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General Elections in Pakistan: Elections Yes, Democracy Not Yet!

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General Elections in Pakistan: Elections Yes, Democracy Not Yet! 14 panorama DHAKA, FRIDAY MAY 24, 2013 panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama panorama General elections in Pakistan: Elections yes, democracy not yet! he general elections on ed. The 2013 elections, with the elections. But, as in 2008, cratic requirements free and process. Most noteworthy is a higher voter turnout. elections were an outstanding May 11 constituted the respect to the electoral cam - the big question remained: will fair political participation is a the selective targeting of can - In this context we have to expression of this trend. The first ‘regular’ transfer of paigning process and the elec - the increase in female voters condition sine qua non. This didates especially through stress that taking the results of Taliban were threatening par - power between two civilian tion day itself, were the blood - and candidates translate into means that universal and direct physical attacks. Being the 2008 General Elections, ticularly secular political par - governments in Pakistan. iest elections in Pakistan’s his - a higher female voter turnout? active suffrage, passive right confronted with potentially which was around 44%, as a ties before the electoral cam - Undoubtedly, this is a mile - tory. More than 200 Pakistanis And, will Pakistan see split fam - to vote (meaning the eligibil - life-threatening situations, a point of reference does not paigning and were also attack - stone in the country’s che - lost their life and at least 700 ily voting (i.e. different voting ity for election), and political large number of the leading help at all. The 2008 election ing them during respective quered political history, and got injured. behaviour within a house - as well as civil rights must be politicians did not, or only very with its very specific context, public campaign events. In the therefore it does not come by Next, there was the so-called hold)? And will the PTI with its guaranteed. Subsequently, limitedly, join the public cam - especially the prevailing deep primary focus of their activi - surprise that this event was Imran Khan-phenomenon. woman’s wing be able to bank there must be the opportuni - paigning of their parties. This mistrust regarding potential ties were the PPP, ANP, and caught up in an extraordinary The cricketer-turned-politician on this? ty given to formulate freely is a severe challenge towards manipulations, is not compa - MQM. In contrast, political way the media’s attention in and his political party PTI To sum up, the overall ques - opinions, interests and free and fair political compe - rable in this direction. Second, parties which were recognized Pakistan, South Asia as well as emerged as an ‘unknown fac - tion is how much this election demands. Most important tition. Especially in a Pakistan the fact that there was a threat as having a so-called‘soft cor - on a global scale. The walk of tor’ which gained increasing might be a key for change and therefore is to ensure the right which is marked by an extraor - or the possibility of a life- ner’ towards the Taliban, who around 60 per cent of Pakistan’s popularity during the cam - may or may not lie down the of freedom of speech as well dinary cult of personality, threatening situation is already are willing to negotiate with DR. SIEGFRIED vote bank to the ballot for the paigning period, especially foundation for a more stable as the right to association and beside mass communication enough to define a challenge the Taliban and are working 14th National Parliament as among the urbanised, young future of Pakistan. demonstration in the public trough cell phones, comput - towards the right of exercising towards the stop of the drone O. WOLF well as for the provincial and new voters. Before having However, even though these arena. Democracy is also char - ers and TV the personal inter - the active suffrage. attacks like Imran Khan’s PTI assemblies was portrayed by an accident during his last general elections constituted acterised by the existence of action between candidates The third indication that or Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N got enthusiastic observers as an public event, he carried out a Pakistan is not a liberal largely spared. The tactics of event which could function as vigorous campaign which democracy is that there are the Taliban in this direction the greatest game changer in gained much publicity in the serious doubts regarding the were actually pretty clear: to Pakistan’s political landscape. media, and therefore made the realization of the universal suf - polarize and divide the civil - Regardless of this artificial established political forces frage. In other words, it ian political landscape either atmosphere of democratic nervous. Nevertheless, one of remains difficult to identify pro or against