IT all started with the nationwide suspension of mobile phone services on election day. Poll managers might not have realised that this suspension would aggravate political chaos, which could lead towards a demand for fresh elections.

Though the caretaker government claimed it had suspended mobile phone services due to security concerns, the Election Commission and other concerned departments and ministries were reportedly unaware a day before the election whether a suspension would be necessary. This confusion fuelled debate that the election results could have been manipulated under the cover of the communication blackout.

While rigging charges and election day irregularities are not new in Pakistan, the dust usually settles after a few weeks, with political parties and losing candidates making compromises. Only a few continue their legal battles. In 2013, the PTI launched a massive anti-rigging campaign, maintaining pressure on the government through protests. With the poll managers on their side, they were confident of eventually coming to power. Meanwhile, the PML-N continued to rule in a compromised manner.

The managers seemed to believe that the political fervour would subside after the formation of the new government. While we may see temporary appeasement, tampering with election results weakens the country’s power structures and erodes public faith in the system. As scholar Adil Najam rightly points out, it is not the economy but the loss of faith in the state by its citizens that is the biggest challenge emerging from this election.

At this juncture in history, Pakistan needed the most transparent........

© Dawn