Supporters of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose opposition party is being tipped to do well in today’s elections, rejoiced noisily today.
But there has been little for anyone in Pakistan to rejoice about recently.
The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has cast a shadow over these elections.
A reminder – if Pakistanis needed it, of the increased violence that has gripped their nation.
In the past year more than a thousand people have been killed in suicide bombings.
Political rallies have been a favourite target for those intent on killing the democratic process.
Policemen here were taking no chances today keeping a heavy, armed presence.
And on nearby rooftops marksman kept a watchful eye as the party faithful performed at full throttle.
Despite all the sound and fury of the build up to these elections, the reality is most people in Pakistan won’t be voting.
Barely forty percent of voters turned out last election; even lower numbers are predicted for today.
One woman told us she was too scared of being caught in Election Day violence to cast her ballot.
Many others have little faith in politics and politicians.
Cricketing hero Imran Khan shares voter’s disillusionment, but thinks anger will triumph over apathy.
“Poverty has risen, unemployment has grown, inflation has really hit the lower classes… I feel that if people come out to vote they will not so much go out to vote for the opposition parties manifestos but they will out to vote against Musharraf and his party,” Imran Khan says.
He says only a miracle will keep the President’s men in power.
“Well if Musharraf’s party does well it’ll be the mother of all rigging and never would you have seen such ingenious rigging because how can a party that has less than ten percent of the vote, how can it win the election,” Khan says..
A more ominous question, should opposition parties feel cheated, is: what would happen next?
Leave Your Comments