Reforming electoral process.

Holding free and fair elections is one of the massive challenges encountered by all stakeholders. Financial and administrative independence of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), impartiality of the judiciary, and freedom of the press are considered vital for a free and fair electoral process. However, imposing curbs on the media, limiting opposition parties' ability to campaign freely and intimidating voters contribute to public disillusionment with the political system and undermine the legitimacy of electoral outcomes. Therefore, restoring people's confidence in electoral activities can prevent the general perception that certain players manipulate the public mandate.

The prospects of conducting free and fair elections become dim when logistical arrangements are poorly executed and technical and legal issues remain unresolved. Additionally, when the Elections Act of 2017 and other relevant laws are not implemented in letter and spirit, both inside and outside the polling station, the chances of conducting credible elections are jeopardised. It also becomes impossible to hold credible elections when the same technical, administrative and political mistakes are repeated.

Our electoral history is characterised by pre-poll, poll-day and post-poll rigging. Concerns about transparency were raised by the PPP even during the first general election, in 1970. Election of 1977 was discredited due to pre-poll and poll-day rigging. The 1988 general election provided ample evidence of significant interference in the electoral process by the formation of an anti-PPP political alliance. In the 1990 general election, organised electoral funding activities took place, with Rs140 million being distributed among politicians.

The 2002 election is known to have been rigged both in the pre- and post-election phases to eliminate undesirable candidates of target political party. The 2008 election largely remained unaffected by the influence of the Centre. The 2013 election results were validated by the findings of the Judicial Inquiry Commission. Further, election 2018 also generated substantial evidence of election engineering.

Thus the prospects of future elections...