Politicians in Pakistan switch parties on the probability of them securing the party ticket
GUJRANWALA: Foreseeing the upcoming general elections, the usual process of switching political parties has picked up pace. Expected political gains too have come into play. It goes without saying, politicians in Pakistan switch parties not on the basis of the political mandate of the said party but the probability of them securing the party ticket from a specific constituency. Parties, too, always willingly welcome an estranged member of some other political faction without giving due consideration to morality and their record of service towards people but their political influence and patronage.
Resultantly, the impact of an inter-party member transfer doesn’t go beyond the improvement and deterioration of the repute of a party. It’s ridiculous to see how some of the big political names hailing from affluent political families have changed their loyalties not once or twice but multiple times. Political allegiance and affiliations in Pakistan are a mere game of opportunity and predictions of the political pundits.
On a positive note, switching parties are strong indicators of popularity and its expected performance in the upcoming elections. On the contrary, the role of laymen amid the entire hustle remains that of a voter hoping for a better future by exercising the power of vote and unaware of the backend forces that have the real power.
Saad Raza
Published in The Express Tribune, August 30th, 2017.
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