Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (r) Hazar Khan Khoso has called upon Baloch leaders, particularly those who feel outraged at the step-motherly treatment meted out to their province over the years, to join hands with the government in holding free and fair elections for which foolproof security arrangement have been made. His message was: put aside the differences and take the case to the court of public opinion and, on its part, the state machinery is determined to ensure that the polls reflect the real intent of the voters. It was a timely and most sagacious statement that Mr Khoso made as he presided over a high-level meeting, on Thursday on the second day of visit to Quetta, to apprise himself of the measures taken by the provincial authorities to ensure peaceful conditions during the polls. Balochistan that all agree has been dealt a bad hand is passing through a grim phase in its history when some misguided parties have taken to armed struggle aimed at a making a complete break with Pakistan. They should seriously reflect on the Prime Minister’s appeal with a view to assessing the dangers inherent in pursuing that policy especially against the backdrop of certain international players out to exploit the situation to their advantage. The best course for them is to listen to the counsel of the once estranged BNP leader Sardar Akhtar Mengal, who has come round to seeking redress through the democratic process of election: “come down from the mountains” and join the battle of the polls.
Now when everyone is being asked to come forward and make the electoral exercise a success it is all the more incumbent on all concerned institutions to create conditions that promise not only free, fair and transparent elections, but also that they ensure that the candidates, who are allowed to contest, possess the qualities that qualify them to represent the people in the true sense of the word. Apparently, there are yet certain roadblocks to that dream, implicit in the Lahore High Court’s remonstrance of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The court has complained that the ECP has failed to produce a list of defaulters backed by reports from the State Bank, FBR and Nab. And when ECP’s lawyer pleaded that it was impossible for it to compile full data of 27,000 candidates, the court said in dismay, “Does the ECP want the court to stop the election process?” The court headed by Justice Ijazul Ahsan was hearing a petition demanding postponement of the elections due to poor scrutiny that had allowed the defaulters to escape through the green channel, putting them in a position to rule the country again. In the light of that the ECP was asked to produce the required list.
While there should be no question of delaying the polls, it is, at the same time, essential that the cheats and crooks are weeded out of the system to give the badly wronged people time to breathe. The time factor can be taken care of by hiring as adequate number of able and competent staff to do the job.