LAHORE: The opposition’s 11-party platform for joint protest against rigging seems to be falling apart before take-off as its constituents have begun objecting to each other’s mode of protest.

The Pakistan Alliance for Fair and Free Elections’ planned protest in front of the Election Commission’s office on Thursday also fizzled out as the MMA failed to reach the spot for, what it called lack of coordination, but other parties – the PPP, PML-N and ANP – did hold a small protest.

Interestingly, the MMA had given the protest time at 1pm, the PPP told its workers of the call at 1.11pm asking them to reach the Punjab Election Commission offices on Court Road within an hour at 2.30pm while the PML-N and ANP issued no formal call.

The result was that not more than four dozen workers of the three parties – half a dozen of the ‘N’ and a couple of ANP – made it to the venue.

The only prominent figure among them was PPP’s Chaudhry Aslam Gill, who had lost the July 25 polls from NA-133 (Lahore-XI).

A few dozen activists make it to EC office to agitate against ‘rigging’

It may be mentioned that main leadership of the PPP, PML-N and MMA constituent Jamaat-i-Islami, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif and Sirajul Haq, respectively, had stayed away from the Islamabad protest on Wednesday.

Punjab PPP general secretary Chaudhry Manzoor says the workers had been told of the protest earlier but the party office issued a formal notification late. He denies the impression that the PPP is reluctant to join the joint protest because of wording of speeches by some MMA leaders in the Islamabad protest.

But he does admit that his party is against the procedure the MMA adopted for the protest in some areas like blocking roads.

A central party spokesperson adds that it also rejects the “objectionable” words used by some leaders in the Islamabad protest.

The MMA general secretary, Liaqat Baloch, told the media at a press briefing at his party’s provincial headquarters here that due to the Wednesday’s protest at Islamabad, time was short for all components to coordinate; thus the Thursday’s protest is being deferred for a few days.

Two components of the joint opposition, the Pakistan people’s Party and the PML-N, however, went ahead with the plan and were found protesting in front of the EC office, further signifying the lack of coordination among the parties belonging to the joint opposition.

“The next date for protest will be announced in next two days after local leadership of all parties – PPP, PML-N, ANP and MMA – consult each other and finalise the date,” he claimed and added: “It will be a well-coordinated and well-attended event.”

Talking about the Supreme Court’s order to stop recounting in NA-131, where Imran Khan had won but losing candidate Saad Rafique was demanding a recount, he said: “When state institutions start acting partisan, one could only regret the situation. This is also one reason why the opposition is protesting within the system, not giving way to undemocratic forces. It is because of their partisan attitude, the state has failed to hold fair and free elections and political and social stability would now elude the country for the next few years.

Responding to another question regarding the Election Commission have started posting Form-45 on its website now, Baloch was of the view that milk has already spilt. “It does not matter now. After two weeks of election, posting these forms now hardly makes sense – especially when the deed is done.”

Reiterating the rigging and manipulation charges, he said the political parties have worked for making the Election Commission autonomous. “However, the commission surrendered its autonomy to another institution. The opposition does not want to make the national institutions controversial, but these institutions should also work for their respect and win trust of people.”

Baloch also renewed demand for a parliamentary commission and also asked the Senate to form another committee to investigate, what he called, unprecedented rigging in the recently held elections. People have rejected the results of last month’s elections and the situation demands that the chief election commissioner and its provincial heads should resign immediately to ‘wash away their sin.’

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2018