Pakistan Views

The Europe Union election observation mission (EOM) to Pakistan on Wednesday said that the February 18 polls were short of international standards wherein ruling PML-Q, backed by President Musharraf, was given free hand on state resources and media during the campaign.This was stated by the chief observer and member of European Parliament Michael Gahler at the launching of final report on polls that were monitored by 131 observers and recommended that steps should be taken to ensure independent judiciary having full confidence of stakeholders to effectively oversee the election process. The problems identified during 2002 polls were not addressed, he said.The international community, he said, would be closely watching reforms made on recommendations while the mission would be visiting Pakistan in a year’s time to see what progress has been made.Gahler praised the people for showing courageous commitment to democratic process by turning up for votes on polling day amid sweeping fear of suicide attacks and violence. It was a situation of ‘now or never’ for Pakistan to embark upon reform to get away from the allegations, he added.He said that legislative framework for elections does not provide an adequate basis for the conduct of genuine democratic elections and a number of areas need to be precisely regulated and brought in line with international standards.A statement distributed to journalists quoted Ghaler saying that although the February 18 polls were competitive and the results were accepted, there were enduring problems with the framework and conditions for elections, which if not addressed through reforms could pose serious risk of electoral problems in future.The elections process started amid emergency rule that suspended constitution with fundamental rights, removed many judges including Chief Justice that damaged public confidence in judiciary and the rule. This was particularly significant, given the judiciary prominent role in the elections administration as well as adjudication.The mission also expressed concern over legal requirement of bachelor degree for the right to stand as a candidate which excluded the overwhelming majority of the population.The EU elections monitoring mission said it also found that Election Commission of Pakistan lacked transparency in key areas of its working practices and had not formally consulted political parties and other stakeholder besides shortcoming in voters’ registration process which include large number of duplicate, erroneous entries and omissions. The attacks on political parties and gatherings claimed over 150 lives and assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto.
RECOMMENDATIONS: The EU mission recommended over 80 proposals to the government of Pakistan of which 10 key called for steps to ensure independence of judiciary trusted by all the stakeholders for effective oversight of election process. Elections legislations should reviews in a consultative manner with specific issues of independence and transparency of its administration, appointment of members and CEC should be subject to stakeholders and elections appeals to courts and tribunal should be dealt swiftly.All polling stations results should be swiftly displayed at the constituency and internet, ECP should produce an accurate and complete electoral roll, reform of legal framework regulating media activities should be undertaken with reduced restrictions and clear cut definition, state media should ensure impartiality, efforts should be made to reduce women’s under-representation and if CINCs are admissible for registration must be facilitated.

Election Commission has prepared the list of the winning assembly members from more than one constituency.
Muslim League-N’s Makhdoom Javed Hashmi retuned successful from the maximum number of constituencies—NA-55 Rawalpindi, NA-149 Multan and NA-123 Lahore. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan of the same party declared elected from NA-52 Rawalpindi and NA-53 Rawalpindi. Muslim League-Q’s Anwar Saifullah Khan won from NWFP constituencies PF-74 and PF-75, Rana Tanvir Hussain from the two constituencies of national assembly NA-131 and NA-132 besides Rana Abdul Qadir from NA-112 and PP-124, former CM Chaudhry Pervaiz Ellahi from NA-58 and PP-118, Malik Muhammad Abrar Khan from NA-54 and PP-10, Liaquat Abbas Bhatti from NA-103 and and PP-107, PPP’s Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Quraishi from NA-148 and PP-219, Pir Syed Fazal Ali Shah Jilani from NA-217 and PS-33, PPP’s Vice Chairman Makhdoom Amin Faheem from NA-218 and PS-44, Aftab Sherpao from NA-8 and PF-2, Sardar Mahtab Khan from NA-17 and PF-45, Abdul Akbar Khan from NA-11 and PF-29, Najmuddin Khan from NA-33 and PF-91

Prof. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, secretary general of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), has expressed his appreciation over the smooth and successful conduct of the general elections in Pakistan on February18, 2008.
He congratulated the people of Pakistan for this remarkable achievement in consolidating democracy in their country.
“The enthusiastic participation of the voters as well as the discipline and maturity exhibited by them during the polls, have demonstrated their abiding faith in the democratic process,” he said in a statement.
Prof. Ihsanoglu commended the Pakistani authorities especially the Election Commission for ensuring a free, fair, and transparent election.
It is noteworthy that the OIC was represented by a team of observers, who along with hundreds of other international and domestic observers, monitored the elections.

In the ninth general elections of Pakistan more people have exercised their right and cast the vote after 1970.
Pakistan is among the nations where voters’ turnout remains low during general election.
In the general election of 1970 the voters’ turnout was 57.96 percent which is the highest voter turn out of Pakistan’s history.The general elections of 1988 recorded 43.07 percent voters’ turnout. The general elections of 1990 recorded 45.4 percent voters’ turnout. The general elections of 1993 recorded 40.3 percent voters’ turnout.
The general elections of 1997 recorded 35.4 percent voters’ turnout.
The general elections of 2000 recorded 40.7 percent voters’ turnout.
Before 18th February the analysts predicted that the voters’ turnout would decline this time but the elections which took place on Monday recorded the voters’ turnout 45.6 percent which is the highest turnout after 1970.

