This is apropos a Business Recorder editorial “PDM’s ECP rally” carried by the newspaper yesterday. The newspaper has concluded its argument by saying that “in its own interest, as much as the interests of transparency, democracy and the country, the ECP [Election Commission of Pakistan] needs to decide the foreign funding case post haste. If it manages this at least, there may be room for allowing the present ECP setup to conduct the upcoming Senate and local elections. If not, not only these elections, arguably the next general elections scheduled for 2023, will come under a cloud and could provoke a legitimacy and political crisis of unimaginable proportions.”

Reinforcing the newspaper’s opinion, I must say that the ECP is now left with no other option per se. Taking a contrarian position on presidential reference on Senate election doesn’t dispel the impression that it has unfortunately become government’s aide-de-camp. It must, therefore, take every possible step that it needs to become an awe-inspiring electoral regulatory body. It has to prove that it is a responsible guardian of democracy.

NASIR BASHIR (LAHORE)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021