Post-polls scenario

The post-polls scenario appears to be shorn mercifully of the terror attacks that had become the hallmark of the run-up to the May 11 general election that was a virtual trek through the river of blood. A determined enemy was out to subvert the national will to exercise its right of franchise with all the treachery at its command. It attacked public meetings, blasted election offices, exploded processions, sent threats of dire consequences to the contestants and warned public to stay away from election activity of any kind. But the election as scheduled was held, because the alternative meant surrendering to an anti-democracy primeval mindset for which the people of Pakistan are not ready.
They gave the enemy a huge fight, by walking up to the polling stations in large enough numbers to produce the record high turnout. By the night of May 11 a sort of calm had permeated all over the place, and the follow-up since then is simply astonishing. Exhibiting great political maturity, the leadership across political spectrum instantly set about reordering their future in line with the outcome of the electoral exercise. The parties who won conceded the losers' rightful position as the country's loyal opposition and the parties who lost accepted their defeat with open heart - all of it in sharp contrast to their howling and shouting at each other during their campaigns.
With solid victory under his belt, Nawaz Sharif could be a problem in the way of his nemesis, Imran Khan, in forming government in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. His party has about a dozen seats in the province and was being wooed by JUI-F's Maulana Fazlur Rehman. But he would like to follow the pristine democratic tradition that the party with the largest number of seats in a house should be made the first offer to form the government. In Punjab, the PML (N) has no problem given that many Independents would like to join it. And it is quite likely that some other like-minded parties would join, as the party chief wants to take along as many as possible. In Sindh, government formation is not an issue given the PPP has the majority, but indications are that it would have the MQM as a coalition partner as was in the past - and also let the MQM retain the governorship. In Balochistan, as expected the mandate is quite fractured but given the elected political leaders' tendency to be part of the government, forming a government would not be a serious problem. Clearly, a coalition of PkMAP-PML (N)-NP plus Independents is being hammered out. Though an open acceptance of the PML-N's stellar victory by the PTI is still awaited the major loser, PPP leadership has most unreservedly conceded its defeat and offered its whole-hearted support to the winners. Quite surprisingly to many in Pakistan, President Zardari rang up Nawaz Sharif to congratulate him, and the latter says he would have no problem in being sworn by the present resident of the Aiwan-i-Sadr. Overall it appears that majoritarian democracy is giving way to spirit of co-existence and a live and let live political culture.
Yes, it's undoubtedly a great victory of the democratic forces in the country. They went at the hustings braving the vastly ever-lurking dangers, and that done have immediately set about giving shape to the outcome of the polling putting aside the bitter political past. But that victory is not completely untainted; there are unsightly spots that need to be removed so that at the end of the day no one feels short-changed. Apart from the charges of pre-poll rigging - this was undeniably there but perhaps unavoidable - there are allegations of snatching ballot papers, stuffing ballot boxes and denial of women's due role in the election process. Though the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan found 'no rigging evidence' and to the European Union Observation Mission the overall voting process "largely fair", the elections cannot be given a clean chit. According to the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) of about 9 percent of the polling stations it monitored it discovered that in at 49 the voter turnout was more than 100 percent. Not that this is huge distortion and if not done would have changed the composition of the outcome. But it does establish that at some places it were not the 'free, fair and transparent' election and some voters' right to exercise their right of franchise was compromised. It's the Election Commission of Pakistan's national obligation to make certain that every Pakistani, irrespective of his status in society, howsoever out of focus be his polling booth and whatever the cost it involves he/she should be given the chance to cast his vote.