Midterm Elections?
By Dr. Ghayur Ayub
London, UK
After Asif Zardari took over power and ascended to the presidency, poor governance was all too evident as corruption amongst his cronies spiraled up. Soon, people in important places started whispering about midterm elections. Then by design or by default, ‘civil war’ erupted in all FATA regions, some PATA areas, and a few adjoining settled districts, averting the possibility of midterm elections.
This did not stop the whisper; rather it got louder speculating an early end to the AZ-style governance. So what could be the alternative if elections could not be held because of the warlike situation in the country? Two possibilities arise.
Firstly, a modified form of Bangladesh model for a year during which time aboveboard accountability of all the allegedly corrupt people, including those cleared by NRO, followed by free and fair elections by a newly constituted independent election commission; secondly, opening up pending cases pertaining to NRO and abolishment of the law which sets aside the requirement of a BA degree. Either way, the key role will be played by the revived judiciary headed by the incumbent CJ.
