The Election Commission of Pakistan, as was perhaps only to be expected, has said that it is more than willing to conduct elections. This it repeated at a PILDAT seminar on the issue. However, the members of the ruling coalition continued to show coyness, and a refusal to commit themselves to the holding of elections. It should be noted that the4 debate is no longer abou5 the holding of Punjab and KP Assembly elections within the 90-day limit presc riveted by the Constitution. That boat has long sailed. The debate now is whether the elections that must follow after the expiration in August of the tenures of the National, Sindh and Balochistan Assemblies are held in time. The precedent of the Punjab and Assemblies is not encouraging.
Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar has said that the ECP has got the requisite funds implies that one of the main reasons for the ECP’s hanging back, is now at an end. Similarly, the extra duties of the armed, that were mentioned as another reason, for postponing polls, are now at an end, allowing them to provide adequate personnel for security purposes to the ECP. It is perhaps a pity that one of these duties was accompanying the census, which was held ahead of schedule because of the dissatisfaction of one political party with the results of the last. Its expressing dissatisfaction again has meant an advance rejection of the delimitations that it entails. That gives rise to the suspicion that the census is being used as a political stalking-horse, and is not either seriously intended, nor can any measure be taken to satisfy those claiming to be affected.
However, the refusal of the parties in the coalition to commit themselves unequivocally to elections upon the end of the current tenure is suspicious, and is fuelling the very insecurity it accuses its main opponent, the PTI, of fomenting. The political and economic systems would be immeasurably strengthened by the knowledge that elections would be held on a particular date, and failure to hold them on the constitutionally mandated date would cause immense damage to the constitution and the rule of law. The destruction of the PTI may be a desired goal, and fear of its return to power a reason for the shilly-shallying on elections, but it is by no means a reason within the ambit of the law or the constitution. There is not much time left for such a countdown. Indeed, any declaration even mow would probably be overdue.
