By Sajjad
Shaukat
Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led by former cricket star got victory in Pakistan’s
general elections, held on July 25, 2018. It was due to the personals of the
Pakistan Army who were deputed inside and outside the polling booths that free
and fair elections became possible in a peaceful atmosphere. In this regard,
addressing a press conference on July 27, this year, Chief Observer, Michael
Gahler of the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) to Pakistan
expressed satisfaction on overall conduct of the general elections, saying
“efforts of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) were impressive and
appreciable…EU observers noted the presence of security personnel inside and
outside the polling stations did not interfere in electoral process… voting was
assessed as well-conducted and transparent.” The head of the European
Parliament’s delegation to the election observation mission, Jean Lambert MEP
(United Kingdom), fully endorsed the preliminary statement of the EU EOM.
On the
same day, in a statement, the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General António
Guterres, also congratulated the people of Pakistan for free and fair
elections, and said, “By exercising their constitutional right to vote, the
people of Pakistan have reaffirmed their commitment to a democratic
Pakistan…The Secretary-General commends the Electoral Commission of Pakistan
for the organization of the elections…The United Nations is committed to
continue to support the Electoral Commission…The Secretary-General looks
forward to the formation of the new Government and wishes it success in
providing the people of Pakistan a stable, democratic, and prosperous future.”
In this regard, British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has stated on July 27,
this year, “UK felicitates Pakistan over successful polls…General elections in
Pakistan are an important moment for democracy…people of Pakistan have shown
they would not be cowed by the terrorists who seek to disrupt the democratic
process…the UK government is looking forward to continuing its work with the
new federal and provincial governments.” He congratulated millions of voters
who participated in elections, adding, “Jinnah’s [the founder of Pakistan]
vision of a tolerant, pluralist Pakistan remains central to a stable and
cohesive society.”
Besides
many Western and Muslim countries such as France, Germany, Russia, China,
Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia etc. including other Gulf countries congratulated
Islamabad for conducting free and fair elections. But, it is regrettable that
before the elections, some foreign entities, especially Indian media were
spreading disinformation regarding the Pakistan elections 2018. In this
respect, in the recent past, a surge in the international media has been
witnessed, promoting a collective narrative that the general elections in
Pakistan were being influenced by the military with cooperation of judiciary,
with the aim of defeating the disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s
political party PML (N). This would give leverage to strong Western
interference in the election process and had serious implications for
Pakistan’s national security. This interference was part of the hybrid /fifth
generation warfare being waged against Pakistan. An upsurge in this narrative
has been noticed since the Supreme Court’s decision against Nawaz Sharif on
corruption charges. Leading US and Western media sources such as the New York
Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Radio Free Europe, VoA,
Guardian, The Times, Daily Telegraph, BCC and many others, particularly India
which have collectively projected a common theme. These hostile entities
propagated that the military and the judiciary colluded to oust a
democratically elected PM, following his criticism of the military and
especially country’s primary intelligence agency ISI, for aiding and abetting
terrorist groups which are allegedly involved in terrorist attacks against
India, Afghanistan and the US—a protraction of the “Dawn Leaks” narrative.
They
continued spreading false information by remarking that Sharif’s political
supporters, PML (N) party members, journalists and civil society members were
being targeted and
intimidated by the
military and judiciary institutions—Sharif and his party were being
projected as being victimized for “defending democracy” and of enjoying popular
support. The narrative also predicted that PML (N) still remained the majority
party and would win the elections, if these were free and fair. In this
respect, Nawaz Sharif and his supporters have reinforced the Western false
narrative by providing the fake testimonies through their statements and
accusations, as it obviously could serve their purpose. Consequently, they used
this narrative to protect their interests both domestically and
internationally. Using the media to interfere in and manipulate Pakistani
politics was the overt part of the larger Western covert strategy to destabilize
and weaken Pakistan, which is the objective of the Hybrid/fifth generation war
against Pakistan, as it is also the only nuclear country in the Islamic World.
