An election poster rolls off a printing machine as Pakistan gears up for general elections, in Peshawar, yesterday.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has finally set an election date — May 11. And the political parties are not wasting any time.
This Saturday Imran Khan held a rally to demonstrate that he can still summon the numbers. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party emerged as a serious contender after a huge rally in Lahore in 2011, but the hype has since died down.
The rally took place at the same spot, the Minar-e-Pakistan monument in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous state. The mood was jubilant; people sang and danced as they waited for Khan to appear.
As always as Khan’s rallies, the crowd was predominantly made up of young people. Despite the rain that pelted the city, at least 100,000 people crammed into the park surrounding the monument to hear Khan.
His main support is from the middle classes, but despite his power to the people message, many elites have also taken up Khan’s cause. What if he actually empowers the masses?
Most of his supporters are first-time voters, disillusioned and desperate for change in a country wracked by an increasing terrorist threat, crippling energy shortages, and a flailing economy.
Khan reiterated his promises to end corruption and tyranny, and to always remain truthful. Although critics point out that these pledges are somewhat vague, the crowd lapped it up.
Khan said that the PTI manifesto would be released soon. As the downpour intensified, the excited crowd was eventually forced to run for cover, with placards being turned into makeshift umbrellas, and supporters wrapping themselves in their green and red PTI flags to keep the rain off.
The nearby Ravi Road came to a standstill as people swarmed out among cars, seeking cover.
The mood was one of hope. The desire for change is real and desperate, and people want to do something about it.
Several people have registered to vote for the first time — for Khan.
The important thing is that he represents a change, even if his policies are somewhat thin at the moment.
“It can’t be worse than what we’ve got,” one woman told me.
The enthusiasm may be there, but it seems unlikely that this will translate into the seats required to make Khan prime minister. Amongst large swathes of the population, apathy about the political process remains.
Currently leading in the polls is the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), headed up by Nawaz Sharif, whose party ramped up infrastructure projects in Lahore after Khan’s initial showing of support in 2011.
Internews
