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The new coalition government is gradually realizing that fresh elections are necessary to end the political instability in the country. It was earlier hinting at electoral reforms before calling for new elections but is now hinting on having elections before.
Ousted prime minister Imran Khan has been campaigning to compel the government to hold new elections. He has announced a march to Islamabad if the demand is not fulfilled. The government is concerned over the sit-in as Imran Khan still enjoys overwhelming support and pulls large crowds. There are also reports of placing him under house arrest or detention to thwart his plans.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has flown to London with senior party leaders to meet Nawaz Sharif. The self-exiled PML-N chief, who may return before the next elections, summoned the party leaders to deliberate on crucial issues which could not be discussed in a virtual meeting. It has been widely speculated that they will certainly discuss the prospect of having fresh elections.
PML-N stalwart Khawaja Asif has also hinted that elections can be held before the appointment of the next army chief. In an interview, he said there is a “possibility” that there is a new government before the army’s chief tenure ends in late November. The PML-N certainly wants the crucial decision to be made by the new government rather than the current coalition setup.
The PML-N government is realizing that a multi-party coalition with varied interests is not feasible. The PPP, which is the second-largest party in the coalition, has been dominating and seeking the most lucrative posts for itself. It has now set eyes on the presidency which could widen the rift with the PML-N. Any disagreement on political matters would mean the end of the coalition government.
The government may attempt to hurriedly pass electoral reforms which includes not holding polls through the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and withdrawing voting rights for overseas Pakistanis. It only needs to ensure the ECP is ready to hold fresh polls later this year. Political parties should realize that new elections will settle the matter and end the uncertainty in the country.
