Pak gears up for polls
NISAR AHMED THOKAR
Islamabad, Apr 8: With general elections just a couple of weeks away in Pakistan, the politico-religious parties seem frenziedly rehearsing to forge electoral alliances with like minded political forces so as to win majority of seats in the general elections, to be held in second week of May.
More than 200 parties registered in the Election Commission of Pakistan are contesting the polls. Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N and Tehreek-e-Insaf being the three main contenders in the elections enjoy huge support of the masses from all across the country. Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan Niazi’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which emerged as a leading political force on the country’s political landscape, is believed to be a potential threat to traditional stakeholders, the PPP and PML-N, which have ruled the country from time to time.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) that has been ruling the roost until yesterday is facing host of challenges so far as the current elections are concerned. Since the Bhutto-charisma is gradually fading away, the purported rifts within the party cadres and alleged “corruption and misrule” during last five years badly haunt the party leadership. Asif Ali Zardari being the president of the country is not entitled to run the election campaign and therefore the party has decided to bring in junior Zardari (Bilawal) to woo the voters. Regardless of shortcomings, the PPP still enjoys massive support in rural Sindh. During last elections the PPP bagged 30 National Assembly and 93 provincial assembly seats.
By and large, the general elections are viewed as a triangular contest between PML-N, PPP and PTI but given the fast changing dynamics of politics in the country it is almost impossible for a single party to gain majority in the elections.
More than 200 parties registered in the Election Commission of Pakistan are contesting the polls. Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-N and Tehreek-e-Insaf being the three main contenders in the elections enjoy huge support of the masses from all across the country. Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan Niazi’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, which emerged as a leading political force on the country’s political landscape, is believed to be a potential threat to traditional stakeholders, the PPP and PML-N, which have ruled the country from time to time.
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) that has been ruling the roost until yesterday is facing host of challenges so far as the current elections are concerned. Since the Bhutto-charisma is gradually fading away, the purported rifts within the party cadres and alleged “corruption and misrule” during last five years badly haunt the party leadership. Asif Ali Zardari being the president of the country is not entitled to run the election campaign and therefore the party has decided to bring in junior Zardari (Bilawal) to woo the voters. Regardless of shortcomings, the PPP still enjoys massive support in rural Sindh. During last elections the PPP bagged 30 National Assembly and 93 provincial assembly seats.
By and large, the general elections are viewed as a triangular contest between PML-N, PPP and PTI but given the fast changing dynamics of politics in the country it is almost impossible for a single party to gain majority in the elections.
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