Bangladesh’s military-backed emergency government said on Wednesday it hoped Pakistan’s parliamentary elections signalled ‘a new dawn of stability’ for the country.
“We congratulate those who have won for their victory and also those who have lost for the spirit in which they have accepted the results,” Bangladesh’s foreign minister Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said.
“We hope that this will usher in a new dawn of stability and prosperity in Pakistan,” he said in a statement.
Muslim-majority Bangladesh is a longstanding ally of Pakistan from which it won independence after a nine-month war in 1971.
Bangladesh is being ruled by a military-backed caretaker government after the country’s president cancelled general elections and declared a state of emergency in January 2007 following months of political turmoil.
The Bangladesh government has promised polls by the end of the year after pushing through major electoral, political and administrative reforms and cleaning up the country’s notoriously corrupt politics.

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) Amir, Maulana Fazlur Rahman has said that the results of the elections appear to be National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) subjected, however, despite all the reservations, “He accepts the decision of the people”. In a statement issued from the JUI-F office here, he said that the defeat or victory happens in the election, but the results this time were such that the winners were more astonished than the losers and the apprehensions, which the JUI had expressed, have come to the fore loud and clear. Fazlur Rahman said that irregularities were committed openly in some of the constituencies, however, despite all the reservations, “He felicitates the People’s Party and Muslim League-N.” He said that his party believes in keeping the democratic process continuing and would keep playing its pertinent role in the parliament.

Eleven women candidates on the national assembly general seats have won the contests.
The break-up shows the winning women 5 from PPP, 2 from ML-Q, 2 from ML-N, while one each from Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and independent candidates. PPP women winners included Firdaus Aashique Dayal, Dr. Fahmida Mirza, Dr. Azra Pechoho, Shamshad Sattar Bachani and Hina Rabbani Khar; PML-Q’s Ghulam Bibi Bharwana and Sumera Malik; PML-N’s Tahmina Daultana and Saira Afzal Tarar, MQM’s Khushbakht Shujaat and independent Saima Akhtar Bharwana.

Central leader of PML-Q, Choudhry Pervaiz Elahi has said that his party will accept polling results gracefully. In a telephonic interview with Geo News, former Punjab Chief Minister said that poll results point to mass judgment and his party will level no accusations of poll rigging. He said that PML-Q had been saying from the outset that election would not be rigged. Elahi said he was willing to assume the role of opposition party. “President Musharraf is still our President and we have chosen him for a five year term” he added.
Elahi said he was positive that PML-Q would get votes considering its five years performance, however poll results would be accepted gracefully.

As chances of defeat loom large for the PML-Q, the party leaders have started criticizing President Pervaiz Musharraf and the party leadership in public.
According to the sources, PML-Q is facing worst crisis of its political history and poised to be losing ground. PML-Q leaders have asked their leadership to keep away from the Presidency. The party leaders also blamed top party leadership for strategizing poorly for the elections.
Addressing women workers of the party, PML-Q senior vice president, Akram Zaki said it was high time that PML-Q stayed away from President Musharraf.
Former federal minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmed said the party could not be termed as an organized party. He said that Lal Mosque operation put the party in deep troubles. One PML-Q leader who claimed to have secured 90 seats in National Assembly, later said their party would likely to get 40 NA seats.

Elections 2008 came with myriads of changes in its lap with great images in the national politics crashed to the ground, as Pakistan Muslim League Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein and the former federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed were defeated in their respective strongholds.
According to the details, former federal minister and former PPP Secretary General Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar defeated the former ruling PM-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussein with a wide margin of at least 13293 votes.
Two other candidates Alhaaj Mirza Saeed Baig and Chaudhry Gul Nawaz were also contesting from the same constituency, but they could not pocket any vote.
Another personality charisma was defeated in Rawalpindi, where Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) defeated Sheikh Rashid.
Former National Assembly speaker, Chaudhry Amir Hussain face defeat against Dr. Firdaus Awan while Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi and Khursheed Mehmodd Kasoori also missed the majority in their respective constituencies.
The polling result of NA-105 surprised all when Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians’ candidate and former federal minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar inflicted defeat on President PML-Q, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain with a considerable margin of 13293 votes.
Two candidates Al-Haaj Mirza Saeed Baig and Chaudhry Gul Nawaz were also running for NA-105 slot but received no votes.
Similarly, Shaikh Rashid Ahmed also faced defeat in his stronghold Rawalpindi by PML-N candidate Hanif Abbasi.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman also returned unsuccessful in his constituency. Other big political names who had to face failure on a fateful day of Feb 18 include Rao Sikander and Chaudhry Shahbaz.