Sindh’s Former Party President Ghous Ali Shah both striving to unite the factions of Muslim league blaming Sharif brothers for making Party as Family Affair.

This is evident from the surfacing of forward blocks that the ruling PML-N is also losing grip over its own party, not to speak of service delivery and Governance Improvement. With permanent CEC in place, PML-N has been left with no other option but to request Supreme Court of Pakistan for the formation of Judicial Commission to probe the Rigging Charges to silence the protesting voices and showing their will power to end the Political Crisis haunting the country for last couple of months and developing a sense of uncertainty among the people of Pakistan as it is not the question serving egos but it is in national interest to end the stalemate.