Process of election to start after dissolution of assemblies, formation of caretaker Govt: Experts
PESHAWAR (APP): Legal and political experts here Monday said that election process would begin after dissolution of the national and provincial assemblies most likely on August 9 and subsequently formation of the caretaker government’s set up in the Centre, Sindh and Balochistan.
Asif Yousafzai advocate, a constitutional expert told APP that election commission was legally bound to conduct free, fair and transparent election within 90 days after dissolution of the assemblies while the caretaker government was responsible to provide all out assistance to the electoral body for smooth conduct of polls in all federating units and Islamabad.
He said it was mandatory for the President and Governors to sign the assemblies’ dissolution’s advice sent by Prime Minister and Chief Ministers respectively, adding if the advice were not signed then the assemblies would automatically dissolve after 48 hours of the advice like that we have recently seen in Punjab.
Asif Yousafzai said the recent amendments in the election laws have empowered the ECP to announce date for general elections and conduct elections in a free, fair and transparent manner. He said that four to six months were generally required for new delimitations of constituencies in the wake of digital census.
He urged ECP to clear its position on new delimitation issue and start preparation for general election after the prime minister has publically announced to dissolve the national assembly on August 9, just three days before the lower house of parliament completes its five-year constitutional term.
“It is a free and transparent election that provides legitimacy to an elected government to take decisions in the country’s interest as it enjoys overwhelming support from the masses.” He said democracy provides an inclusive mechanism for resolution of all socioeconomic and political issues through evolving broad based political reconciliation among all the relevant stakeholders.
He said the permanent political divide with no channel of communication and intolerance in society would further retard the political and economic development besides widening the economic gap between influential and underprivileged class.
He said if the trend of political intolerance, accusations and blame games among politicians continued, then it would be extremely difficult to bring political and economic stability to the country despite holding of general elections.
PMLN Nowshera district President, Sahibzada Hamaza Khan said that PTI Chairman Imran Khan was convicted in Toshakhana case and was sentenced three years imprisonment and one lakh rupees fine after he was found guilty of corrupt practices and concealing facts in his nomination papers from ECP.
He accused Imran Khan for shutting doors of dialogue and victimization of opposition leadership in his tenure.
Hamaza Khan said that Imran Khan has deceived masses in the name of change and his face was seen by the entire nation after May 9 vandalism. “Democracy has been declared as the best governance system in the world due to people’s ownership in Govt affairs. All political conflicts are being addressed through political reconciliation and dialogue among relevant stakeholders duly supported by the people that strengthened the governance system,” said Dr Ejaz Khan, former Chairman, International Relations Department while talking to APP.
He said that our politicians did not learn lessons from the past experiences and again started political wrangling that may harm democracy. He urged all political parties to set aside their differences and unite for general elections to take the ship of democracy to safe shores.
Dr AH Hilali, former Chairman Political Science Department, University of Peshawar told APP that the doors of political dialogue among religious and political entities were never closed in a democratic form of government.
He said political dialogue was an effective tool in a democratic system, which removed misunderstanding among political players on existing issues, strengthened democracy and united people for election besides ensuring smooth transition of power.
Prof Hilali said unfortunately our politicians did not learn lessons from our history and again started wrangling by closing the doors of political dialogue ahead of the general election despite the country’s difficult economic situation. He said the absence of political dialogues among politicians in the past led to derailment of democracy four times in Pakistan.
He suggested political dialogue between government and opposition on existing difficult economic and political challenges inevitable for the country’s stability and development. He said judiciary was functioning independently and media is free and any aggrieved party including PTI leadership can approach these forms for addressal of their grievances and information of people.
Ikhtair Wali Khan, PMLN KP spokesman and former MPA said that his party did not believe in political victimisation of opponents. He said Imran Khan was given fair trial and due process of law in the Toshakhana case. He said any aggrieved person can file an appeal against conviction in higher courts for remedy.
He claimed that the PTI had deceived people on the hollow slogan of “accountability and change” as the former PTI government in KP itself closed its own Ehtesab Commission at Peshawar besides the province was put under huge loans burden.
“PTI has shattered the confidence of the voters of KP and Punjab after prematurely dissolving the two provincial assemblies and Imran Niazi’s agitation politics led to PTI’s disintegration in Punjab and Khyber Pakthunkhwa.”
Ikhtair Wali said that PMLN leadership was in close contact with all coalition and opposition parties for nomination of a consensus candidate for the slot of caretaker Prime Minister to hold free and transparent elections in the country.
He advised people to unite for election and elect honest and competent leadership with a political will to take the country out of existing challenges.
Wali said people were fed up with PTI negative policies and if PMLN was voted to power would remove the nine years long sense of deprivation of people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa and address all their problems at their doorsteps.
