Mir Lashkari Raisani Criticizes Political Parties for Undermining Public Trust, Calls for Electoral Reforms

Quetta:Senior politician and former Senator Nawabzada Haji Mir Lashkari Khan Raisani has strongly criticized political parties for opting to enter power through “backdoor” methods rather than relying on public support. He expressed his disappointment with political leaders who, instead of focusing on electoral reforms, have chosen to extend individual tenures and engage in power struggles.

In a statement, Mir Lashkari Raisani said that political parties, rather than using public power, have deliberately sought power through illegitimate means, which has eroded people’s trust in the system. He also pointed out that when these political parties had the opportunity to legislate, they failed to ensure transparent elections and instead extended individual terms. Instead of focusing on reforms for free and fair elections, these leaders chose to perpetuate their own power. He emphasized that political parties, when they had the chance, should have enacted laws to ensure fair elections rather than extending the tenure of one person.

“Today, political parties are lamenting the rigged and untransparent elections, but when they had the power to legislate, they chose personal gains over electoral transparency,” said Raisani. He added that after coming to power, these parties focused more on looting public resources, particularly the PSDP (Public Sector Development Programme), rather than delivering public service.

He further criticized political leaders for their failure to create a system that would make the government accountable solely to the people. According to Raisani, the absence of electoral reforms has left the people disillusioned with the country’s parliamentary system. He specifically highlighted the role of the Election Commission, accusing it of undermining people’s trust in the system.

“Instead of working on institutional reforms, these political parties used constitutional amendments, such as the 26th Amendment and General Qamar Javed Bajwa’s tenure extension, for personal benefits. They have replaced political workers with businessmen and contractors within their parties, which has further eroded public confidence,” he said.

Mir Lashkari Raisani concluded by stating that political parties now have little to offer other than wasting time and making desperate attempts to regain power, regardless of the means. He called for a renewed focus on electoral reforms that prioritize transparency and accountability, ensuring that future governments are truly answerable to the people.