Government apparently thinking of early elections

Government apparently thinking of early elections

Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, retracting yet another stand, said that general elections could be held prior to its schedule in consultation with other political parties.

The premier, while in Davos, had stated that there was no need for early polls. After observing the wavering of the government, the PML-N started mulling to call a meeting of all opposition parties inside or outside the parliament to plan ways and means to force the incumbent for early elections under an independent chief election commissioner and a neutral caretaker setup.

Although the pressure on the government has been reduced to conduct the elections prior to March, the political parties have conciliated to the idea of the incumbent holding the Senate polls.

The PPP-led government will not face any threat except when the apex court awards punishment to the Prime Minister for not writing to the Swiss authorities to reopen the cases against President Asif Ali Zardari.

If it happens, the PPP will stay in power with the help of its coalition parties to hold the polls in the Upper House.

The need of the hour is a smooth transition of power to next democratic setup in a systematic way. The premier himself confessed that a smooth shift of power would set a vigorous practice for the future.

He showed agreement with the opposition parties saying that the polls should be free, fair and transparent. However, the major issues between the two sides are selection of neutral election commissioner and a neutral caretaker setup.

The statement of Khurshid Shah bespeaks that the incumbent wants to start discussion over the issue after the next fiscal budget.

However, the dialogue can be started on these important issues earlier too, if the election date is not to be taken to the utmost possible limit.

The PML-N declined to support the government over 20^th amendment in order to bind the incumbent to early elections.

Apparently, in the next move, the PML-N would call a joint meeting of opposition parties which can suggest aggressing steps likewise shut downs, long marches and strikes.

The government should not delay negotiations over the matter if it is really keen to set a tradition of a smooth transition of power.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Jan 31 2012. Filed under Opinion, Pakistan, Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.