them. However transition created by the party the latest pre-poll surveys whether the implementation this means also that the leaders during the campaign - came to the finding that 28 per of gender equality in the polit - expression of an opinion ing period, analysts are now cent of the Pakistanis still did ical sphere has been ensured which was not in favour of or starting to evaluate the reality not know Imran Khan. This yet. The 37.5 million Pakistani at least neutral towards the on the ground on the basis of was the highest ‘don’t know women that were registered Taliban or other religious fun - the official results which are response’ regarding Pakistan’s for voting make up 41 per cent damentalists had serious con - THE GENERAL becoming increasingly avail - leading politicians. This made of the country’s female vote sequences – risking one’s own able. Due to the relatively it difficult to assess the PTI’s bank. However, Pakistan’s life and property! ELECTIONS ON MAY 11 active Pakistan Election impact on the election out - female population amounts Finally, the fact that the mil - Commission (EPC) and the come. Much linked with the to around 49 per cent, which itary did not intervene in the CONSTITUTED THE FIRST various international institu - Imran Khan factor was the means that approximately 10 electoral process did not mean ‘REGULAR’ TRANSFER OF tions and organisations appearance of the youth and million women did not get that civilian control is estab - observing the elections, fore - new voters as an unknown ele - registered for voting. Demands lished. POWER BETWEEN TWO most the European Union ment in the country’s vote for the increase of reserved Holding elections were def - CIVILIAN GOVERNMENTS Election Observation Mission bank. The question which seats for women in the initely a step forward in (EU EOM); or the Free and Fair emerged was – do they vote at National Assembly as well as strengthening civilian self- IN PAKISTAN. Election Network (FAFEN), or all. If so, will they break out of in the provincial assemblies confidence but at the same UNDOUBTEDLY, THIS IS A Reporting Democracy traditional, family or commu - got ignored by the political time it definitely did not pro - International (DRI) increas - nity orientated voting behav - leadership. vide a major boost to the MILESTONE IN THE ingly more data are becoming iour or will they go to ballots There is also not much notion of civilian supremacy, available – in addition to the for a protest vote? improvement when it comes as perhaps was hoped for. COUNTRY’S CHEQUERED tremendous amount of infor - Fourth, also an element of a very big step in the right individual rights of protections and the electorate is of crucial to the inclusion of women in There is still no formal civilian POLITICAL HISTORY mation provided by the unpredictability was a rein - direction, it is argued here that which means in practice the significance. the internal decision making control over the armed forces. Pakistan’s domestic and inter - vigorated and relatively active Pakistan is still relatively far grant of protection of life, free - The moderate success of the process of political parties nor Decision-making in signifi - national media. Election Commission. Most away from being a fully-fledged dom and property. This cov - PTI, which spent substantial to the option to set up inter - cant policy fields will be still However, to begin with, from noteworthy, the Commission democracy. Elections are after ers also the protection against efforts in mobilizing voters nal elections for female can - influenced by the military. A a retro-perspective point of was able to overhaul the com - all a vital ingredient of democ - terror, torture or undue inter - through the internet, can be didates. In consequence, the statement by General Kayani view one has to state that the plete list of those eligible to racy, but it is most definitely vention into personal life, both seen as a strong indication opportunity for Pakistan’s regarding the role of Islam in 2013 elections were highly vote. Therefore 37 million not the only ingredient that on behalf of the state and on thereof. However, the threat - female citizenry remains still the country’s politics as well unpredictable. Due to numer - bogus names got removed and makes a democracy . And behalf of private or anti-sys - ening of the candidates deter - much limited to aggregate as the role of the armed forces ous old and new‘wild cards’, it 36 million new names were therefore Pakistan’s prospects temic forces like the Taliban mines clearly a limitation of their interests via female politi - makes clear who continues to was very difficult to forecast a added. In addition to that, the for democracy, peace, and sta - and other religious funda - the rights of freedom of expres - cians and parliamentarians call the real shots after the elec - credible outcome of the polls. Commission drew attention to bility should not be exagger - mentalist groups.
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