Pakistan
military, in particular and marginally judiciary as well are being described as
“wayward players of the state”—a story which has been build up over a period of
time to fulfill vested motives of both national and international players. It
is mentionable that behind the fascia of defending democracy in Pakistan, the
US-led Western conspiracy has spiteful designs against Islamabad. Corrupt
leaders would always suit them the best to pursue their plot. Since the corrupt
political leaders in Pakistan have vast properties and substantial capital
lying in the US and other Western countries, they are easily susceptible to
Western pressures. However, the same is not achievable through institutions
like Pak Army or a proactive judiciary. The US and Western designs are to
coerce Islamabad to accept India’s hegemonic role in South Asia and the Indian
Ocean, which would ultimately boost American interests to contain China; help
her to defeat the Taliban in Afghanistan and most importantly, to freeze if not
rollback Pakistan’s strategic nuclear and missile programmes with a greater US
supervision.
The
Pakistan military is seen as an obstacle in the achievement of these
objectives. Hence, she is often been accused of promoting hostility and
confrontation with New Delhi; pursuing the nuclear and missile programme which
in their reckoning is destabilizing the region; supporting Taliban and other
terrorist groups against India, Afghanistan and the US—promoting relations with
China contrary to American interests, especially in the defence field and
through China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Additionally, growing
Pakistan’s relations with Russia, Turkey and Iran etc. are also pinching the
US-led West, India, Israel and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the hidden aims of
the Western narrative are to demonize Pakistan military and anyone who is seen
to be on the same side, such as the judiciary at present or PTI leader lmran
Khan. It is notable that the hypocrisy of America and the West go as far as
describing Western collaborators who even engage in terrorism, as Baloch
“separatists” and “insurgents” rather than terrorists. Moreover, they continue
to obstruct efforts to bring criminals and terrorists under their own
jurisdiction to justice, such as former MQM leader Altaf Hussain who was given
political asylum in the UK, including Baloch runaway leaders and few Pashtoon
absconders.
The
overall objectives of the frenzied active media campaign by the US-led Western
entities, particularly India is, of course, to augment the Western exertions to
undermine Pakistan and to make it dysfunctional until it falls in line with
their sinister aims. Unfortunately, a significant portion of Pakistan’s
population is carried away with this narrative, including intellectuals of the
society as well and accepts it as the reality. Therefore, the threat in the
immediate future was that if the election results did not favour the PML (N) or
a hung Parliament emerges, the Western media would go in over-drive to accuse
the Army of rigging the polls and thereby generate chaos in the country with
the help of the PML (N) supporters and other collaborators.
Notably,
free and fair elections in the country could also be judged from the fact that
the PML (N) got more seats than the PTI for the provincial assembly of the
Punjab province. Undoubtedly, the results of the general elections in Pakistan
show that military has proved over the past ten years that it is strong
proponent of the supremacy of democratic system in the country. Fake impression
being created of manipulation of election process was part of international
agenda to implicate Pakistan military in order to tarnish the image of this
elite institution; however, few political elements have towed the line of
international agenda to further their vested interests. While, this is not the
first time that troops had been deployed to oversee the election process, it is
part of an ongoing process in the electoral system in Pakistan. Pak Army is a
neutral institution entrusted by all political parties as well as by the masses
to ensure free and secure polling. PML-N, PPP, PTI and all the rest of
political parties had welcomed military deployment. In this connection, role of
ECP in holding free and fair elections is also commendable. The overall
responsibility for conducting of smooth and fair elections was of ECP and Army
only assisted ECP in exercise of her responsibility. Results have been
announced by ECP staff and were not related to Army in any case. Judiciary has
performed its national and constitutional duty of ensuring justice in
connection with the elections 2018.
It is
noteworthy that there is a strong and visible change in the behavior of
Pakistani people who had started questioning the time tested political leaders
for their non-delivery of the basic necessities of life over the past so many
years. This factor led to victory of PTI in General Election-2018. Corruption,
being the most hated factor among the masses led to defeat of previously tested
political leaders in major political parties. And ideology and manifesto of
political parties remained prime consideration of the masses to cast the vote.
PTI followed a manifesto that puts the country on the way to development where
a common man will be provided with basic necessities of life like education,
health, clean drinking water etc. Besides, the age old mind set of supporting
the candidates on the basis of kinship and factionalism has been rejected by
the masses. Hence, selection of “truthful” and “honest” leaders through a
process of free and fair electoral process and rejection of “Feudals” and
“God-Fathers” were focused by the masses of the country.
We can
occlude that foreign disinformation about Pakistan elections 2018 proved
untrue, as Pakistan Army has fulfilled its promise by playing its due role in
conducting transparent, free, fair and impartial elections in the country.
