Clash of the biradiris

Painful ironies

The dawn of October 31, 2015, saw another entrenchment of the basic pillar of democracy. Opinions might differ but the local bodies elections were another milestone in strengthening the ‘Nizam e Jamhooriat’ in Pakistan.

Different analysts have argued that the results of the election were a victory for some and defeat for other political parties. What majority of them fail to highlight is that local government election goes down to the grass-root level. Everyone and anyone is suddenly a politician and is a contender in the poll. Biradirism is the nucleus for any election in most parts of Pakistan. Punjab, however, witnesses the most influence when it comes to voting. A ‘Shah’ will only vote for a ‘Shah’, a ‘Jutt’ will only vote for a ‘Jutt’ there is no second opinion on such matters. A dramatic or emotional speech by an elder from the respectivebiradiri is sufficient consideration for the helpless voter who is in no way allowed to disagree and will eventually end up voting for whomever he is instructed to vote for.

Blaming any party or its leaders for defeat is very easy for a layman analysing the outcome on social media from the comfort of the living room, however one must understand that if three members of the same clan are contending then it does not matter whether they are waving bats, arrows or lions. What matters is the difference of a few numbers which decide their fate at the end of the day. Take for example Faisalabad where two groups belonging to the same party were in the run for local power. Moreover it was a matter of mere ego rather than the empty slogans of wanting progress in the country. Chakwal yet again is another example where the independent group led by Sardar Abbas succeeded in securing a majority hence proving party affiliations to be of little importance. It is pertinent to mention the defeat of various family members of sitting parliamentarians, which hereby seconds the argument that the dynamics of the LB elections are way different than that of the general elections. Urban cities might prove to be exceptions to this but what happens in the majority, which is the rural areas, is what matters the most.

As we mention the rural areas, I personally witnessed a prominent personality from the world of journalism and also very closely related to the famous ‘Chirya’ of Pakistan running door to door campaign and canvassing for candidates she had personally fielded in Shergarh Okara. May it be a personal quest for territorial popularity or a rift in the localbiradiri, the unbiased part of journalism was quashed in an instant by her as she was smiling down from the huge flexes and banners plastered all over the city. But will she be answerable to anyone? I think not. Because my friend you may criticise a politician, judge, businessman or anyone for that matter but you dare not question anyone from the media, you just don’t. And obviously the use of some official machinery is no big deal.

On a lighter note the role of the media in bringing forward the various violations of the code of conduct is commendable.

Sindh, on the other hand, has once again proved that haters are going to hate but ‘aj bhee Bhutto zinda hai’. Bhuttos are the only biradiri acceptable to the Sindhis. They have decided from time to time not to accept education and development but only Bhutto.

Government policy can lead to building of roads, introduce metro buses and create a bubble of development for people to see, but the concept of voting according to their respective biradiris screams out a clear lack of education. Obviously no one wants the masses to be educated enough to demand their rights freely, how else will the biradiris be ‘The Biradiris’.

Talking of change, Imran Khan may not be the desirable leader for many but due credit should be given when it comes to a slight change in the mindset. The participation of women voters in rural areas is and should be a reason to sigh of relief while we talk about progression. In a country where the greatest shame for an expectant mother was to give birth to a girl as eventually the girl would be buried alive by the father, this is progress.

Meanwhile, merely sugar coating the fact that the LB elections were a democratic achievement is in no way a permit to ignore the government’s incompetence in holding a free, fair and peaceful election. People are still crying out loud for Imran and Reham Khan’s divorce but I do not see any candle light vigil being held for the dozen people killed in Khairpur. The entire polling day was marred with reports of violence throughout Punjab and Sindh and as usual the PTI grievances of changed voter lists and all sorts of discrepancies remained unaddressed. Polling staff yet again was not sufficiently trained and is a clear indication that the N government couldn’t care less; not to mention a jailed convict securing a seat on a PML_N ticket.

The painful irony in this whole situation is that the masses are clearly happy with what they have and by voting again and again for the same people in exchange for roads and a few jobs for family members prove that long due change in the system is still due. With the exception of one, the entire chain of command running the country is flawed. Who is to blame? It is we the helpless citizens of Pakistan so used to being victimised by the powerful that we forget to stand up for what Quaid guided us to.