The kissan should not suffer

The fate of the Prime Minister’s Kissan Package received another twist on Thursday after the Islamabad High Court set aside the ECP suspension order for the package. The ECP had suspended the implementation of the Rs341 billion package for farmers announced by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The commission had argued that the package could compromise the fairness of the upcoming local bodies polls since it would be implemented during the period of polling and could skew votes in favour of the ruling PML-N. Technically, the IHC has only ‘allowed’ the hearing of the government’s petition against the ECP order. However, the order has allowed the government to start implementing the package. The court has returned the issue to the ECP saying that the package had been suspended without completing all legal formalities. This means that the IHC has still left the matter to the ECP; if the ECP still wants to suspend the package, it needs to consult the relevant parties and follow the relevant procedure.
The government argument rested on four grounds. One, that the ECP was required to consult political parties before deciding whether to suspend or allow the package. Two, that the Kissan Package had actually been announced two weeks before the election schedule and could not be treated as a manipulation. Three, the package was not meant to influence voters but was part of the government performing its executive functions by helping out an under-pressure economic force. Four, the package would be implemented in all four provinces, including those where the local bodies election had already been held. The ECP, however, maintained that the package needed to be suspended in the interest of transparency in the local government elections. The ball is still in the court of the ECP, which can stick to its guns and go after the Kissan Package. There are certainly questions to be asked over the timing of the same package since it came out of nowhere after months of protests by farmers received no proper response. On the other hand, suspending the package would prevent much needed support from reaching the farmers at a time when they most need it. What goes against the ECP once again is that it has been held responsible for ignoring procedure – yet again. If it wishes to go ahead with its suspension, it should go ahead with the consultative process recommended by the IHC. Meanwhile, the fate of the PM’s Kissan Package is still uncertain.