While Arab News comprehensively covers every primary and general election in the US, it should also give some importance to general elections taking place in Pakistan. As Pakistan is gearing up for elections, which are scheduled to be held on May 11, 2013, there are many interesting developments happening in the run-up to the polls.

But we hardly see any story on these developments in the newspaper. This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that an elected government has completed its full term and has handed over the reins to a caretaker government to ensure free, fair and transparent elections.

The outcome of these elections will be a turning point for the future of Pakistan.

The pre-election process has not been consistently smooth or judiciously fair. For example former dictator Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s nomination papers for Karachi, Islamabad and Kasur constituencies were rejected while his candidacy for a Chitral National Assembly constituency was accepted. This underscores the inefficiency and ineptness of the Election Commission.

The commission has apparently given too much of discretionary powers to returning officers who have made a mockery of elections rules. — Seif A. Somalya, Jeddah