Pakistan Votes

Pakistani's have voted. And they have voted for change. Really?

You know what.. I really feel for PML-Q! I know they were going to be dumped no surprises there but they were just a political lot with a tag of PML-Q on their forehead! Majority of the politicians are the same! People are treating them with contempt as if they are the ones who are the cause of every ill Pakistan is afflicted with. I mean you do not have to go 100 years back in time to know that Nawaz Sharif, the champion of judicial supremacy, himself was responsible for attack on Supreme Court. Benazir Bhutto came to Pakistan by a deal with Musharraf. She had cases against her removed through National Reconciliation Ordinance! Zaradari, the current co-chairman, is the biggest thug of all.

Anyways.. coming to the results of the election, PML-Q's stars lost the game. Chaudhry Shujat, Sheikh Rashid, Ijaz ul Haq etc. I was also not surprised by the success of Awami National Part (ANP). The pukhtoon nationalist had to make a comeback since the mullahs of Mutahidda Majlis e Amal (MMA - the alliance of religious parties) did a terrible job. Mind you I voted for MMA in the last election. I had done that because I wanted to try other faces. I had even voted for Musharraf in referendum! so much for my selection :p But I totally believe that leadership is what matters even if you don't have effective political parties or the kind of democracy Pakistan has. Musharraf though has totally lost it. He wont survive much.

I could not vote this time because I was some 1800 km away from my polling station! I would have voted for ANP too perhaps. A party that takes a principled stand on various issues and are not nuts when it comes to religion. In fact, they tend to be more on the left on this count as they opposed the Afghan jihad and now the militant version of talibanization.

MMA got routed as well. Partly because of boycott, Maulana Fazlur Rehman's pro-Musharraf antics and their own performance. Or perhaps I am too biased against religious parties because I feel they exploit religion for their political gains? For the first time I guess Qazi Hussein Ahmad sensed it right where the opinion will lie and boycotted early.

The biggest surprise was from Nawaz Sharif's PML-N. The number of seats that his party bagged in National and Provincial assembly was really surprising. Good that he was not contesting because I do not want to see him as PM. Nor did I want to see Benazir as prime minister! Though her death was tragic which was exploited to the maximum by PPP, she herself was just another opportunist feudal!

There is one thing that I like. This time around there will be a new face for prime minister. I think the two-time Prime Minister term limit is very good because somewhere in me, I assume, that this would inculcate democracy within parties themselves too! Silly me! But I am not pessimistic. PML-Q got the treatment it deserved. Pakistani voters told them not to side with dictators. This is a very strong message. Its a strong reminder for anyone who is coming next. The message is loud and clear. Do not mess with Pakistani voters!

I hope what I state is true!