The main barriers to the elections on February 8 are being lifted one by one, primarily as a result of the higher judiciary’s intervention. In a dramatic evening session last Friday, the Supreme Court postponed an order from the Lahore High Court that had essentially stopped the election process after the ECP ceased providing poll workers with training in accordance with the LHC ruling.
The Balochistan High Court’s judgement was overturned by the supreme court on Monday, and it was noted that delimitation complaints could not be considered once the election schedule was declared. Acting Chief Justice Sardar Tariq Masood said, “Let the polls take place,” echoing the wishes of many Pakistanis. Although gerrymandering is a legitimate concern, the election process cannot be perpetually postponed by misusing the worry of improperly drawn-up constituencies. During the hearing on Monday, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah stated, “We have to draw a line and set a limit in this regard.”
The country should begin seriously getting ready for the elections now that the Supreme Court has promised twice in a week that there won’t be a postponement of the elections and that nomination papers can be filed today. Even though the supreme court dismissed the prospect of delayed polling, the issue of fairness still stands.
There must be an open field for all parties to run on in order for the democratic process to be credible. This includes the PTI, which has encountered difficulties since the incident on May 9 in running its business. Many PTI leaders are still incarcerated, and some have not even been prosecuted. The right to contest the polls must be granted to those who have not been legally charged or found guilty.
Additionally, political parties must kick things into high gear and tell the public of their plans to deal with Pakistan’s numerous issues. A few indicators of the impending elections were already apparent, such as the backroom politics and the movement of “electables” to parties thought to have the support of the influential people. The nation is facing many difficulties, the most pressing of which are political division, systemic disenchantment, economic stagnation, and the resurgence of terrorism. Political parties have an obligation to persuade the public that the democratic process holds the solutions to these issues.
The parties must begin releasing their manifestos and outlining their positions on policy. While younger voters must be engaged through social media, older, more traditional voters can be reached in rallies and corner meetings. The only thing that can end despair and usher in a new era of democracy is a free and transparent election.
However, the majority of other mainstream parties, with the exception of the PPP, whose top leadership has been actively engaged in campaigning,
