WE are lucky to have witnessed the third consecutive smooth transition of power. However, it could have been even smoother had the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) pulled its socks like a professional institute for the mammoth of task of holding polls.

At the end of 2013 elections, almost every party cried foul, claiming votes were rigged. But all of them, save the PTI, embraced results so that system did not get derailed. Even Imran Khan, who will in a few days take reins of the country in the hands, tentatively accepted the outcome.

It was when his demand for opening four constituencies was not met that he took to streets. As a result, the ECP became talk of the town in his 126-day-long sit-in.

Fast forward five years, it is the same scenario again. All opposition parties are having a go at the ECP for not conducting elections in a fair manner. Having spent millions of rupees on the Result Transmission System (RTS) and recruiting massive manpower, the ECP once again produced controversy-ridden results owing to its own incompetence.

Admittedly, these elections were transparent in terms of what transpired when votes were being cast in polling booths. If it was not so, we would not have seen old videos of irregularities being made viral to make these polls questionable.

Vasdev

Mithi

Published in Dawn, August 15th, 2018