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Let’s not go very far. We start with the 2008 elections when Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) formed the government. Very soon after, the voters and supporters of PPP realized that the party was not in power and the real rulers were some other people. Similarly, when Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PMLN) won the elections of 2013, within a couple of months everyone came to the conclusion that they were not the real rulers, and the source of all the policies and orders was somewhere else.
The situation becomes ironical when people note that the name of those who are in power was not even mentioned on the ballot papers. The party in power is not listed among the political parties of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). It neither gets its symbol approved from the ECP.
There are many people who don’t want to vote for PPP, PMLN or, for that matter, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). They want to vote for the real rulers and want to see their names and their party printed on the ballot papers. Why should 200 million people be made part of a frivolous exercise in the name of democracy? Why should they be given only an illusion and not the real democracy? Why is this drama staged every five or ten years? Only to advance their own agenda?
But these people, whoever they are, are real magicians. They are capable of doing miracles. They can make a completely unknown person the leader of the house. The PMLN, only a year ago, was in such a comfortable position that everyone was predicting a clean sweep for them in the coming elections. But these magicians brought the whole party, together with its leaders, to their knees within a few months. Perhaps it’s their comfort and confidence that triggered them to play their games.
If we want to give democracy a real chance in this country then no one should take part in these fraudulent, engineered and preplanned elections. Never before in the history of Pakistan has this been more obvious than this time. Remember when Nawaz Sharif said that the ‘extraterrestrials’ (this word seems to be a better translation than ‘aliens’) have done pre-poll rigging and are manipulating the elections at micro as well as macro levels, the other two major parties supported his claims.
Instead of contradicting him, Imran Khan stepped forward and claimed, with some evidence, that the elections of 2013 were also like this. Syed Khurshid Shah of PPP went even one step further in his support and said that all the elections in Pakistan had been like this. So, this is at least something our three major political parties agree upon.
Compare this situation with the elections that are held in Indian occupied Kashmir. All our governments, civilian as well as military, have always expressed delight when the people there boycott these elections calling them fake and “drama”. Our armed forces and the people of Pakistan have always supported their stand and appreciated their decision of boycotting. This is the time to apply this principle in Pakistan also and our armed forces must support this stand. No one should cast vote in the elections they are convinced to be a drama staged for them. They should wait for the time they are free and fair.
Remember: this is the only chance for democracy. The argument that gradually things will improve and will take us to real democracy is completely flawed. No series of dramas and fake elections can lead the nation to true democracy. The only step forward, and the only chance for change is to take the firm decision and boycott all such elections. All of them; until they are free and fair. So, if you want real democracy, then don’t vote!
