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General elections 2024: A silver lining or a dark cloud

  • Aasma Wadud Aasma Wadud
  • Source: Al Mayadeen English
  • 20 Feb 2024 00:48
  • 6 Shares
4 Min Read

With the system and the status quo in Pakistan, the political canvas is flashing colors that have never been witnessed before.

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  • General elections 2024: A silver lining or a dark cloud
    The election results show that Khan's political ideology has penetrated the public deeply (Illustrated by Hady Dbouk; Al Mayadeen English)

In Pakistan's general elections in 2024, the people spoke loudly and clearly, but political stability was far from actualized in the nation of 126 million. Imran Khan-backed candidates have bagged the majority with 93 seats, followed by PMLN with 75 and PPP with 54 seats in the National Assembly. The scenario is becoming complex with every passing second as the minority parties are fancying power in correlation. Such a situation will add to the country's political turmoil as the masses will perceive it as a robbery of their mandate.

With the system and the status quo, on the one hand, and Imran Khan with a fragmented political party and without a party symbol, on the other, the political canvas is flashing colors that have never been witnessed before. With merely any political alliance, Imran Khan, as a political leader behind bars and booked in more than 200 politically motivated cases and convicted in three, has become a nightmare for the opponents and the power hubs. Khan remained steadfast, defiant, and resilient even after the assassination attempt, merciless political victimization, and imprisonment, amplifying the opponent's anxiety. 

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After Khan was ousted from power on April 9, 2022, with a no-confidence motion, Pakistan's politics has not seen a day of delight. Imran Khan is the pivot of the system, power hubs, and political status quo focus; Khan and the people of Pakistan have experienced the good, bad, and ugly of Pakistan politics together.

The election results show that Khan's political ideology has penetrated the public deeply. With KPK being his fulcrum, he has voters and supporters in the length and breadth of the country. Arrogating freedom of speech and fundamental rights has unprecedentedly strengthened the bond between him and his people. Meanwhile, PMLN and PPP have tried to convince the people that their vote is irrelevant as their deal with the power hubs is done. Khan's opponents aimed for a low turnout for success. They used power, tricks, tactics, pre-poll rigging, and propaganda to keep the turnout low. They feared people in the democracy they wanted to rule. 

PTI symbols were taken away by the Election Commission, vindicated by the Supreme Court on technical grounds. Taking away the party symbol could have been a fatal blow in the country with 58.9% literacy by making the voting process complex and inaccessible for voters who cannot write or read. This perception was proven false as well. 

The people of Pakistan took responsibility and exhibited that they were ready for democracy. They have taken the burden of searching for the PTI-backed candidate and voted for change, defying all odds. They have supported democracy by rejecting establishment-backed dynastic political parties. The general election of 2024 has shaken the foundation of Pakistan's corrupt and compromised democratic system. People's inclination is so apparent that Khan's opponents fear their political demise if they stand against this wave of change generated by the masses. Still, PMLN, the runners-up, according to the official election results, is aiming to secure power. PDM resurrection will not serve Pakistan's democracy and economy. Alienating Pakistanis from democracy will breed contempt among the people who renewed their vows to democracy despite blatant political victimization and violation of freedom of speech and human rights. It's time to view the bigger picture and make decisions based on the broader interest of the country. The people of Pakistan have set Pakistan's delayed democracy off track. Now, it's the responsibility of the political parties to recognize the people's mandate and complement their efforts irrespective of their interests or differences. The scenario of one against all is gradually transforming into all backed by the establishment against Khan, supported by the people of Pakistan. It won't serve a shackled economy, delayed democracy, and rapidly isolating Pakistanis. The riddles of Pakistan's politics are complex, but the establishment exhibiting wisdom to recognize the unrivaled people’s support for Imran Khan remains the silver lining that can anchor Pakistan out of the prevailing political turmoil. 

The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect Al Mayadeen’s editorial stance.
  • Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf
  • Pakistani Prime Minister
  • Imran Khan
  • Pakistan
  • Pakistani Army
Aasma Wadud

Aasma Wadud

Political analyst and commentator.

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