Advisers on a right track
Time to get the priorities right
We welcome the caretaker government's (CG) express desire not to place curbs on all the fundamental rights during the state of emergency. That the council of advisers has thought it fit to direct the administration to keep the issue of fundamental rights of freedom of speech and thought in particular out of the ambit of the rules under the emergency power ordinance, is extremely heartening, and must receive our unflinching support. Emergency should not, as a rule, necessitate the abridgement of the basic rights, and this has been rightly demonstrated in the attitude of the CG and of its chief, Dr. Fakhruddin. We urge the chief adviser to ensure that the desire not to impinge on the fundamental rights including the right of press freedom is reflected in the formulation of rules that would be used to enforce the state of emergency.
We also feel the government's taking up the issue of voter list, voter ID card and transparent ballot box represents correct prioritisation of its immediate tasks. Now it is the implementation of the goals that will test them severely.
What the CG has to do now is to ensure that the focus is put entirely on the prioritised tasks and ensure that these are implemented as quickly as possible. But we understand too that some of these are time-consuming matters. We feel that the chief adviser would do well to seek the help of experts to solve some of the vital problems. For example, in the matter of electoral roll, the most contentious issue, he could solicit the advice of the ex-CECs, retired cabinet secretaries and other senior bureaucrats, or relevant NGOs to devise ways to update the list in the shortest possible time. In the same manner, the feasibility of issuing of voter ID card in the shortest possible time could also be studied if CG could get the experts to put their heads together. So far as transparent ballot box is concerned we understand that some of our development partners had already committed to supply them, which the EC in its "wisdom" had declined earlier on. Let a fresh approach be made to the relevant quarters abroad.
The period of emergency need not be prolonged unnecessarily. Time is of essence and we suggest that the greater part of the time of the council of advisors be devoted to addressing all the issues related to the holding of a free and fair election while they could do with apportioning less time to running the daily affairs of the administration.
Source :http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/01/16/d70116020128.htm
0 comments:
Post a Comment