KARACHI: Speakers at a webinar emphasised urgent need for institutional reforms along the lines of transparency, representation and accountability to ensure the integrity of democratic principles and protect the future of democracy in Pakistan.

Organised by The Knowledge Forum, the webinar brought together prominent voices from academia, media, and civil society to address concerns surrounding the fairness and transparency of general elections in the country.

During the discussion, the speakers highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan’s electoral system, particularly regarding the rights of citizens to freely elect their representatives.

Educationist Dr Naazir Mahmood spoke about the importance of electoral integrity and called for measures to reduce the influence of money in politics. He highlighted the need for transparency in political parties’ operations and stressed the significance of empowering common people to participate in the electoral process.

“Electoral integrity is crucial for a vibrant democracy, but in Pakistan, free, fair, and transparent elections are rare,” said Dr Mahmood while reflecting on the current electoral process. “The current system disproportionately favors the moneyed class, making it difficult for ordinary citizens to contest elections and represent their communities,” he added.

Dr Mahmood also pointed out that interference of the state institutions in the electoral process had marred their credibility and transparency of the electoral process, adding that there was a lack of democratic practices among all political parties in Pakistan as they avoided intra-party elections, which raised the impression of dynastic politics in the country.

Media professional Laiba Khan raised concerns about the electoral process’s independence and the alleged rigging in recent elections. She emphasised the role of digital media in promoting civic engagement and urged for greater freedom of the press and expression.

“Recent elections have raised serious doubts about the fairness of the electoral process,” she said, adding that issues like media censorship must be addressed and the separation of powers be ensured between the executive and judicial branches. “The use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and transparent education systems can help enhance transparency and accountability in the electoral process,” said Ms Khan.

According to her, a ban on social media during and after the elections, which is still going on some social media platforms, has created uncertainty and doubts.

The speakers also called for judicial reforms to safeguard the independence of the judiciary and protect the rights of journalists and civil society organisations. Both speakers cited distressing incidents of persecution and harassment endured by media personnel and activists. The discussion also referred to actions against the civil society organisations, which continued to face restrictions and state persecution.

Director of The Knowledge Forum Zeenia Shaukat spoke about the importance of credible elections as a critical democratic exercise. She also highlighted the need for approaching democracy as a system that went beyond elections and upheld public’s will through fostering state-society relations, political participation, civil liberties and accountability of institutions.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2024