Propelling the new-age expectation has been the sense that there is nationwide disappointment with the existing lot of politicians, who have ruined the country in the name of ruling it. As the economy suffers from the pains of stagflation and law and order worsens, the resultant frustration would swell into a tidal wave bringing old houses of power down. This is what Imran Khan calls the tsunami that would level the established political order to the ground and help the rise of a new Pakistan.
However, the recent political exercise in voting has punctured this ballooning hope. If you combine the by-elections with the Senate elections, the result is a complete victory of traditional politics without a trace or hint of change. Together these elections have endorsed the Pakistan Muslim League-N and the Peoples Party with the good old factor of ‘independents’ shining from behind the two, indicating the hold of the individual in certain parts of the country.
Moreover, these elections have been contested according to the time-tested formula that money buys everything, and the rest can be obtained through lavish use of state funds and by striking hard bargains with local interlocutors. The other component of the formula, the gridlock of families and clans on national politics too, remains tight and strong.
Look at Musa Gilani’s thumping victory in Multan. While Shah Mehmood Qureshi can twist and turn in his shoes as senior vice president of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and complain bitterly that by not contesting the polls, the party has frittered away his constituency, the votes gotten by Musa Gilani are still astounding — in excess of 90,000, almost double the votes of his opponent.
The victory looks particularly striking considering that the prime minister’s son had all the attributes that a changed political mood in the country, theoretically, should have rejected. From ill-gotten wealth to misgovernance, the family he belongs to is in the eye of every storm of accusation that can be possibly imagined.
On top of it all, his father is facing the charge of contempt of the highest judicial forum in the country. But these elements that are supposed to form the basis of the defeat of traditional ruling elite came to nothing on the day the polling started. Eyewitnesses say that enthusiastic voters stood in long queues cheering, waving and dancing on their way to electing their man, Musa Gilani, to the National Assembly. Later on, the thrill of celebrations peaked as aerial firing pierced the calm of the city for hours reportedly killing a person — a small cost to pay for the great joys of life of the Gilani family.
In the Senate elections billions have moved through greasy hands into deep pockets. In Balochistan and Fata, each vote was chased with unrivalled determination. The amounts mentioned in these ‘democratic transactions’ run up to 350 million a person. The end result? The Peoples Party has become the single largest party just a few short of having simple majority in the Senate while the PML-N has doubled its strength through careful deals struck in the backrooms of national politics with the negotiating team deputed by President Asif Ali Zardari.
The spectrum of politics looks no different from the time when the two parties shared the spoils of office by taking turns at exercising power. In that decade of the 90s even the almighty hand of the Establishment with all the rigging and stealing of elections could not break the mode of politics that hinged on the League and the PPP. It is the same in 2012.
It is true that these elections should not be taken as a final yardstick of future electoral behaviour in Pakistan. This country is deeply frustrated. The public is angry. Millions long for a break from the practices of the past that have pushed them on the margins of existence. But still these elections are a depressing sample of the enormous capacity of the voter to side with the champions of traditional politics, who refuse to disappear and are determined to retain their power at all costs. Pakistan may be changing, but electorally for now it has decided to stay the same.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 9th, 2012.
COMMENTS (57)
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Well Mr Talat unfortunately u missed out some facts .. there are few reasons which u should had mentioned in the article .. 1) These by-polls were conducted on old voter lists. 2) Govt was heading and manipulating all the elections. 3) Both the parties dint contest each other fairly, i mean they even dint fight for the seat. 4) Most imp and last but not the least people don't see any thing in these parties any more. When they will get a chance to vote a new party that can seriously change the course and future of this country then people will vote for change and IK. And time will prove this.
" Agreed " !
very well.its true picture of current scenario
@Khurram Khalid: Very true and i agree with u.
PTI troll fascism goes unabated
Khan says he will clean sweap, believe me he will bcoz he is a real leader and a leader can see behind a wall !!!
And Shah Mehmood is brand new piece. Double standards Mr Talat.
"We will never give up our dream" I read in an interview of Ms Chinoy. This is what Kaptann and its followers believe.
everything is good at its given time, and the time for Imran's Change is going out, and seems to fizzle out in the air when the elections come..
Rightly said Talat Bhai, to me problem is unfortunately the made up minds of our elders who majority of them are not that educated, whose minds do not change according to the new era. They have put in their mind that these are the two parties and don't look for the new parties and what a new party is promising. They have got used used to the traditional politics and the old minds do not change according to the new situations. And they make up a big part of our voting lists.
