EDITORIAL: The government’s decision to constitute Parliamentary Committee on Electoral Reforms (PCER), with representation from major political parties, is ostensibly a welcome step towards ensuring free, fair and transparent elections. However, the real question is whether this initiative will address the fundamental weaknesses of our electoral system or merely become another exercise in political manoeuvring.
The challenge facing the country is not the lack of necessary electoral laws, but the persistent failure to implement existing provisions in letter and spirit.
Pakistan already has a comprehensive legal and constitutional framework governing elections. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), an autonomous, permanent and constitutionally established federal institution, is entrusted with organising and conducting elections to the national and provincial legislatures. It is responsible for ensuring that elections are conducted honestly, justly, fairly and in accordance with the law. Yet, despite these constitutional safeguards, almost every general election ends in controversy, with allegations of rigging, manipulation and interference by powerful political and non-political actors.
This recurring crisis has seriously undermined public confidence in the democratic process. Elections should provide a credible mechanism for translating the people’s will into political representation. Instead, disputed results, allegations of electoral irregularities and questions about the neutrality of institutions have increasingly turned elections into sources of political instability. No democracy can flourish when losing parties routinely question the legitimacy of the electoral process and winning parties struggle to establish the credibility of their mandate.
The proposed PCER must, therefore, avoid becoming a platform for political bargaining or an attempt to legitimise the interests of the ruling coalition. Its credibility will depend on inclusive representation, meaningful consultation and a genuine willingness to address longstanding public grievances. The PTI’s reluctance to join the committee, citing the government’s attitude towards the opposition, illustrates the deep mistrust that continues to obstruct political consensus. Nevertheless, political differences should not prevent parties from participating in a process that has far-reaching implications for the democratic process.
More importantly, electoral reforms must focus on strengthening the ECP’s independence, ensuring transparency in vote counting and result transmission, preventing the misuse of state machinery, and holding those responsible for electoral violations accountable. All political parties must agree to respect the Constitution, the electoral laws and the voters’ mandate, irrespective of whether the outcome favours them.
Pakistan does not need another collection of impressive legal provisions that remain confined to paper. It needs institutions capable of enforcing existing laws without fear or favour. Unless political leaders demonstrate the will to respect electoral rules and allow constitutional institutions to function independently, even the most elaborate reforms will achieve little. The test of electoral democracy is not how many new laws are enacted, but how faithfully the existing ones are enforced.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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