Pre Poll Predictions

Three countries in South Asia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and India are holding elections this year. Elections in Bangladesh have already taken place. Pakistanis go to polls tomorrow (8^th of February 2024). This will be the 12^th time that elections to the national and provincial assemblies are being held in the country. Each election has brought about results that have significantly affected the lives of the people of this country. The next polls will be no different.

As an optimist I sincerely hope that it will bring about positive changes in our country. First and foremost, the mere fact that the polls are being held clearly signifies that despite the hiccups and inherent flaws in the system, the country has a modicum of democracy that allows the people to exercise their right to freely choose their representatives. Secondly, it gives the political parties a chance to present their manifestos to the people, no matter how outlandish or ambitious these may be; and thirdly, it provides the political parties a chance to fulfill their promises. It is quite another matter that the politicians often fail to deliver on their tall promises.

All political parties have experienced the pitfalls in the existing system. They are quite aware that the system needs a major overhaul and that significant course corrections are required. This will only be possible through earnest and serious legislation. All the mainstream political parties have been through the rough and tumble of elections. They have won and lost elections in the past. All these parties have gone through the school of hard knocks and have their share of painful experiences. If their leaders have any sense, they will accept the result of the polls with tolerance if not good grace. For the system to survive, they will have to give the new government space to grapple with the challenges that the nation faces. They should, if they have the patience, give the winning party or parties a chance to succeed. It would do them no harm, if they wait for the next elections, which in a parliamentary system are always just around the corner.

In my opinion this time over the political parties will be careful of not upsetting the political applecart for petty transient gains and will not let the non-parliamentary forces occupy or reoccupy the space that is truly theirs. This may appear wishful thinking but this is the only way to strengthen the system and to be true to the aspirations of the voters, who have chosen them.

Democracy is a system that is supposed to be for the people, by the people and of the people. Unfortunately, this pure and unadulterated form of democracy is not practiced in its truest form anywhere in the world. Yet we know that democracy in certain countries is performing better than other countries. These countries mainly in the West have better governance architectures, then those under modern autocracies such as dictatorships and monarchies. They are more acceptable because of their system of accountability. We are very far from that blissful era, when things work optimally and systems are people friendly. Tomorrow’s election will be a baby step in the direction of a producing better means to govern our country. It will in a small way eliminate some politicians, who have consistently failed to deliver. It will throw up some new leaders, who will in times to come prove to be better leaders than those who had been in the positions of leadership in the past. 

I am quite confident that tomorrow’s election will give a positive boost to our imperfect democracy, and that a new generation of leaders will in times to come lead us on the path of development and progress.