Moving beyond rigging allegations

Elections and manipulation of elections are generally discussed simultaneously in every corner of the world from the entrenched democracy the US to war-torn Afghanistan; and Pakistan is no exception. However, the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) and the European Union had published reports expressing satisfaction over the conduct the 2018 elections, and stated that opposition parties were only trying to make the elections controversial. It commended the voters, the Election Commission, polling staff, political parties, candidates, their agents and the security forces for their respective roles in conduct of elections. Likewise, Ex-Indian Chief Election Commissioner, Shahab-ud-Din Yaqoob Qureshi stayed in Islamabad/Rawalpindi as member of the Commonwealth Observer Group during 2018 General Elections, who dismissed allegations of rigging in elections and termed these absolutely credible, free and fair.
Anyhow, two governments since 2008 completed their terms despite such allegations, and now the opposition should move beyond rigging allegations.
After one month of 2018 elections, PML-N had made a committee to prepare white paper to expose the rigging in 2018 General Elections, but it has not seen the light of the day. Anyhow, it believed that the elections were not transparent and that the political parties had not been given a level playing field. PPP has also been working since January 2019 when Bilawal Bhutto had announced to issue a White Paper on 2018 General Elections, and according to news it is poised to release it soon. Even in 1990, the PPP had issued a white paper accusing the then president of being instrumental in rigging of elections. Elections in Pakistan have remained controversial over the past decades. The party-based elections and democracy was restored in 1988 after a long period of Martial Law, but politicians did not learn any lessons.
In the 1988 elections, a split mandate was received by the political parties as none could manage to get 2/3rd majority. Such a mandate brought different political parties in government at centre and in the provinces which created obstacles in coordination between the two. This and many other difficulties of management resulted in the dissolution of the assemblies in August 1990 and next elections were held in October 1990. In the elections of October 1990 the IJI and the Peoples Democratic Alliance (PDA) were the major contestants. Major parties in the IJI were Pakistan Muslim League (PML), the Jamaat-e Islami (JI) and the National Peoples Party (NPP) along with smaller parties, whereas in the PDA, the PPP and the Tehrik-e-Istiqlal were prominent political parties.
The opposition parties have been raising their voice against, what they said, rigging in 2018 General Elections, whereas, FAFEN report had ruled out any widespread or systematically organized rigging in polls, as being projected by few political parties. Moreover, PILDAT noted marked Polling day operation improvement related to the training and impartiality of polling staff as compared to previous elections. Keeping in view all these credible reports, it is time for the opposition parties to move on from the game of allegations with commitment to adopt a better system for future. It has to be mentioned that the economic mess was created by the previous governments of PPP and PML-N, and the present PTI government is working hard to overcome the economic crisis. To start with, it could muster support of Saudi Arabia, UAE and China to avert the default, and now it is trying to stabilize the economy through much needed reforms.