Is the ballot stronger than the bullet?

By Yousuf Ibnul Hasan

Election 2024 was a dissatisfaction to the level of rejection, it was rigged, and a clear act of chauvinism against the majority, “the voice of the nation”. It was a selection of in-laws whom the majority consider as outlaws. The elected government of PTI was under-removed the planner's objectives were crystal clear to all, except the PTI leadership. Instead of a rational response against their political rivalries, PTI allows them to have loot sale of winning prizes to cover long financial losses of three years. PTI's attitude was like a game of chess between the eagle-eyed and eyeless.

The Election Commission, the Establishment and the Judiciary planned to weaken all political parties in Pakistan. They seem to be succeeding, with their conspiracies and interference to ensure that no party gets a majority in parliament. numerous voters came to vote with confidence in the democratic process.  

After five decades again the nation is disappointed with the attitude of the Armed forces and accuses the Election Commissioner, and Chief Justices of the Courts of Pakistan and Armed Forces, responsible for the three respective honourable institutions. Using immoral and abusive language, on the streets, processions and on social media is rising at a high pitch among common citizens. Social media is totally rebellion and crosses all limits of decency as the national media looks like "Puppet in the Chain".

In the decade of sixties, Pakistan gained the title of the Asian Tiger because of its strong economy and disciplined Armed Forces. Arab Muslim world faced an embarrassing situation when Israel knocked down the Arab power and put Egypt into a corner. But Pakistan's strength was the anxiety for Israel.

A caption appeared in the international press that Pakistan could be broken if the respect, faith and trust in Prophet Muhammad PBUH and Pakistan Armed Forces were eradicated from the hearts and minds of the people of Pakistan. India planned to remove both sprits and finally, after the election of 1971 though they proved transparent, the minority opted to rule and the majority was deprived of the right to form the government because of the Armed forces' favour for the minority, created a heat of hatred for Armed Forces of Pakistan and confidence for India instead of Allah among Bengalis. As a result, Bangladesh was created in East Pakistan which was the majority holding area of the election 1971.

Though 1971 the election was fair under the supervision of the Armed Forces, but ridding of Sheikh Mujeeb-ur Rehman, head of Awami League and the pampering of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of Pakistan People’s Party, resulted in a dilemma within thirty-three years after the creation of Pakistan.

In five decades Pakistan has faced a war situation. Around thirty-five thousand Armed Forces personnel and over one hundred and fifty thousand innocent citizens were killed in a proxy war between the USA, Russia and their allies on the soil of Pakistan. Economic sanctions and the treatment of Pakistan as a stepchild on the globe had developed nations put Pakistan into over-debt to loaning agencies at their terms and conditions. With all such negative factors, Pakistan became an Atomic Power and built itself as one of the strongest Armed Forces in the world with unbeatable, errorless secret services programs. Within handicap democracy in Pakistan, Mr Imran Khan emerged as the leader of the nation, and using his tongue, challenged all who helped in making Bangladesh.

This year's election 2024 in Pakistan is the second episode of the 1971 election and selection drama. Again the voice and choice of the nation were dug in the grave and discrimination was created towards the call, “Pakistan to be an independent nation”. These slogans become a threat to corrupt, greedy, and heartless democracy. The establishment lost its respect, the judiciary lost its trust, and the media remained without honesty, religion joined the power greed and the administration started acting like crazy dogs with stray teeth.

This election of 2024 has proven the long conspiracy to oblige India, but putting Pakistan in a condition to roll back its nuclear assets, totally depend on foreign charity and alms, away from Chinese friendship, a threat-free India and with Armed Forces to remain of giving the guard of honour to dignitaries, display parade as a weak and handicapped Armed forces and to create dependency on Indian products to be the consumption choice for Pakistani.

The 2024 election results, selected the minority parties to take over the highest office and the majority party leadership to be in jail, along with party force remaining hiding and missing persons in torture cells. Finally, Mr Shabazz Sharif took the oath as Prime Minister from President Asif Zardari for whom a few years back he promised to drag Mr Zardari on the streets of Islamabad. Honourable Chief Justice Supreme Court Mr Qazi Fayez Essa took oath from Mr Asif Zardari whom he had punished in the criminal case. This has created an unbelievable situation as the two enemies of democracy, both democratically become custodians of their common interest which shows the beauty of democracy and the real revenge of democracy with the people of Pakistan.

The two rivals have now entered into a bond of compromise as the election 2024 results forced both to support each other in forming the government for their survival against Mr Imran Khan. This power-sharing of two negative thinkers to each reflects the inimitableness of Pakistan's political democracy. This similar situation put Pakistan into two independent nations with new doubts about who will be the beneficiary of the new face of Pakistan if democracy remains the best revenge. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

The question that the 2024 election of Pakistan gives the nation to think about rights and responsibilities which are abused by the custodians of the state and honour, efforts for independence and sacrifices of elders, the rule, the constitution and law are no longer pragmatic on the same side of the line, how do the nation behave now? Revolutionary, rebellious or unscrupulous?

Abraham Lincoln was right for American democracy. But Pakistan’s democracy proves Abraham Lincoln wrong. It is “Bullet control the Ballot”?