Reflections

This has been the first time i have closely observed the electoral process and i cant help marvelling at how smart MQM as a political party is. As a colleague remarked once, MQM has been able to do what Zionists have been able to do in Israel. Just like through decades of lobbying and campaigning, the Zionists have been able to equate anti-Zionism with anti-Semitism, MQM has been able to label anyone who is anti- MQM as being anti-urdu speaking. To be compared with the conspiratorious Zionists is actually a complement here and during 2013 elections, some of the moves of MQM has really left an impression on me. Another extension of this strategy has been the keeping of media and "anchor persons" constantly under pressure by complaining of their bias against MQM. For starters, the way they rigged the Karachi elections on May 11 is quite amazing. To have pulled off the act of ensuring that literally hundreds of polling officers wouldnt show up on the polling day in suspec...

Its just sad. Status quo again. Deja vu of the musical chairs that happened in the 90s. The disappointing performance of pti, yes disappointing, has popped the bubble that the urban voter is for non dynastic politics. It has dispelled the impression that we as a nation crave for idealism. The inkling that pakistanis will rise above ethnic lines to vote for parties based not on which ethnicity they represent but rather their stance on NATIONAL issues has proven to be a pipedream. The hope that a ballot box revolution will transform pakistan overnight has vanished. There will be no germany type hyper nationalism that will convert pakistan into a regional power despite all odds.  Pakistan will NOT rise from its ashes like the phoenix. How foolish were we to believe that facebook represented urban Pakistan. It will now be another five years of small incremental changes. The struggle of Imran Khan has been so long already that by the next elections, he will be 65 years of age. And...