The caretakers

The air is thick with speculations about the elections. Some news channels are adding to this uncertainty by wondering if the elections are not already fixed. The steps taken by the ECP have not convinced people that the elections will be fair, transparent and peaceful. One major reason is the way the caretaker governments have been formed and the way they are acting.

In the current administrative setup, four trends are visible. First, almost all the members of the federal and provincial cabinets, with the exception of very few, have direct or indirect links with key figures of the previous regime. The arbitrary selection process of the cabinets has created doubts about a fair and free electoral process, with those in caretaker authority perceived to be favouring their own people.
We have seen how a key minister in Punjab has behaved knowing perhaps that that the political bigwigs of Punjab never forget those who show open allegiance. Similarly, many others are also trying to pay back their selectors by yielding to their demands. The protocol machinery is being abused in Sindh but the caretakers are unable to take any action.

Second, only fear-free elections are fair elections. All national leaders, including Ataullah Mengal and even the federal interior minister have categorically said that security is the key challenge in these elections. The caretaker governments have appointed two very professional and dedicated former police chiefs, Inspector General (r) Tariq Pervaiz and Inspector General (r) Fayyaz Khan Toro, in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa respectively. In view of the level of threat in both the provinces it is considered that internal security must be tackled by people who know their job well and who can effectively respond to the volatile situation.

However, political violence in the shape of electoral violence is more rampant in Karachi and Balochistan, where little is being done to mitigate the threat. Everyday there are killings in Karachi but the matter has been left to a home minister who has no expertise in internal security issues. This is not only creating insecurity but also strengthening conspiracy theories.

Third, it is only Punjab where there has been a huge change in the local administration and the provincial machinery. There may be many reasons but Najam Sethi’s resolve to create an environment of impartiality must be appreciated. Almost all the DPOs, DCOs and regional-level officers have been moved from one post to another. It may cost but the benefits of providing a semblance of fairness will outweigh the cost.

Interestingly, Nawaz Sharif has pointed out that this fairness and impartiality should be shared by the other provinces where, even on the last day of the outgoing governments, bank accounts were still running and postings and transfers were being made. No action was taken by any institution to undo the pre-electoral manoeuvres to influence the election outcomes. In Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan the same bureaucracy – connected to the previous regime – is calling the shots.

Committed and professional internal security experts should be included as advisers in the teams of the caretaker setups in Balochistan and Sindh. Meaningful steps are needed to build trust in the genuineness of the forthcoming elections. It has been said many times that detailed rules and duties should be assigned to relevant offices to ensure implementation of the code of conduct.

Rather than ignoring violations, the ECP should assign tasks to the police that should monitor implementation and report to the ECP. If tasks are not clear and responsibilities are not given to institutions and active agents within these institutions, then it will be very difficult to attain the goal of a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election.
The writer is a security and governance expert. Email: ank@post.harvard.edu