Being an informed citizen of Pakistan we should definitely have the information about national legal framework of the election laws and international standard which embark upon on our internal mechanism and serve as bench mark.
In order to analyze fairly, it is pertinent to have a start from the constitution first to know what it offers to its citizen. Do basic freedoms exist for exercise of fundamentals rights for citizen of Pakistan? Pakistan constitution 1973 covers protections for political and democratic rights for its citizens like freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of speech which mainly lays grounds for democratic culture in a country. Further constitution offers right of information to its citizens on all matters of public affairs and particularly state is responsible to treat all citizens on equality principle without any prejudice.
Regarding election conduct and appointment of election commissioner, constitution embarks through article 218 and 213 and offers democratic process amended by 2010 legislative body. Similarly Article 219 of the Constitution, under 18th Amendment, assigns the Election Commission with the responsibility of preparing electoral rolls and revising them annually as well as conducting elections to the Senate or filling up the vacant seats in the Parliament and the Provincial Assemblies. Further, the Commission can also appoint Election Tribunals to adjudicate upon post-election disputes and conduct local government election under newly amended articles.
Previously electoral laws were mostly amended by the military regimes with overwhelm intent to extend military rule, deter political course and to restrict working of political parties. Like Political Parties Order 2002, Conduct of General elections 2002, Allocation of election symbols 2002 etc. Though legal framework for electoral laws exist in country in bits and parts and needs to be reformed in consolidated manner; it must cover aspiration of democratic processes for political parties and transparent mechanisms for election conduct necessarily if country is proceeding towards democracy.