New trends in politics

In the last couple of years, we have witnessed new trends in the field of politics, which have not only brought new class of voters but also changed the dynamics of our political culture. As 2017 is the electioneering year, we may see rise in voters’ percentage and more aggression in the campaigns.

Definitely, it will have an impact on the next general elections particularly in the post-Panama scenario, which is a non-issue for the ruling PML-N, but a game-changer for the opposition.

Allegations are being traded regularly, which at times turn into character assassination. Politics had matured when Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif signed the 'Charter of Democracy’, which laid the foundation of showing tolerance and burying the past. However, the credit for the new trends in politics goes to Imran Khan.

The new trends include change in the style of politics, protest, use of modern means of communication in which the most effective remains the use of 'twitter’, and other means of social media, which also saw decline in politics of violent agitation. Various religious parties, including those who still don't consider democracy as a means to change the government and stay away from elections, are using private TV channels and social media quite effectively for running their ideological campaigns.

The electronic media remains the 'hallmark' of changing trends and, at times, are even divided in pro- and anti- camps. What we lack is a debate like that of the US presidential campaigns, in the media. The media not only helps in raising political consciousness but also makes ministers and legislatures more accountable. With the passage of time, one expects more maturity both in the media and among masses.

If we are to name one politician has used the media most effectively is veteran Sheikh Rashid Ahmad and Dr Tahirul Qadri. The use of media though brought politics to drawing-room, but because of its huge reach, proved to be more effective.

Now, if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) manages some 'check and balance’, on the media publicity through paid advertisement and use of resources, it will help in positive use of the media.

The new voting trend and the new voters had surprised many in the 2013 elections and caused major dent in the myth of two-party contest between the PPP and the PML-N.

This changing trend not only surprised the PPP but also the MQM in Karachi and the PML-N.

For the first time, families went to the polling stations and thousands of them voted for the first time. All this not only generated interest but also proved to be a challenge for mainstream parties.

No wonder the results surprised the party like MQM in Karachi, when relatively new party like the PTI got eight lakh votes in the port city, the MQM stronghold. Similarly, it surprised the PML-N in Punjab and Awami National Party (ANP) and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

A record number of new votes were cast in the last elections and the recent report of the ECP showed that a large number of new votes had been registered. If the overseas Pakistanis are given a chance, the number of percentage can create new record of voting percentage. Modern means of electioneering like political songs were most effectively used by the PPP after the return of the late Benazir Bhutto in 1986, for the first time. Leading singers like Salman Ahmad, Abrarul Haq, Esa Khelvi and others were not only seen performing in public meetings but some of them also joined politics.

Initially, Imran faced criticism both from secular and liberal parties as well as from religious parties for making politics non-serious through songs and dances, but, later on, the trend forced others to adopt some of these means to draw the media attention.

While politics no more revolve around the ideological basis of 'right and left’, except for among intellectuals, it has become more personalised and character-assassination, rather than issue-oriented.

The means of protest have also changed and it was good to see that instead of burning buses and public properties, wheel-jam strike, the political parties now stage 'dharnas’. However, there has been decline in participation of people in public meetings.

Similarly, there has also been decline in the arrest of political workers, putting political leaders under detention in isolation camps or in solitary confinement. However, for the first time the international human rights bodies have raised the issue of putting some MQM-London workers in custody without any charge.

In 2015 and 2016, there had also been incidents in which political workers had been killed in custody. But, if one compares it with the days of former military dictators like General Ziaul Haq or even the Bhutto regime, there is remarkable improvement.

One expects large-scale participation in public rallies and meetings in 2017 and 2018, being the election years.

The PPP-led opposition in the Senate played a historic role in keeping a fine ‘check and balance’. Senate Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani gave the upper house of the parliament a new look, and quality debates were witnessed there on major issues.

There has been criticism of the performance of National Assembly, but a closer look clearly shows that its performance has not been as bad as it appears, specially keeping in view the handling of the year 2014 dharna.

While the PML-N believes that its focus will be on development schemes including metro, orange-line train and motorway and resolving issues like load-shedding, the campaign of the opposition, led by the PTI, would revolve around alleged corruption of the Sharif family.

Irrespective of the fact that the PML-N considers Panama leaks as a non issue, the Supreme Court decision would change the dynamics of politics in the next elections.

Whether it was because of Imran Khan's personality charisma or due to bad performance of the PPP-led government of former president Asif Ali Zardari, the fact remains that the last elections witnessed massive participation of educated middle class in the mainstream politics, particularly its youth and women.

While the PPP cited threats from Taliban as one of the causes of its defeat in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the Pakistan media played an important role in some of the changing trends.

New trends have not only brought more colours to politics but also created a moderate view of democracy. It also increased competition among the parties. Whether it will also change the results would be interesting to watch in next general elections.

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang.

Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO