"Our party is working without discrimination. Being parliamentarians, our prime role is to
make the law which I am doing,"
MNA Waseem Akhtar.
Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me - this is the message voters of the 2008 elections have for their elected representatives, saying they refuse to be duped again by the leaders who reportedly have not paid any attention to their constituencies.
The ‘new and improved’ development works and condolence visits to grieving families signal the beginning of the election season. New promises are being made and old ones are being renewed but it appears that voters will let the politicians’ track record do the talking this time around - making the job of garnering votes more difficult for them.
“We do not want jobs for our family members, only clean water and a sanitation scheme which we have repeatedly been requesting our elected representative to provide during his tenure,” said Anwar Jokhio, a social activist of Darsano Chano Union Council of the Malir district. He was complaining against their MPA Sajid Jokhio and MNA Sher Muhammad Baloch from the Pakistan Peoples Party. “Our elected representatives have not even bothered to visit us during the last five years but now, suddenly they’ve been coming to the area to monitor the roads being carpeted - it is an obvious tactic to appease the people and get votes in the upcoming election.”
During a random survey of ten constituencies in Karachi and other districts of Sindh, most people complained that they have hardly seen their elected representatives after the 2008 general election. The MPAs, however, insist that they remained in touch with their voters and resolved their problems.
It remains unclear whether political parties will allot the same tickets to the incumbent legislators but the representatives appear to be confident that they will contest elections again - thus leading to the recently started development works, including road and street carpeting, renovation of playgrounds and parks, and starting public gatherings and corner meetings.
For his part, MPA Sajid Jokhio, who is also the minister for Zakat, said they he was constantly in touch with the people of his area and visited his constituency frequently to resolve the problems of his voters. “I have spent around Rs60 million in my area this year, but the health department does not come under my domain so that I could not start a vaccination campaign to prevent hepatitis,” said Sajid. He added that not only roads were built during his time, but he also made multiple schemes for water and sanitation and playgrounds for residents.
Still waiting
The residents of Akhtar Colony and Kashmir Colony say that they have been protesting every week against the shortage of drinking water.
According to Rizwan Gill, the general secretary of the Akhtar Colony Residents Association, the people have visited their town office to meet MPA Rauf Siddiqui and MNA Waseem Akhtar of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement a number of times - but have been given a new excuse every time. “Following our protest, we met Waseem Akhtar and briefed him on the pathetic situation of our areas” said Gill. “He promised visit but we are still waiting for him.”
When contacted, Waseem Akhtar’s only reply was “Our party is working without discrimination in the city. Being parliamentarians, our prime role is to make the law which I am doing.”
The same complaints poured in from Jhol and Khipro of Sanghar district - people complained that they have not seen their MPAs Rana Abdul Sattar and Shamsudin Rajar of Pakistan Muslim League-Functional since the last elections. But both the MPAs, who are preparing to contest the upcoming election from the same seats, claim otherwise.
The residents of Thorhi Bijar have been waiting for the main road, which links to Kamber Town, to be fixed since 1985. “During every election campaign, we repeat our demand for fixing the road, but all in vain. Out of the three lawmakers, PPP MPAs Ghulam Mujadid Isran and Nadir Magsi, and MNA Amir Magi, not a single has visited during the present tenure,” said Inamul Haq, who teaches literature at Kamber College.
Isran, when asked about the poor condition of roads and the villages deprived of electricity, water and sanitation facilities, said “Let me win the election again. I will all remaining issues.”
Published in The Express Tribune, February 24th, 2013.
COMMENTS (12)
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PTI, PTI, PTi, thats the only choice and sensible choice. Get rid of these lotters, chors, thugs and corrupt of the highest order.
Cast your vote party based instead going for electables. This is the only way to assure results. PTI is the only solution...
Beside above...go to the constituency of Ms Fehmida Mirza & her Spouse & you will get the answer...all these politicians have spoiled the name of democracy.....no wonder people have started to hate it....
Can one report about performance of elected representatives from Thar, which is most neglected area in terms of five years progress of government
We need to get rid of these politicians. MQM always blame feudal for not heeding towards peoples genuine issues, but it is very sad state of affairs about a party which claims to be lower and middle class party, but is doing nothing for voters
There are not any remarkable achievements obtained by the present PPP's government to display before the nation except increasing difficulties and problems for the nation and in his speech PM Raja Pervez Ashraf said in Gojra yesterday the PPP did in its 5-year's regime what has not been done in last 65 years and he is right because 1-Expensiveness increased up to 90% in power tariffs and petroleum products, 2-Dollar reached 100 from 60 in Musharraf's regime, 3-Load shedding increased up to at least 10 hours daily within PPP's 5 years, 4-Thousands of innocent and sinless people have been killed by the drones' strikes within 5 years and 5-Pakistan's foreign loans with heavy markups have crossed $60bn figures.....
Unfortunately that is not the ground reality, in Pakistan most constituencies sell their vote for 1 qeemay wala naan or they have to go with the mandate of the village sardar who has been given some money by the dynasty politicians.
shame on these elected representatives who have not visited their constituencies, but now are carpeting the streets to gain the votes before election
If these people have any sense they should give PTI a chance in sind. But if they dont then only blame themselves.
Karachi will be fooled once again this time, MQM has joined hands with PPP to fool their resspective people.
Very valid question. Other than more money in their accounts,local and overseas there is nothing that the leaders have to show for