The results of by-elections have been affected by following factors:
(1) 50 % votes polled were bogus (2) Massive pre election and post election rigging (3) No alternative choice for the voters due to non participation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (4) Compromise / reconciliation between PPP & PML-N.
The results in general election will be totally different. If the forces of status que tried to block the fair and free elections, the country is likely to see a catastrophe in terms of civil disturbances and blood shed.
@Nasrat Baloch: If you listen clearly to his speeches or interviews you would get to know his manifesto and the solutions towards all these problems. His party held an energy conference last month, the only one which discussed more about the problems that had and would arise for the energy sector and the solution towards these crisis instead of criticizing the current government.
What is the alternative to democracy flawed as it may be ? A coup ? Either by the khakis or by somebody who has the support of the khakis but would not be able to secure enough votes in an election? We all know how that has turned out in the past. Democracy is flawed but it will self-correct and self-cleanse in the long run. The alternative to democracy is bloodshed, chaos, an unrepresentative government and no mechanism for a peaceful transfer of power.
@wsd: I agree!
@Kitabistan: Why would any party want to contest elections when its obvious that mass rigging would be carried out by these (failed) ruling parties and their ethically insane supporters!!
Agreed but: 1. The by elections have been held on the basis of 2007 electoral rolls and there have been many bogus votes in those electoral rolls. State resources have been lavishly employed to manipulate the will of masses to present a win to Musa Gilani and in next General elections there will be no Gilani as PM so no use of state resources. 2. The negotiation practices between PPP and PML (N) during Senate elections seems to be proving the Imran Khan's point that these parties are indulged in "Noora Kushti" and they can join hands in general elections. Their cooperation can lead to seat adjustment for "Agli Wari Tuhadi".
Soooo said but true, God save our nation , another dark years with same 2 parties,,,,,,,,,,,please think yyyyyyyyyyyy this is so and because of us?????
@Kitabistan: By the way, I know how that 'development' by Gilanis works since I have lived in the area. To just give you an example; few years ago, a new road was constructed in our area, a month later we saw a big truck fall into this new road creating a big hole. That shows you the quality of work. Furthermore, data suggests that construction projects are one of the biggest sources of govt. corruption and kickbacks. So to summarize it, more development = more corruption (at least in southern Punjab).
@Kitabistan: So make few roads (unfortunately the only parameter of development in my country) and you are all set. Is this what you mean when you say that Gillanis have done much for Multanis? I think you watch PTV much than it is needed. Step out of your cozy bed room and walk along the COMMON man to feel his misery.
Pakistani leadership represents the values, ethos and aspirations of the Pakistani people. Deceitful, corrupt, violent and intolerant.... that is what the people are by and large and that is the type of leadership they will choose.
No Messiah or Khalifa can change that, sorry.
This the defeat of Media itself. Media was the biggest factor in forth coming of Imran Khan as master of the change and the only representative of youth. Ground realities are still almost the same. All efforts made by media against these traditional parties have influenced 10%-30% of the people living in the 3-5 big cities of Pakistan. That too will shake again when actual general election battle is on the streets. So only lesson to learn here is for media!! either people don't want the change or they think that these two parties are can bring the change.
@Nasrat Baloch: manifesto is presented when election is near as for not giving vote is not the answer at least give him a chance we have given alot of chances to PPP, PML-N,Q, MQM etc who have destroyed on country yes i agree with u that he has not made any policies for province(Balochistan) but we should give him a chance by voting.
how many of those were fraudulent votes? How many votes were stuffed in the ballot boxes the night before. We all know what's really going on.....
And those standing in queue..... we all know those are the Party workers and jiyalas..... someone has to break this trend and do a free and fair election. Come up with a system Talat.... maybe we should have cameras and computerized voting.
Very well written but I still believe that there is something big in store for this country. The time is running out for the ruling elite and sooner or later the change will hit the streets of the Country. Overall, the author explained very nicely the reasons that the money is the ultimate winner till now.
If people still vote for PPP in next election, then there can be no better punishment than PPP government itself.
PTI boycotted the elections and Shah Mahmood Qureshi saw his constituency slipping away from his hands. Is this how Mr Khan will make sure the opportunists who joined PTI never get to parliament before HE himself enters?
What you are saying is that the present electoral system is flawed and bad for Pakistan. This system has been engineered and fine tuned and given the name of 'democracy' so that only a few benefit, a system that runs on personal greed. The common man can not change the system, he follows it. Today the PTI has introduced a narrative that gives the hope of change to come. This in itself is a big development and your underplaying it is not fair. Change is never easy, believing that it can happen, is the most difficult part.
f
yes if the media had not wasted so much time on memogate then maybe the citizens of this country would have had better information about the candidates
Change, what change? Ask Ms Waheeda Shah!
Dear Talat, these elections are not reflective of the future election; reasons a) supervised by a contesting party Govt 2) all parties didn't participate - in last election I voted PML-N just because didnt wanted to vote for PPP (4) people of Pakistan weren't to concerned as the result will have a little impact on the status-quo and (3) the bogus voter list. So, lets not get detracted and dishearten. The Change is inevitable and will happened. Just wait and we will see IA. Best.
Depressing but true. One suggestion that was practiced in Bangladesh elections. The Commission included the option of "none of the above" in the ballot papers. If this option exceeded the votes of the rest of the candidates, the election was nullified, all the existing candidates disqualified and new elections with new candidates were held in that constituency. We need to practice this option in Pakistan too.
@PTI troll 76: true enough but you cant win a match you dont play
establishment should stand up and save us by electing Imran khan ...... even though its illegal but since it is being practiced in the past for e.g. Gen pervez refrendum..... than it is quite applicable today...... there is always a hidden hand behind everything - (remember that Talat sb)
The media tycoons like Talat himself , were trying every thing for the last four years to defame these traditional politicians, but we knew that Tv anchors cannot and will not bring change by merely one sided and biased propaganda nevertheless it happened to be counter productive (too much is always counter productive).As for as Mr IM Khan is concerned he needs more time to understand this country's politics. As voter - why I should vote for Imran- where is his manifesto what policies he has for my province(Balochistan), where is his policy about establishment, economy, social changes and countering religious extremism?
In the old days, people used to get the kind of rulers that they deserved through "acts of God"; these days, they bring the calamity on their heads themselves.
Some simple facts: 1. For day to day issues in Thanas, Kaychehri, hospitals and for development people are dependent on politicians. So they have to side with someone and in case of by elections 99% of the time it is the govt. 2. The by elections were a contest between Federal govt and Punjab govt. They knew they will win when PTI stalwarts boycotted. Therefore the main issue was to get high polling percentage which they conveniently did by obedient district management.....A friend from Multan told me that actual vote count for PM's son was 28,000 and it had to be increased beyond 80,000 to show that he is more popular than SMQ. Similarly in Javed Hashmi's constituency N league was facilitated to get a pretty decent count. 3. PTI has rightly boycotted these by elections. If they had won, their reps would not have been able to perform because no funds would be given to them. On a separate note they are asking PML N to resign from assemblies and if they contest for the same assemblies it would have been more damaging. 4. General elections are 6-12 months away.PTI is the main party against whom all other parties will contest in Punjab and KP. In my view they should work hard in Baluchistan and Sindh instead of wasting time in any by elections.
Extravagant or exaggerated- LOLz 35 Billion. Do you have an iota of an idea, how much is it exactly? Moreover, just criticizing the polticians is really fashioable. Keep it up buddy. People are wrong but our slef proclaimed "know all" journos are angels.
Nice one, but we the supporters of PTI will never accept defeat because our Kaptaan is leading from the front against these traditional crocodiles and we will fight with him till the last ball
@Maryam: I thought ET is part of the media. The author has delivered a part of his responsibility by bringing these facts to our attention. If I remember correctly, the author has also published a similar article in Urdu for broader audience. What more do you expect from the author in specific?
So now it presents an interesting dilemma. On one hand, you have traditional politics that is so deeply entrenched and on the other hand, we have PTI and everybody expects it to play by every golden moral rule that has ever been written in human history. Unfortunately, this is the 'ground reality'. We can only wish good luck for PTI since this seems like an uphill battle. What needs to be understood is that if this stranglehold of traditional politics continues over national politics, we might be nearing a civil war within a decade.
ugh first talat used to write tripe for dawn and now tribune but come to think of it he's only good enough for the opinion pages of the news
@Tahir:
Well said
Exactly my views expressed by author!!!
'Democracy is a poison in an illiterate society' , However we have some educated jahils who will still vote for the traditional failed parties.
@auther Really: strong text"The amounts mentioned in these ‘democratic transactions’ run up to 35 billion a person." I just hope that it is a typing error and actual figure is 35 crore or 350 million a person as reported in the media, which is still ashtonishing.
I don’t see any reason why these 90,000 who voted for Gilani's son would vote for PTI in the general elections, 6 months from now
But we can still hope for the best :)
Sad but absolutely right!!!