Pakistan General Elections 2018: Is the credibility already lost?
Hoax around the credibility of the election may turn into a debacle for PTI and Imran Khan
(WebDesk/DunyaNews) - The forthcoming general elections 2018 which are scheduled to be holding on July 25 are already being labelled as iniquitous, biased and controversial polls. It is being said that the elections have been engineered into the selection to favor one party only.
Successful elections are considered only when all the parties are given equal opportunities to present themselves before the voters and to partake in the electoral process. It is very important that after elections, the defeated parties do not create fuss around the process of electioning and national and international media, observers and analysts do not declare the polls unjust, unfair and manipulated.
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Unfortunately, Pakistan in history has never witnessed any fair and uncontroversial elections but the fingers at the flaws of elections, rigging and unmerit always rose after the announcement of results of polling. Elections 2018 perhaps has already become dubious ahead of the declaration of results let alone polling.
All the political parties of Pakistan except Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf are questioning about the credibility of elections and alleging for not giving level playing field ahead of elections.
Also Read: Who joins whom? New political alliances & changing loyalties ahead of general election 2018
Accusing Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan for being ‘Ladla’ of few of the state institutions, political parties alleging PTI as their favourite party to be given support in elections 2018.
— Dunya News (@DunyaNews) July 19, 2018
It is unfortunate that not only the political parties but the national and international media, the NGOs, the elections observers and analysts all are agreeing on the ground that equal opportunities of level playing field is not being given to all the political parties of Pakistan which already has raised the eyebrows at the merit of the elections 2018.
Perhaps, the election would not be as controversial and as rigged as the allegations and reservations are pouring in. Possibly, voters will be given the fairground to use their right to cast vote to any one whom they consider most deserving on Election Day but the hoax around the credibility of the election and electoral process may turn into a debacle for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Imran Khan who has been struggling to get into the power for twenty two years.
The hoax around the credibility of the election and electoral process may turn into a debacle for Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Imran Khan
It is considered that Khan in recent past years has emerged as the potential threat for the political heavy weights of Pakistan and solely on merit can give a tough time to the customary political parties of Pakistan but the mistrust over the elections has now turned into a grave threat that initially being considered the looming and unavoidable win for PTI. The party is now tinted as the ‘King’s Party’.
Be it international outlets BBC, The New Your Times, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, The Economist and the Financial times or the national news media like Dawn, the Nation, The news, The Nation, Express and Tribune, unexpectedly all the national and international media and the election observers are reporting and analysing the same concerns and apprehensions as the political parties decrying about the favoritism and patronizing PTI and Imran Khan, the meddling and unjust treatment with other political parties by ahead of general elections 2018.
— DKKKS (@DunyaKKKS) July 19, 2018
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New York Times said it is the right of the people that their rulers should get elected through transparent and fair means and media should be given fair ground to raise questions about the misconduct amidst election process if any.
Washington post said that the state institutions are trying to intervene in the fair conduct of polls.
Bloomberg stated that the state institutions tighten the grip on Pakistan s media ahead of polls
Guardian also alleges the most credible institution of Pakistan to patronize certain political party to get it elected.
Aljazeera accued that the shadow of engineering is hanged over Pakistan election.
Financial Times said that Pakistan is running for the most tainted poll in the history.
BBC cautions that print, broadcast and social media is being pressurized and muzzled ahead of elections 2018 scheduled for July 25.
European Union observers criticized that they were required at least six weeks ahead of elections to scrutinize the process of election but they have been given a period of less than a month.
Pakistan Bar Council stated that all the political parties except PTI are decrying at the transparency and fair conduct of elections 2018.
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) July 16, 2018
Human Right Comission of Pakistan is strongly concerned over the recent curbs to the print and broadcast media – specifically, the numerous instances in which journalists perceived as favoring the PMLN or PPP or deemed critical of the security establishment.
All the national and international media and the election observers are reporting and analysing the same concerns and apprehensions as the political parties decrying about the favoritism and patronizing PTI and Imran Khan
Caretaker Defence Minister Gen. Rtd. Khalid Naeem Lodhi while giving view point at the concerns of national, international media, observers, analysts and political parties in Dunya News Program Aaj Kamran Khan Kay Sath said that the political parties disparaging the interim government at the alleged meddling and rigging ahead of elections 2018 should take their complains to the election commission and specifically along with proof contacted them as per the event and the happening and point out the exact concern involve in the mis condect otherwise it is nothing but a usual and typical belittling interim government’s role ahead of electons.
Political parties disparaging the interim government at the alleged meddling and rigging ahead of elections 2018 should take their complains to the election commission.
While visiting the election cell of military, COAS Gen. Qamar Bajwa reiterate that the army play its role in conducting the transparent and fair elections and ensure the protect the right of a voter to elect their representative through the process of polling.
Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa said that Pakistan army shall assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) strictly for peaceful and transparent general elections 2018 within the bounds of given mandate and as per the ECP code of conduct.
Also Read: Army shall assist ECP within bounds of given mandate: COAS
Watch full program here Dunya Kamran Khan Kay Sath
Translated and Edited by Mehreen Fatima
