Sir,
Timely holding of parliamentary elections is a part and parcel of any functioning democracy and Pakistan ought to be no exception. Yet the dance of democracy seems set for a delay in this neighbouring country of India.
The country which came into being after much bloodshed and suffering on a August day along with India in 1947 has not been a place where democracy has had a hale and hearty existence. Military coups have played spoil sport though elections had never been dispensed with.
The need to redraw constituencies based on recent census reports threatens to be a spoke in the wheel to hold elections in Pakistan. The delay could affect the political scenario. The political landscape of the country is blurred since the arrest and incarceration of former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. As often in the past, the army is in the driver’s seat in the country.
The Constitution demands that elections be held within 90 days of the dissolution of the National Assembly. There is a timeline of the Election Commission for redrawing of constituencies; the contradiction in between raises concern about a constitutional crisis.
The government and the judiciary need to carefully navigate the situation in the coming weeks for holding an election in keeping with the country’s constitution. With far reaching implications for the country’s stability and governance, there is no room for haste in deciding the issue.
It is a complex matter as both the options have their pros and cons. Accurate representation of voters cannot be dispensed with to adhere to constitutional timeline; in a democracy delaying elections is never an option looked forward to.
Tirthankar Mitra
on e-mail
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