The year 2013 is not only a big year for elections but is also an important one for me as I will hopefully vote for the very first time that year. As time is moving on, the nervousness and anxiety is building up as to who I am going to vote for. Watching the talk shows, it seems that nobody is the option and every politician is corrupt. But if I were to adopt such a rigid attitude, my right to vote would go in vain so I’ve got to be flexible. Thus, I decided to weigh the prospectives namely PPPP, PML(N), PML(Q), MQM and PTI.
Where the PPP is concerned, it is a straightforward no for me as they have ruined this country in their present tenure and I will not allow them one more chance to carry out the destruction. PML(Q) is another straightforward rejection as they were the allies of the dictator Musharraf.
MQM’s role has been confusing in the present government which has caused them to lose my vote at least. Now, as there are only 2 options left, the decision might be easy to make but it gets difficult when both the options are already rejected.
PML(N)’s emergence from a dictatorial womb and their current opposition role are big question marks but the latter is possibly the main reason why I shall not vote PML(N). PTI’s leader Imran Khan may be the young ones’ favourite but his loss of credibility over the Musharraf deal and his political naiveté and immaturity rule him out, at least in my to-vote-for list.
It seems we are at a deadlock here: I can’t abstain from voting but there is nobody I can vote for. What is the solution? We can’t continue to vote for the same parties over and over again and give them repeated chances to destroy this country. The solution lies in self-effort and hard work. Not only must we participate more actively in politics, we must also enter it professionally. Only when we hold our leaders accountable and invest ourselves in the process, will the tide turn and churn leaders worthy of our votes.
Despite the darkness in the present, I see a bright future that will be due to the sheer effort of the masses.
MAJID TAIMOOR
Lahore