In a world gone mad

Today, all major papers had an advertisement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of Pakistan telling the people that this time ELECTIONS will be FREE and FAIR, TRANSPARENT and PEACEFUL.
Its really music to the ears but we are not living in Utopi, but Pakistan where the basic necessities of life itself are in short supply and the fear of meeting up a suicide bomber is more likely than casting your vote and coming back safe and sound. So, in all this chaos, our government wants us to be brave to go to the polling stations and vote for our future leaders. Those leaders who claim to be the answer to our problems. What they don’t realize or want to realize is that they are the cause of all our misery. The stupidity of our president is enough for the time being and electing another fool would be like hitting the last nail to the coffin.

With the government making tall claims of holding “free and fair” elections this time around and their Attorney General having an opposite point of view, it seems unlikely that the people of Pakistan will be coming in large numbers to the polling booths to cast their votes. The last elections held in 2002 had a turn over of 41.74% according to government officials. That was when we had less bombings, law & order was better and people needed a future. Now, it seems all is in vain, so we can accept even less participation of the people in the process. The people have given up of any hopes of a brighter future, especially from the present political parties. They realize that changing faces is not the answer to their problem, but rather changing the system. So, whom our Mr. President usually calls “the silent majority” will not be voting to show disgust at the system. If our President can come up to his senses and see what the people want, maybe we can move forward.

Today is the last day of electioneering and all campaigns will come to hold at 12 am on the 16th of February 2008. This elections has been the most dull in terms of the contenders communicating with their voters directly. 1 reason being that the masses are least concerned about the elections as they have other pressing issues at hand. Like, how to get wheat for their family. When will gas come to their stoves so that they can cook their meals? Electricity! When will load shedding stop by the way? We are still not sure. So, in these circumstances, the people’s concern over who will win or lose the elections is secondary.

(In picture: The supporters of two opposing candidates dance together)