IT is a matter of grave concern that Pakistan lacks electoral reforms, and unfortunately we have been hearing of accusations of manipulation in the electoral process since the elections that were held in 1970.

Interestingly, the allegations of manipulation disappear once the party comes to power; any party. The country has faced multiple obstacles to the process of strengthening democracy. This includes, among others, frequent intrusion of non-democratic forces into the civilian domain, poor performance of the federal and provincial governments, causing the dismissal of democratic setup and fragile party structures.

It is time the ruling party and opposition realised that electoral reforms are needed along with policies that may focus on greater civil-military cooperation. They should realise that the country needs reforms that may strengthen institutions by bringing in merit and ending corrupt practices in bureaucracy. Besides, there should be reforms related to intra-party elections so that democratic norms may be promoted within their ranks.

Abdul Latif
Skardu

Published in Dawn, January 6th, 2021