Let Your Decision Be Analytical, Not Political
By Syed Wasim Zaidi
Redondo Beach, CA
Pakistan’s blooming population of young people is highly conservative, overwhelmingly pessimistic about the future and has a very low opinion of democracy, a study has found. With historic general elections weeks away, the survey commissioned by the British Council found the country's politicians will struggle to inspire an army of despairing first-time young voters, particularly as more than half of those surveyed do not think democracy has benefited them.
A h igher turnout makes the democratic governments more strong, and at the same time, makes governments more accountable to the people of the country.
In any democratic system voter turnout is the most common and probably most important indicator of the individual’s participation in the political process. Economic, demographic, cultural, natural, technological and institutional factors affect the turnout. However, one agreeable fact is that a higher voters’ turnout provides legitimacy to the election process and the elected government.
In the recent elections in Egypt more than 70% of the voters participated in the first and second stages of the elections. That shows the will and urge of the people to force a change in the country. Today, Pakistan is at a very crucial stage in its very short democratic history. Past experience has shown that most of the people in Pakistan do not take part in the elections, showing lack of faith in change through the electoral process. The highest voters’ turnout (55%) was observed in the 1955 elections.
Government, parliament and political parties are all held in overwhelming contempt by Pakistanis aged 18-29, while the army and religious organizations are the two most popular institutions in the country. The survey of 5,271 young people serves as a sobering reminder of the challenges posed by Pakistan's peculiar demographics where 46% of the population is aged between 15-29.
The troubled nation's vast youth bulge has been seen as a cause for optimism by some observers, with hopes pinned on a wave of young people pouring into the workforce in the coming decades that ought to trigger dramatic economic growth and development.
"Pakistan could be one of the first countries ever to grow old before it has grown rich," it said, pointing out that the country will start to age by mid-century.
It also makes depressing reading for the politicians gearing up for general elections on 11 May, when more than 30% of the electorate is aged 18 to 29. The survey found 94% who thought the country was heading in the wrong direction, with much of the blame laid at the door of the civilian institutions that have run the country since power was seized back from the army in 2008.
It said 71% had an unfavorable opinion of the government, 67% of parliament and 69% viewed political parties unfavorably. By contrast, 77% of young people approve of the army, while 74% were favorably inclined towards religious organizations.
Only 29% of young people believe democracy is the best political system for Pakistan. Military rule was preferred by 32% and Sharia law by 38%.
With 13m new votes up for grabs among an army of first-time voters, there is a "transformational opportunity for any party that succeeds in motivating young voters to go to the polls", the report said. However, only 40% are certain to vote.
Because fewer than half of young women are expecting to vote, the report branded housewives a "potential game-changer" if more of them could be inspired to take part in elections.
"Basically the ideal candidate to get the housebound women out is Margaret Thatcher in burqa," said Fasi Zaka, a columnist who was a member of the taskforce that helped produce the report for the British Council.
"They are fundamentally worried about their economic position and they are conservative, they want someone that talks about values."
According to the report, moderates and liberals are a minority among Pakistan's youth, with two-thirds of women and 64% of men describing themselves as religious or conservative.
Some commentators fear the most likely result of the election will be a hung parliament, or a shaky coalition led by one of the two established parties, that would struggle to deliver the economic growth and jobs that young people crave.
Our efforts are to demonstrate that low voter participation is not a path forward to change in our country. Higher participation of the common people in the elections and steps of the Government to make voting easy for everyone are the key factors to sustain democracy in Pakistan.
We sincerely hope to see a more active participation of voters in the electoral process and their higher turnout in the next elections.
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