On the eve of general elections 2018 in Pakistan, there is an eerie calm sadness. Everyone you speak to either on the record or off the record, public and in private is aware a pantomime and a farce is being played out- but in good Pakistani style wink wink nod nod shrug eyes to the sky and on the ground the spectacle will carry on with speculations on July 25 will only marks another bend in our journey from one crisis to another in perpetuity.
For a moment we are deluding ourselves-collectively- that July 26th will bring in a dawn of a new Pakistan, a new direction, better leaders, governors, policies, decisions for an improved economy and social policies. However, We collectively see it otherwise.
This realization is real. The truth is acknowledged by all those who are coming into power and also by the others who would not be able to make it and most importantly, by those who have power. Nevertheless the process of disappointment must continue. This is the Pakistani way.
As a democrat, a citizen, a politically aware Pakistani what exactly can I take from this unfolding pantomime-again?
This year, I will be a polling agent in one of our polling stations in Islamabad. I ask myself why am I even bothering? Well if I didn’t have a candidate and party to vote for , frankly I would have stayed away from elections. But in Islamabad we have an option luckily so I am not only voting awami workers party but will oversee the process for them. But for the rest of the country- it will be 2008 and 2013 on repeat.
It will be interesting to see what will be the voter turn out? I sense the turn out is going to be low nation wide, inspite of the billions of rupees pumped into encouraging voters to turn up at the polls.-why should they? Why should the voters vote the same people in? deepen the crisis- justified and sanctified by the voters?
How much sugar coating can justify compromised public representatives who have always made deals with the devil? Even the most brainwashed can see the lack of principles, ethics or service delivery record of these ‘electable’ on offer. Wrapping them in another flag, banner, and leader really doesn’t change their character.Also there is no clean up imminent, there is no staggered justice afoot because those dry cleaning have too much laundry of their own. So the hope for finally cleaning Pakistan quickly is not possible. It isn’t sinister, it is not just possible with this group in power, but this the fact.
I feel the voters will show their disappointment by not turning up.
Where there are independent thinking progressive new entrants in our politics, such as Awami workers party in Islamabad, and KP and a few in Punjab, or Jibran Nasir in Karachi there is a glimmer of hope that one can vote in change and not struggle with choosing amongst the contesting candidates. But there are only 22 such constituencies out of 272 national seats across the country.
I hope after this cycle of farce comes to its expected logical end and thus we enter another phase of our never ending crisis- I hope the collective bystanders may consider their silence of protest, has too far reaching consequences, and consider the ‘’wink wink shrug shrug’’ method of apathy and knowing ‘ground realities’ may not be a viable option any longer for personal or collective safety. This is a big hope I do anticipate post July 25.
Moreover, about 700 sectarian inclined religious fanatics will be on the ballot. It depends upon us, those who did nothing, said nothing, allowed it and sanctioned it through election 2018.
Moving away from our economic, social and political crisis post July 25 is like living in a fool’s paradise. The experts have warned already about this serious crisis and perhaps this crisis will exacerbate soon after the election if not addressed immediately.
Therefore, the only key factor is the will the people of Pakistan finally wake up. Besides, there is no messiah coming to educate us about our future.
The scary in this post pantomime phase is that which institution will be relied upon to assist the people of Pakistan to reclaim political power for the welfare of Pakistanis? Judiciary? Parliament? Bureaucracy?
However, the process leading up July 25 has, perhaps, damaged the credibility of every single pillar of the state. Who do you believe? Who do you trust? Who has the interest of the collective Pakistanis in mind? In such a situation there is little justice, little fairness, little leadership, little clarity, little information and more of the same from the same. Thus when and if the people wake up? Where do they go? In which direction? That seems scary. No one is cautious about it, because the expectation from the people is they will remain silent bystanders to the pantomime being played in their names forever.