Election jubilation missing as inflation haunts people

Voters, party workers alike feel abandoned as coalition government, PTI get ready for polls face-off

LAHORE:

Yet another byelection day is upon Punjab but this time around the excitement to stamp the ballot has fizzled out amongst voters, replaced instead by a feeling of despair regardless of who is in charge.

Having been postponed once already, polls are set to be held for the seats which became vacant either due to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members defecting in the Punjab Assembly or resigning en-masse from the National Assembly.

The contests for the provincial assembly will be held in Sheikhupura, Bahawalnagar, Khanewal Sehwan and in Faisalabad, Nankana Sahib, and Multan for the National Assembly. Despite the polls being an indicator of who currently holds more popularity, the PTI or the coalition government in the centre, campaigning has not been as enthusiastic as it was for the Punjab by-polls held back in July.

While one reason for this is the monsoon flooding that has devastated the country, the other as per Salman Abid, a political analyst, is the growing distrust in the populace for all politicians. “The country’s democracy is in a severe state of decline due to the economic conditions and political polarizations,” he opined. Abid was of the view that issues like the lack of local government to assist in delivery and provincial governments not being held accountable for subjects they had complete control over, had been swept under the rug.

“These issues are a direct result of poor systemic governance. No one seems to have an answer for how flood affectees will be rehabilitated or how increasing electricity and gas prices will be brought down. Since there are no answers, people think that casting a vote will not resolve their issues.”

Apart from voters, even workers of political parties are dissatisfied, with some claiming that once in power all parties choose to ignore them.

Dr Qais Aslam, an economist based in Lahore, feels that the sense of despair amongst voters and party workers alike is due to the high inflation.

“People are tired of the charged political climate created by the coalition government and the PTI. The people only want electricity prices to go down, petroleum products to be cheaper, and for them to be able to afford three meals,” Dr Aslam explained, adding that it would not come as a surprise to him if voter turnout was low.

However, Omar Sarfaraz Cheema, who has recently been appointed as Advisor to Chief Minister on Home Affairs, disagrees. Cheema believes that people know that the real source of their misery are the ‘anti-people’ policies of the federal government which has refused to support the Punjab government.

“The people of Punjab have complete faith in PTI and will turn up in great numbers to support Imran Khan. Everyone knows that only the PTI can fix this mess,” said an optimistic Cheema. Azma Zahid Bukhari, spokesperson of the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) in Punjab, on the other hand, believes that Cheema’s hopes of a PTI win are misplaced. “After the audio leaks, the whole nation knows the reality of the PTI and Imran Khan,” she remarked.

Bukhari was of the view that PML-N voters will come out in huge numbers and carve out wins for the party across Punjab. “However, this election should not have taken place as one PTI candidate is contesting from all seats. If there is a re-election it would be a massive dent to the already burdened national exchequer,” Bukhari told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2022.