Chief of Army Staff had acknowledged the military’s interference in political and electoral affairs.
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) has released its annual report for the year 2023, pointing out concerns about the potential fairness of the upcoming 2024 elections, akin to the electoral malpractices observed in the 2018 elections.
In its comprehensive report, PILDAT highlighted that the ongoing electoral process in 2024 has been criticized by international democracy rating agencies, with think tanks terming it an exercise in electoral authoritarianism, lacking any significant positive developments over the past ‘seventy years.’
The report emphasized that political parties and popular leaders continue to grapple with a crisis of sustained public trust. The fate of political parties and leaders, it noted, is contingent not on their popularity or policies but on the ability of the establishment to keep them positively engaged. The political landscape in Pakistan compels political entities to orbit between being supporters and opponents of the establishment, despite repeated interference in political affairs.
PILDAT underscored that the political discourse in Pakistan remains preoccupied with non-elected caretaker governments, a phenomenon detrimental to democracy and the spirit of the constitution. The report expressed concerns about the possibility of the 2024 elections being as contentious as the 2018 elections, with political parties repeatedly maneuvering to form fractured governments under the supervision of the establishment.
The report also highlighted that the Chief of Army Staff had acknowledged the military’s interference in political and electoral affairs at the public level. Meaningful discussions on policy issues in the Senate were marred by political mudslinging, internal party conflicts, and mockery of political opponents. Provincial assemblies, during the five-year period, resorted to using rubber stamps for legislation and initiated the retrieval of public information from urban centers.
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It was stated in the report that the successful interference by decision-making authorities in determining the election schedule and dates is a blow to democratic norms. The report applauded the achievements of Chief Justice Justice Faiz Isa in ensuring the independence of the judiciary, economic progress, and political stability in 2023. However, it noted that there was no improvement in the polarization and misuse of press, electronic, and social media for divisive and partisan purposes.
Furthermore, it was mentioned that the media is prohibited from publishing images, messages, or statements of certain political leaders. President Arif Alvi utilized his tenure in advance to further the PTI agenda for the upcoming general elections.
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