It is about time, Pakistan’s establishment and political class let the people decide the course of destiny of the country. Let the coming elections be conducted in a fair manner and let the next elected leadership have freedom to enact policies and reforms to take the country out of the current economic mess.
Leader of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan has been put behind bars on charges of corruption and not declaring gifts bought from the state repository in his nomination papers submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). In addition to a threeyear sentence and a fne of one lac rupees, the verdict bars Khan from active politics for fve years, which seems a grave threat to his rocky political career. The popular cricketer-turned politician has been accused of being involved in unfair and illegal practices by selling state gifts for proft worth 140 million Pakistani rupees. Since the exposé concerning Toshakhana – a state-managed treasure house where gifts offered by foreign dignitaries are kept – Imran Khan has vehemently denied accusations by stating that he, like his predecessors, legally bought the said gifts from Toshakhana.
Only time will tell whether Khan is out of the elections or higher courts will come to his rescue once again. Regardless, his arrest and the way PTI has been dealt with an iron hand following the May 9 incidents, does not augur well for the future of democracy in this country. Khan is not the frst politician and former prime minister jailed on charges of corruption. And given Pakistan’s chequered democratic history, he will certainly not be the last one. The important question is, how will Khan’s diehard supporters respond to this ‘disgrace’ of their much-revered leader, who rubbish all charges as being politically engineered? In such a charged political environment plagued with polarisation and intense animosity towards political rivals where it is abundantly clear that the PTI is either going to be completely dismantled or considerably weakened, how will PTI supporters as well as masses view the upcoming general elections? It is not only a matter of credibility of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) but a lack of trust in the entire system and Pakistani state. If history is any guide, it is vital for state machinery to remain neutral and conduct elections in the most fair and transparent way possible. The country cannot afford consistent political instability and chaos. The hapless people of this land have witnessed enough political bickering, instability, and even bloodshed following rigged elections conducted under dubious circumstances.
In this age of ubiquitous social media as well as in the presence of considerable foreign media and neutral observers, different stakeholders will closely watch the way general elections are conducted. Irrespective of the fact whether some powerful quarters favour one political party or another, the will of the people, expressed through votes, must be respected. It mustn’t be a matter of personal or institutional ego for powerful elements. If they truly believe in democratic process, it is in the interest of the country that all political parties are provided with a level playing feld and let people decide their rulers for the next fve years. Unfortunately, Pakistan has not learnt any lessons from the country’s turbulent political history. The country has suffered immensely due to persistent political instability. Specifcally, if we have a look at the recent past, prime ministers belonging to three different mainstream political parties – PPP, PMLN, and PTI – Yusuf Raza Gilani,
