Test Case for ECP

What Waheeda Shah did to the lady presiding officer of the polling station is highly deplorable and most unbecoming of a lady aspirant legislator.  Contrary to her brutal behaviour and a physical crime the conduct of the lady teacher presiding officer was most honourable and dignified. She just suffered the humiliation with tears in her eyes and subdued cries on her lips. She could have also retaliated blow for blow and slap for slap but her moral fibre which is certainly better than that of the aspirant legislator restrained her from stooping to that low ebb.

Now that the ECP has been made a fully independent body by the 20^th amendment, it has a very first case before it and the whole nation is watching it rather closely for the action it will take. Waheeda Shah apparently looks to be a powerful lady from the ruling clan and has already managed a press conference where a burqa clad lady purported to be the presiding officer has exonerated her of the physical crime dismissing it as inadvertent and due to some misunderstanding.  However, it is now for the Election Commission to probe into the matter and establish its writ with the very first case warranting its immediate attention and action. The ECP has to nip the evil in the bud and prove its impartiality, independence and authority from the start or else it will become yet another submissive, servile and spineless subservient organization of no good to the nation.  An independent, fair and firm ECP is the hope of the nation for ensuring honest and correct le adership to rule over the land of the pure.

Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)