First-time voters head to polls

Many felt a sense of responsibility towards the country

KARACHI:

"Ammi, aap sher per kyun nahi laga raheen? [Mom, why are you not stamping on the lion symbol]" came a small voice from one of the booths. The otherwise boring and monotonous air in the women's polling room was broken as people burst into laughter and turned around to find a five-year-old peeking out from the booth, looking around him in surprise. "Do you like lions?" asked one presiding officer. "The father must have given instructions for the lion," muttered another under her breath.

The child had accompanied his mother and elder sister to cast votes at one of the polling stations in District East. Unable to control his excitement, the child insisted that his sister let him stamp the symbol. "I'm casting my vote for the first time in the local government elections but it seems like it's his day today," she laughs as she points at her younger brother. "Let's see if we will get relief from overflowing gutters and the Moen Jo Daro-like streets. No harm in trying," she added.

Where there's a will, there's a way

Ali Khan Tareen, a final-year university student from District Central, is visually impaired but was determined to exercise his democratic right. "I voted in the general elections of 2013 and am voting today as well," he said before complaining that there are no provisions for people like him. "I have my brother by my side and he guides me in everything from thumb printing to the final stamp on ballot papers. Thankfully, the presiding officers don't create issues as I come on my own and don't ask for their assistance."

Cast your vote, don't vote your caste

A young man from North Nazimabad, Bilal Ali, felt that people ought not to vote as per their caste but in favour of those who deserve it. "If you are still going to choose the same controllers again, you have no right to express dissatisfaction or annoyance about the law and order situation of Karachi in any way," said Bilal. "Cast your vote, don't vote your caste."

Aliza, a new name added to the list of voters in 2015, said that it feels really good to know that she has a voice. The most interesting part about voting, according to her, was the social media campaigns. "The best thing about this morning was people who were sharing statuses about voting and sending Snapchat photos on their way to the polling station."

Voting not only gave youngsters a chance to get heard but also instilled a feeling of responsibility in them. Salman said that he felt some different kind of excitement since morning. "Today I got to know that it is such a big responsibility to vote as you trust them for the betterment of your society," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 6^th, 2015.