The post-election fervour seems longer than usual. The uncertainty that characterises government formation in democracies is giving way to stability of sorts, with the centre and provinces getting their administrations in place. But one thing that has remained consistently familiar in all previous polls is once again being felt: the perception of rigging, of people’s mandate having been stolen yet again.

After 1970, this has been the fate of general elections in this country. No election has been deemed fair. Unlike in other developing countries, however, it is not the winning party or the political class that shares the blame for this tampering of results. With Pakistan’s unique political experience, it is, as psephologist Tahir Mehdi writes in his article, the ‘third force’ or the so-called establishment that intervenes and taints the electoral process for desired results.

It is unfortunate that a massive exercise in every sense of the word, the general election, loses its credibility every time it is conducted in this hapless place. This is certainly not for want of effort. The brutal military dictatorship that followed rigging allegations in 1977 was an eye-opener for the political class which has tried hard ever since to bring a semblance of fairness to the system.

Thus, Pakistan has the distinction of putting in place a ‘neutral’ caretaker government every time a government completes its tenture, whose job essentially is to hold free and fair election. But the systemic and structural flaws tar every attempt at transparency. The caretaker governments end up being more discredited than others in performing the task they was tasked to do.

With such a sorry electoral history, how could election 2018 have been any different? The methodology may have been different but, like earlier, it began long before the election. Like in politics, perceptions matter in election; the party that wins the favour of the ‘third force’ shall win and it does. A lot may have changed but this perception hasn’t.

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The pre-poll developments give way to polling day procedures and then post poll counting and tabulation. Most observers have concluded that the election 2018 has fared the worst in both its pre- and post-poll conduct.

In today’s Special Report, we too have tried to address the question: Was it rigging?

This is an edited version of what appeared in print.