Sir: Today is “Polling Day” in Pakistan. The day that can bring a change to our lives, and for which the public waits for so long, to come around again. No Voter should miss this opportunity because it is our moral and civic obligation. The Vote is the secret weapon of every ordinary person in this country. It has the power to change the government, and it can work as a strong filter to weed out all the filth and dirt from our politics today. The only way to bring about real change is to have an intelligent, educated, sincere and pious leadership that is elected through the dynamic power of the vote. Women have been the silent, unpaid workers of this chauvinistic, male dominated society and it is absolutely imperative for women to cast their votes in order to register their opinion and make their mark on the history of Pakistan. Many people are shying away from voting, which is an unrealistic and unacceptable attitude, as we can only bring change to this country through the power of vote. It is, definitely against the sanctity of our very right to vote and it is my humble request to all the voters of Pakistan to use this right to elect the best of the lot. Voting and democracy is very important in a nation because it provides people an opportunity to voice their opinion and vote for what they believe in, as well as helps keep elected officials accountable for their behaviour while in office, and prevents a minority from dictating the policies of a majority. A government elected by its citizens can positively affect every aspect of our lives, from schools to health care and economic stability to counter terrorism. This is voting is an important right provided to us and it is the best method by which to let the people in power know what kind of job they have done so far. IFTIKHAR MIRZA Islamabad Published in Daily Times, July 25th 2018.