The final countdown

Political parties have made their case. The stage is set, and tomorrow (Feb 8), around 120 million people will exercise their right to vote. Anyone who has closely monitored election campaigns in Pakistan can easily tell that this year, voters’ enthusiasm was a little low. Streets that used to be decorated by multiple party flags remained deserted until the end. This lack of enthusiasm could well be attributed to the country’s bleak economic condition, which has put enormous pressures on ordinary people, depriving them of the good mental health needed to participate in election campaigns. Political experts say that the PPP’s election campaigns were dynamic while the PML-N surprised many by starting its election campaign after mid-January. PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari started his election campaign way before other political parties. His campaigns were energetic and aggressive against the PML-N. Since Bilawal focused more on winning a seat from Lahore, in an attempt to gain back the PPP’s lost popularity in the province, Karachi missed the election fervour. In Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the sudden rise in terror activities forced parties to tone down their campaign activities; the two provinces did see sporadic jalsas. While personal attacks were a lot less than what the country witnessed last time, Bilawal’s ageist comments did not sit well with most people. Similarly, Nawaz Sharif’s personal attacks on KP voters were uncalled for.

The absence of the PTI from the political landscape was quite stark. The state’s response to the PTI has not just been disproportionate but also undemocratic. The breakdown of the party that started post the May 9 events became more apparent over the last few weeks, and the absence of the party’s founder was felt by almost all political parties. It also made a refreshing change to witness party leaders openly expressing that they were not happy about the absence of their political rival. This acknowledgement was starkly different from the attitude of the leading party in the 2013 elections which celebrated the imprisonment of political leaders. All in all, political parties did not promise anything new, and for most people, the promises made were a repeat of what they had been hearing for years. The manifestos also carried ambitious goals, not consistent with the current economic indicators.

The 2024 elections will forever be remembered by the efforts of tech-savvy PTI supporters to fight against all kinds of pressures. The use of AI to allow Imran Khan to campaign from jail surprised many political observers. The last-minute Supreme Court decision that deprived the PTI of its election symbol did not deter the party from continuing its election campaign. Workers set up a messaging bot to inform people about the election symbols allotted to its now-independent candidates. This smart use of technology and internet also lead to several internet disruptions that were largely seem as attempts by authorities to suppress the PTI’s voice – the relevant ministry denied all such allegations. Campaigns of smaller parties have also been interesting. Tomorrow when Pakistan goes to the polls, we will know which party’s campaign has had the most impact. We hope that the new government will finally bring the stability the country badly needs and take a firm pledge to help Pakistan against all challenges.