The Election Commission of Pakistan on Friday issued the election schedule for the upcoming February 8 polls, in line with the instructions issued by the Apex court weeks ago. The Electoral Watchdog issued a comprehensive plan for filing nominations, scrutiny of candidates, allocation of minority and women seats and other important formalities regarding the upcoming general polls to make them transparent, credible and secure. The Chief Election Commissioner told the media that anyone who had an issue with the appointed ROs, DROs and other election staff must refer to the ECP timely.
As the poll date is coming closer, the political temperature is gradually boiling, and the rumours, prophecies, and predictions of the political pundits are at their peak. Traditional election campaigns and political activities have begun after the ECP announced the schedule for the upcoming nationwide polls in the country. The majority of civic groups had already started lobbying and networking campaigns for the looming contest. Awfully, earlier civic groups were praying for early and timely elections while certain political parties and their leaders approached the top court and the ECP requesting a delay in the electoral process on pitty excuses of cold, law and order situation and economic volatility of the country.
As far as the level playing field is concerned, it is the right of all political parties and candidate to run their election campaigns while observing the code of conduct and relevant provisions of the Constitution and local orders. The ECP, the Apex court and care caretaker government have categorically acknowledged its importance and ensured its provision to all stakeholders without any discrimination and prejudice. Despite this, civic groups have the right to highlight any discrepancy to authorities and media to mitigate that is due promptly instead of playing politics and the blame game.
Presently, the nation has come out of the fiasco of the poll date, while the Apex court and the ECP have categorically mentioned that February 8 would not be altered and elections would be held in a free, fair and transparent manner as per schedule. Therefore, the floods of rumours and propaganda must come to a calm and all political groups and relevant stakeholders must kick start their electoral campaigns in line with the ECP’s guidelines and constitutional provisions, so this important political activity smoothly reaches its climax and a peaceful transition of the power could be ensured in the country.
