The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. M. S. Haq

Ensuring security arrangements and environments conducive to holding upcoming polls in a peaceful manner in Pakistan would inter alia be vital for motivating and encouraging an increased number of willing voters to come to polling stations and to cast their votes therein. A good turn out of voters on the election days could not only facilitate significant enhancements of legitimacy and credibility of those elections plus the acceptability of those elections to all concerned but the work of say, election monitors - both in and ex-country - and others when it comes to the determination of quality of elections at an 'actual' in a realistic manner.

On the other hand, a poor turn out of voters could create or promote or both opportunities for say, vote-related unfair practices and that could impact negatively on efforts of President Pervez Musharraf, the caretaker government and others including inter alia friends of Pakistan (for example, the US) towards holding or facilitating to hold (as appropriate) free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections in the country. It should, however, be noted here: the possibility of unfair electoral practices against the backdrop of wider participation of voters cannot also be ruled out.

A windfall from quality starved elections could lead subsequently to an unstable Pakistan, among other things. One of the concerns here is: terrorists and other anti-state elements plus opportunists - both within and outside of Pakistan - might make attempts towards creating or promoting or both reigns of terror in the remaining election days including inter alia the days of elections in different parts of Pakistan and the government's effort towards tackling the resultant situations - whether successful or otherwise - could affect, in a variety of ways, the election related psyche of voters and others.

One of the present day challenges for Pakistan is: how best and quickest it could handle security situations - both existing and potential - to the satisfaction of voters and in the overall interest of Pakistan and for that matter the elections?

Taking into cognizance, uncertainties, risks and vulnerabilities associated with the election related security, the government might elect to attract, mobilize and harness help and support of for example, political parties - I mean, those who will be participating in the elections - and civil societies with a view to making them important partners in election related security efforts, per se. One of the underlying assumptions here is: partnerships of the political parties and others with the government in pertinent areas could be instrumental in, among other things, establishing a kind of collective responsibility, accountability and ownership in matters of security during the election periods and the periods immediately after the elections. The government, the political parties, the media and other stakeholders should, as far as practicable, be able to take the voters into confidence when it comes to for example, dispelling their sense of fear, as well as insecurity in respect of matters concerning the elections.

It is expected the roles of media (print, electronic and others) including inter alia Pakistan Television (PTV) plus Radio Pakistan and the country's high commissions, as well as embassies in facilitating, either directly or otherwise, quality elections to the satisfaction of maximum number of Pakistanis and others should, as appropriate, be more objective, more responsible, more constructive, more diplomatic, more result-oriented, more innovative, more just-in-time, and more people centered (to mention a few) than those at present.

Here is the feedback on following electronic media programs - relative to time, space and other variables, though.

"Election Corner" appears to be a time sensitive and important PTV program in the context of upcoming elections in Pakistan. It is apparent, the anchor person is skillful. But a few interviewees are at times found to be less substantive than others when it comes to their role in answering relevant questions of the anchor person - for example, the performance of interviewee-over-the telephone on Thursday (I think, it was Thursday, the 31st day of January 2008).

I believe PTV, Radio Pakistan and others should be able to present to the viewers more solid, more interesting and more impact-oriented programs on upcoming election matters and they should be able to continue those programs at least up to and including the election days. One of the reasons for it - is: the people should be afforded additional opportunities by PTV, Radio Pakistan and others in their (I mean, the people) efforts towards taking the right decision at the right time and in favor of the right candidate in above elections.

I also believe PTV, Radio Pakistan and others should, through their respective election related programs, be able to assist the undecided voters - a critical mass of voters that could, among other things, influence election results in a decisive manner in the eleventh hour - in their effort towards taking the right and firm decision in favor of the right candidate and at the right time in the elections. One of the underlying assumptions here is: the election results could have inter alia strong bearing on promoting, through the foreseeable future, the future of Pakistan on the basis of for example, gains made so far by Pakistanis under the effective leadership of President Pervez Musharraf.

"Bulls and Bears" and "Mind Your Business" - on the evening of 02 February 2008 - on PTV: Both the programs were found to be well planned, well executed and well delivered. The contribution of anchor person to the program was apparently relevant, precise, and concise; she was found to be articulate and confident in her interactions with the learned interviewees; her interpersonal skills, her respect for the interviewees' viewpoint, her motivational gestures - nodding, saying yes, etc.; her depth of knowledge and understanding in pertinent areas; her ability to use interdisciplinary approaches (for example, medical ramifications of beverage) to the domain of discussions and her result-orientations; were, among other things, highly commendable. In several respects, the program could be considered as one of the quality programs of PTV. Congratulations!

It would be appreciated if PTV could commend the producer, anchor person and concerned others for their good work with regard to the program.

Two more points: one, the practice of unnecessary, impolite and unproductive interruptions by certain PTV interviewers during the presentation by learned interviewees or at the time of explaining by them their point of view or both in the course of TV discussions should be minimized, as far as practicable. If the time is a constraint then apply principles of time management to program management and developments and if interpersonal skills are problems then improve those at the soonest; two, a few PTV anchor persons are in the habit of wishing only Pakistani viewers and not other non-Pakistani viewers - who could be watching the programs at the same time as Pakistani viewers do - while concluding respective programs. The practice should be discarded and the interviewers' mindset should be rescued from tunnel visions in the context of an increasingly borderless world.

The last word: the communication skills demonstrated so far by for example, federal caretaker minister for information, Mr. Menon via interviews and press conferences appear, in an average sense, to be superb in qualitative and quantitative terms.