DAWN Editorials - 10th August 2025

[zarnishhayat]

Tribunal delays
TIME has only reinforced the perception that the integrity of the last general election has never been a serious concern, not even for institutions whose entire raison d’être is to uphold the Constitution and the democratic system it envisages. After all, both the Election Commission and the section of the judiciary which has prevailed since the 26th Amendment have shown very little regard for the controversies that continue to surround it.

It is pointless to fault the government or the so-called establishment, because such is the nature of the beast. It was the ECP, constitutionally tasked with ensuring and safeguarding the fairness of the political process, that ought to have ensured that injustices were promptly addressed.

Likewise, the courts, mandated with protecting the Constitution and the constitutional scheme of order, should have kept a constant check on the Commission. Unfortunately, both institutions long ago resigned themselves to complacency. And that is a charitable view.


According to electoral watchdog Fafen, more than half of the many election disputes raised after the Feb 8, 2024, polls remain undecided. The law gives election tribunals 180 days to settle election disputes. The deadline was extended from 120 days — mere months before the last election. It has now been a year and a half since the last vote was cast. Article 225 states: “No election to a House or Provincial Assembly shall be called in question except by an election petition presented to such tribunal and in such manner as may be determined by Act of Parliament.”

Therefore, what the prolonged delays in issuing decisions essentially mean is that the tribunals are themselves the biggest hurdle in securing electoral justice. It must be noted that the entire purpose of appointing election tribunals is that cases regarding poll disputes can be heard and decided promptly. Otherwise, they would go to the courts, which are already burdened with a significant backlog.

This is why the tribunals’ failure to deliver is so egregious. To the suspicious mind, the sluggish pace of deliberations suggests that the tribunals were created merely to fulfil a formality and provide cover to the status quo.

Curiously, the ECP has felt no compulsion to prod them along in their work, even though the legal deadlines under which they are supposed to operate have long elapsed. The precedent that is being set will undermine future political transitions as well. The message being sent is that it does not matter whether electoral victory is secured through lawful or unlawful means, because the checks and balances meant to protect the public’s political rights can be rendered ineffective. This should alarm anyone who wishes to see Pakistan governed in accordance with the will of the public and not by the whims of a few powerful institutions and individuals.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2025

Global plastic treaty
THE world has embarked on a serious attempt to tackle the escalating plastic pollution crisis with talks organised by UNEP being held in Geneva. The second part of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, which runs from Aug 5 to 14, is intended to deliver the text of a legally binding global treaty on plastic pollution. If nations reach an agreement, it would address plastics across their entire lifecycle, from production to disposal. The aim is to put a stop to the millions of tonnes of plastic that leak into the environment each year, poisoning ecosystems, wildlife and human health. The stakes are huge. Scientists warn that without decisive intervention, plastic leakage into aquatic ecosystems could nearly triple by 2040. The economic and health costs — already estimated at over $1.5tr annually — will only mount. As dubbed by many, the Geneva talks are the world’s “last good chance” to forge a treaty to meaningfully reverse these trends.

Yet, with talks due to end on Thursday, negotiations are gridlocked. Over 100 countries in the High Ambition Coalition want enforceable caps on virgin plastic production, the phasing out of harmful additives and robust financing mechanisms. Opposing them are powerful oil- and gas-aligned states — including the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and China — which favour focusing on recycling and waste management, resisting upstream production limits. With over 200 industry lobbyists swarming the conference, civil society fears a watered-down outcome. Pakistan’s specific negotiating stance has not been made public, but as a developing country facing surging plastic waste and inadequate waste management, it has a clear stake in an equitable treaty. Islamabad’s priorities are likely to include access to climate and pollution finance, capacity-building and technology transfer to support domestic implementation. Aligning with progressive positions on production caps would also signal a commitment to systemic change rather than piecemeal fixes. For Pakistan — and the planet — this treaty must not be another exercise in futility that leaves the root of the problem untouched. Delegates should insist on binding targets to reduce plastic production, global bans on the most hazardous polymers and additives, and a dedicated fund to help developing countries transition. If governments can rise above narrow commercial interests, they can deliver an accord that future generations will be thankful for.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2025


Peca and journalists
IT is some comfort that some lawmakers have at least taken notice. Last week, the Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting formally sought the details of FIRs lodged against journalists under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, as well as the reasoning behind each case. It was informed, during its meeting the same day, that a total of 689 cases had been registered under Peca since it was amended in January, including nine against journalists. An interior ministry representative told the committee that one journalist was among those arrested so far under the controversial law, while seven journalists were not in the country at the moment. It may be recalled that, earlier this year, there had been large-scale protests and demonstrations against the aforementioned Peca amendments, as the fear had been that the law would be weaponised against journalists. As in the case of many other legislative efforts of the government, time has eventually justified the critics’ worst fears.

Some weeks ago, an Islamabad judge ordered the blocking of 27 YouTube channels under Peca on the vague pretext that they were involved in “fake, misleading and defamatory” content. That order was partially suspended after a district and sessions court learnt that the operators of these YouTube channels had never been given prior notice, which had violated their constitutional right to a fair trial and due process. Earlier in March, two journalists, one from Karachi and one from Islamabad, were arrested and jailed in deeply controversial circumstances over posting or sharing ‘anti-state’ content. One was arrested following detention for hours after being called in to answer questions by the FIA, while the other was simply ‘disappeared’ before being announced as arrested. The pattern has been evident: the state has been using Peca to spread fear and silence critics. The law must continue to be questioned at all forums and from all perspectives. Lawmakers must contribute a part in this.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2025