As soon as elections 2013 are approaching, rumours about postponement of elections are getting louder all over media in Pakistan. Internal terror activities and socio-political mayhem themselves seem to be multiplying scepticisms among masses for holding of elections in Pakistan.
Alarming theories suggest that the present intense political turmoil, bullet riddled bodies, Hazara targeted killings and bomb blasts in Balochistan would be enough explanations to delay elections in Pakistan; however if the elections don’t get delayed on Balochistan issues the sectarian violence along with political targeted killings in Sindh especially in Karachi City would add ample grounds to postpone the elections besides the safe heavens of terrorists with their terrorist activities plus suicide bombing in Khayber Pakhtoonkhwa and the presence of terrorist groups based in Punjab which operate all over Pakistan with full impunity.
Political disagreement among the regional and national political parties are expected to tot up extra justifications to the concern of vested interests to reschedule the elections to indefinite period soon after the establishment of interim government in Pakistan.
Public opinion seems to be divided even dubious over holding of upcoming elections in view of deteriorating law and order situation in all parts of Pakistan. Various circles assume that the election process would provide ample opportunities to the terrorist groups to destabilize Pakistan especially in Sindh which may follow the line of Balochistan if any prominent political personality gets assassinated. And the Mutahida Qawmi Movement (MQM) party may likely boycott the upcoming election on issues relating to delimitation of constituencies in Karachi and contempt of court notice.
Balochistan nationalist parties didn’t take part in 2008 election but now seem ready to fully participate in the upcoming election if their genuine demands are met. If not then the Baloch main stream political parties might add further political destabilization in the province.
Taliban and Al-Quaida affiliated groups seem to have very strong safe heavens in the north-west of Pakistan and they are very active in operating terrorist activities against the present ruling Awami National Party (ANP) in Khayber Pakhtoonkhwa. The upcoming election process may turn into a battle ground and law enforcement authorities may find the situation very difficult to control.
The upcoming election process would help the militant groups to come to the light for being an electoral ally of Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) which would further destabilize the political process and may result in souring sectarian violence in Punjab. Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) is believed to raise Sirayekistan issue during elections in south Punjab for political scoring which would further escalate ethnic tension between Siriaky and Panjabi and of course would likely end up with political unrest in the province.
Regional, ethnic, sectarian and socio-political unrest prevailing in the main stream political parties would undoubtedly soar political anarchy in Pakistan while extreme religious parties along with Taliban and Al-Quaida affiliated militant groups would likely avail the best opportunity to further intensify the law and order situation during election process to make their demands heard which include promotion of extreme religious thoughts, promulgation of Sharia Law, end of Drone attacks, power sharing and promotion of religious militancy in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Several sections of the society suggest that the present situation doesn't favour to hold elections in Pakistan rather than political havoc and further add that the country needs to have a strong leadership and peaceful environment to hold elections otherwise it would be a great gamble to hold elections in such a critical situation.
Meanwhile, all major regional and national political parties strongly condemn the issues relating to the postponement of elections and demand of the government to immediately announce the election date and have warned the government of civil war, if elections are delayed.
Some certain quarters allege the military establishment to be involved in deteriorating law and order situation in the country as it doesn’t like to work with Nawaz Sharif or tolerate another term of PPP along with the independent judiciary that’s why country is being pushed to the emergency to start ruling on the pretext of bringing justice, removal of corruption and maintaining law and order which they believe would further soar political crises and law & order in the country especially in Balochistan, Khyber Pashtoonkhwa and Sindh provinces.
The question now is whether the apprehensions expressed by the certain quarters regarding the political unrest, targeted killings, bullet riddled bodies, ethnic tensions, religious intolerance, bomb blasts, religious militancy, lawlessness, corruption and sectarian killings is conceived well by the politicians, generals, media and the judiciary to get the nuclear-armed Pakistan out of the ongoing instability especially when West forces are getting prepared to leave Afghanistan.