On the very next day of the general elections 2013, Imran Khan, from his hospital bed where he had been recovering after an accident during election campaign, alleged organised rigging and demanded investigations into four constituencies to set a good precedent for elections to come. For 15 months PTI tirelessly tried to seek justice. It approached election tribunals, raised the issue in Parliament and even knocked the doors of Supreme Court. However the then chief justice did not consider election fraud as a matter of national concern. After exhausting all legal avenues, Khan called to streets the people of Pakistan to stand up for their rights.
He led the historic Azadi March towards Islamabad and staged a record setting sit-in that he did not imagine would last more than four days, turned out to be the world’s longest protest of a hundred and twenty six consecutive days. It stirred the winds of change in the history of Pakistani politics. The country echoed with one slogan ‘go-Nawaz-go.’ However the sit-in was beyond mere go-Nawaz-go.
Political awareness tops the list of achievements of the sit-in. Apart from awakening the nation, Khan united the people of Pakistan, irrespective of the language they speak, social class they belong to, and the religion they follow. The sit-in ended the legacy of family-based, ethnic and sectarian politics, promoted politics of policy and PTI emerged as the only national political force in the country that represents Pakistanis from all corners and walks.
The sit-in taught the farmers, domestic servants, daily wage workers, students, minorities, physically challenged persons and so on, to stand for justice and democratically demand their rights.
The sit-in not only empowered women it nurtured a sense of their social rights and political duty. The sit-in has given hope to the hundred and eighty million people of Pakistan in the political process, it has given them a reason to trust in people’s power.
The ultimate success of the sit-in was meeting its primary objective of getting the election rigging investigated. The sit-in forced the government to establish the first ever judicial commission to investigate election fraud. This is historic, as it has never happened in the history of Pakistan. Except for 1970s all elections were rigged. No political party ever took a stance to solve this problem as they have been party to this crime. Elections have been used as ploy to justify the reign of corrupt opportunist political mafia that has accumulated unimaginable wealth and laundered it abroad, all at the cost of indebting the nation and destroying it from within.
Even after 2013 elections all parties alleged that polls were rigged including the ruling party PML-N. However PTI was the only political party that demanded justice and did a relentless struggle for it. Free and Fair election is a prerequisite for true democracy. And for ensuring free and fair elections electoral reforms alone are not enough, unless rigging is investigated and culprits are punished.
Khan’s principled stand is being vindicated as the events are unfolding. A sitting minister Khawaja Saad Rafique from one of the four constituencies demanded initially by Khan to be audited has been shown the door by the tribunal, the fate of others, including the speaker of the National Assembly, is expected to follow suit as established by Nadra’s forensic report.
These are defining moments in the history of Pakistani politics that will not only ensure future elections are free and fair but safeguard the future of our generations to come. That day is not far when the assemblies of Pakistan will be occupied by true representatives of the people of Pakistan that will keep the welfare of the people first.
The people of Pakistan deserve a salute for their efforts and struggle to stand up for their right to free and fair elections which is a reflection of a mature and aware political mindset. This has set a precedent that will deter theft of voters mandate for times to come.
The writer Faisal Javed Khan is additional secretary information and head of marketing of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)
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