A sojourn, at a dusty roadside tea stall, in a small town of south Punjab, offered me an interesting opportunity to gauge local opinion about the upcoming elections. It has become a norm that whenever few Pakistanis get together, political corruption and economic mismanagement becomes the focal point of their conversation.
Grouching about the current state of affairs, the folks, at the tea stall, started discussing the electoral strategies of local politicians and their chances of success in the May 11 elections.
Surprisingly, years of trials and tribulations failed to teach them anything and they still cling on to the same clans, families and same old choice of candidates. Confused at the irony, I asked one of the fellows present there: "If you people continue electing the same leadership, how would things change?" After a deep pause, he said that though his candidate has been elected before, but this time if he is elected, he would, surely, change the conditions of his constituency.
It dawned on me, that, perhaps, politically we are suffering from some kind of lunacy or insanity. After all, insanity is as Albert Einstein defined it: "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
We all criticise the politicians, the way they run the affairs of the state, but when it comes to elections, we vote for the same people, though expecting different results. If we don’t change our political preferences, and don't use elections to hold elected officials accountable, then how can we expect politics in Pakistan to change.
Indeed, the 2013 elections would be a litmus test for our political maturity, offering us a valuable chance to redeem our political sins, by judicious and responsible voting. Right now, we are in political and economic abyss, and negligent voting would push us further down this dark and gaping hole.
In this pessimism, two trends bring hope, something that can make the outcome of this election different from the previous ones.
The first encompasses the demographic shift, the entry of thirteen million, highly dissatisfied young voters, who want a different Pakistan. According to a recent survey, conducted by the British Council, around 70 percent of Pakistani youth has an unfavourable opinion of the government, Parliament and political parties, with just 30 percent favouring democracy as the best political system. This new voter is a major challenge for traditional political parties, as it has the potential of shaking the status quo.
The second notable trend is the efflux of political activism in educated, urban - middleclass that in the past has kept itself aloof from the electoral process. These currents have begotten the demand for a new kind of politics, a demand that all parties are trying to fulfil, by adjusting their manifestos and slogans.
Only God possess the power of divination, but an educated guess can be made about the outcome of the elections. During the present electoral campaign, the PPP remains elusive, but in Sindh, it still is the first preference among the voters. In Punjab, the urban and rural split may frustrate attempts by any single party to obtain a comfortable majority, leading to a coalition arrangement.
Anyway, we should vote responsibly, if we want our political fortunes to change and democracy to prosper. We cannot change the appearance of Pakistan, if we keep on voting for the same faces. As Franklin Delano Roosevelt said: "Democracy cannot succeed, unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely."
A better approach, would be to evaluate candidates carefully in our constituencies, and choosing a better alternative, regardless of his political affiliation. When political parties have similar record, and their agendas appear to be taken from the pages of the same book, then it is wiser to vote beyond party lines.
Commenting about democracy, George Bernard Shaw wisely said: "It is a device that insures we shall be governed no better than we deserve." We deserve, whom and what we vote for. Voting for the same people repeatedly, or abstaining from it, and just complaining, will not change our condition. It is time we learn from the past and fully participate in elections by stamping on the right choice.
The writer is a freelance columnist and has worked as a broadcast journalist.