KARACHI: Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chairman Syed Mustafa Kamal on Monday said that the incumbent government must convene an all-parties conference of all political parties both inside and outside the parliament so that legislation for electoral reforms could be introduced with complete mutual consensus.

Kamal said 50 percent of the voters have no interest in the existing electoral process, which is the reason that only 2 percent of the feudal-minded individuals and dynasties have been able to maintain the status quo for the past seven decades, according to party statement.

He said though talks of electoral reforms are being echoed in Pakistan’s national assembly and the Senate on the one hand while it’s a historic opportunity but simultaneously on the other hand it is also a huge test case for the country. Electoral reforms, if it has completely consented, impartial, unbiased and free from political angling can change the destiny of the nation. Otherwise, if this historic opportunity is wasted, its irreparable loss will be borne by many generations to come.

He further said the reality of electoral process today is that all the political parties, including the winning ones, and ordinary Pakistanis do not trust and rely on the electoral process as they are sure that the electoral process is weak, opaque and insecure. This is the reason why 50 percent of the voters have no interest what so ever in the electoral process, which is why only 2 percent of the feudal minded individuals and families have succeeded in maintaining the status quo for the past 7 decades.

There is a need for timely electoral reforms, for which the incumbent government has the greatest responsibility to ensure and implement electoral reforms by a unanimous decision of all political parties inside and outside parliament, Kamal said.

During the electoral reforms process, the government should ensure that the powers of the election commission are not encroached upon, while ensuring the impartiality and strength of the election commission to achieve political goals and benefits.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021