Lahore, Pakistan: 10 days are left in holding General elections 2018 in Pakistan and silent voter still feels that elections are being held among elites, feudal landlords, billionaires and electable turncoats while offering nothing to common man.
Dispatch News Desk (DND) News Agency conducted a survey in streets of three major cities of Pakistan—Lahore, Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Karachi. Target group was those voters who were not active in supporting any political party. Target age group was 18 to 60 year while target educational background was 5 years in school to 16 years in educational institutions. Journalists, former bureaucrats, teachers, professors, businessmen, working women, shopkeepers and students were contacted and asked to express themselves about forthcoming General Elections 2018 with a commitment of not disclosing their identity. 200 persons were interviewed in six days (July 8 to July 14, 2018).
The pulse of common man (Silent voter) indicates that Elections 2018 would not result any change in Pakistan unless:
- Cessation of interference of non-elected state institutions, judicial and accountability institution is not ensured
- Strict enforcement of code of ethics for the candidates, political parties, state officials performing various election duties and the media is needed
- Political parties must refrain from abusive exchanges, hate-speech and mudslinging.
- Banned sectarian and jihadi outfits and the extremists placed in fourth schedule must immediately be barred/disqualified from contesting elections and all sectarian and hateful campaigns be banned.
- Excessive use of money beyond expenditure limits be strictly observed and violators be restrained and punished.
- No voter be denied his/her right to vote; rather, whoever tries to restrain any section of the electorate, be they women, minorities and displaced people or those affected by law and order disturbances, from former FATA and Baluchistan in particular, be restrained and punished; rather, full protection be provided to those who are under pressure to vote or not.
- Buying and selling of votes must be strictly prohibited.
- Election Commission of Pakistan must assert its authority and take all possible measures to ensure a free and fair election and ensure an even playing-field for all political parties. It must take measures to educate and facilitate voters to vote, including provision of official transport to the voters.
- All restrictions, visible or unvisible, on mainstream media and social media be lifted since a fair and free election is not possible without a free media and freedom of expression san hate-speech.
- Independent election observers, including local and international, be fully facilitated to monitor fairness of elections.
- All state institutions and all officials in the service of Pakistan must keep their oath and subservience to the Constitution, since its violation during the elections damages the credibility and sanctity of the institutions and they must submit to the authority of the Election Commission of Pakistan.
- All personnel, be they judicial, civil or military on election duty, must obey the directives of the Election Commission of Pakistan in its efforts to ensure free and fair elections.
Results of General Elections 2018 would not be accepted by common man who can do nothing against anybody but this common man is the real future of Pakistan.
