The mood of society has changed in Pakistan General Election 2013

   By Shoaib Habib Memon

Pakistan General Election of 2013 will be the next election to the 14th parliament of Pakistan The government of Pakistan has announced elections to be held on 11 May 2013. 

If We observe the Figures of our Leaders it would hardly be surprising to realize that many Pakistani politicians are quite rich – but the magnitude of the wealth some of them have amassed might raise some eyebrows, if not alarms.

Some 90-million registered voters will select candidates to fill almost 1,000 seats in the National and Provincial Assemblies. The overwhelming majority of them could not even dream of attaining the wealth of some of the politicians they will be casting ballots for.

Consider the incumbent President Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, whose son, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, will lead the ruling Pakistan People’s (PPP) Party in the election.

According to various sources, Asif Ali Zardari is the second or third wealthiest person in Pakistan, with a fortune estimated at $1.8 billion at least. But that estimate, by Daily Pakistan, dates from 2005 – which means that by now, his riches are probably significantly greater.

Among other lucrative assets, Zardari (either directly or through front companies) owns at least eight properties in Britain (including a 365-acre, 20-bedroom luxury estate in Rockwood, Surrey), other properties in France, Dubai, a mansion in the U.S., several lavish homes in Pakistan, and stakes in sugar mills across Pakistan.

Zardari’s wealth is believed to have been greatly accelerated by his marriage to Benazir Bhutto, which granted him instant access to the highest levels of government and corporations, both domestic and international. After his wife became Prime Minister in 1988 .In 2007 alone, Zardari’s Swiss bank account reportedly received $60-million through offshore companies under his name.

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Zardari’s son, Bilawal, the new head of the PPP, does not face any criminal charges, and will likely inherit his father’s immense wealth. Bilawal could also become Pakistan’s next leader.

Another former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, who leads the principal opposition party, Pakistan Muslim League-N. (PML-N), also enjoys a very healthy bank account.

According to Daily Pakistan, Sharif’s family own assets estimated at a minimum $1.4-billion – apparently generated by their interests in steelmaking and paper mill businesses as well as land in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and the Middle East — making them the fourth wealthiest clan in the country. Sharif also owns a bewildering array of luxurious properties in Pakistan as well as stakes in companies from Lahore to London.

Sharif, who spent several years in the early 2000s in exile in Saudi Arabia, reportedly enjoys contacts with high-level government and business figures in the kingdom.

The dark horse candidate, former cricketer Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party is relatively poor compared to Zardari and Sharif, but he’s not starving.

Celebritynetworth.com estimates Khan’s fortune at $50-million. Part of that money likely comes from salary and endorsements he earned as a top-flight cricket star, but the majority likely hails from his landownership in Pakistan.

An even darker horse is former army chief and ex-President Pervez Musharraf ,Musharraf, who has recently returned to Pakistan after self-imposed exile in London and Dubai, is reportedly a billionaire, although the source of his wealth is a mystery.

According to a report in Pakistan’s News International newspaper, Musharraf has acquired a handsome portfolio of offshore bank accounts (in Dubai and UK) in addition to land he owns in Pakistan and elsewhere.

However, it is unclear how a man who did not come from a wealthy family and who lives on an army pension could have accumulated hundreds of millions of dollars.

A spokesman for Musharraf told the News that, unlike Sharif and Zardari, his boss does not hold any secret foreign bank accounts. In addition, he claimed that Musharraf earns money from speaking engagements around the world – citing that he and former US President Bill Clinton are among the highest paid speakers in the world.

Of course, Pakistan is not alone in having billionaires holding the levers of power. Russia’s President Vladimir Putin reportedly is worth some $70-billion, while Sonia Gandhi, the leader of India’s Congress Party (which makes her the de factor ruler of India) is also in the billionaire range.

Even in western countries, billionaires like Silvio Berlusconi and Mitt Romney have either led their states or tried to.But Pakistan is awash in poverty, which makes the wealth of its tiny political elite that much more extraordinary.

It will be Better Observation and Monitoring that The European Union offered to send its observers to Pakistan’s elections, in a bid to ensure a “peaceful, credible” vote that will be “acceptable” to all. “The EU looks forward to upcoming elections that are peaceful, credible, transparent, inclusive and acceptable to the Pakistani people,” EU foreign ministers said in a statement released after talks. The 27-nation bloc “is ready to assist by deploying an election observation mission, as a tangible sign of our support for the democratic process,” the statement added. The ministers also said they looked forward to re-energizing ties with the next government and hoped quick contacts could lead to a third EU-Pakistan summit. Pakistan responded by saying it will welcome a European Union election observation mission during the forthcoming general elections.“Yes, we will welcome the observation mission”, foreign secretary Jalil Abbas Jilani said.

A 110-member team from the European Union will observe Pakistan's elections. The European Union High Representative and Vice President of the European Commission, Ms. Catherine Ashton, has decided to authorize a European Union Election Observation Mission (EOM) to observe the elections. A member of the European Parliament will lead the 2013 EU EOM as its Chief Observer. The EU EOM team will include observers, experts, election analysts, political analysts, legal analysts, human rights analysts, media analysts and others

The US Ambassador to Pakistan Richard Olsen stated that the United States applauds democratic tendencies in Pakistan, expressing hopes that free and fair general elections would lead to peaceful transfer of authority from one civilian government to successor dispensation. Completion of the current term by a democratically elected government will be a milestone in Pakistan’s history

US officials have denied the general perception in Pakistan that the US government wants to influence the electoral process in Pakistan to bring in a friendly government. US Secretary of State John Kerry skipped a planned visit to Pakistan to avoid accusations of meddling in the May 11 elections. Spokesperson Victoria Nuland stated that the message the United States wants to send out during the election season is “we have no favourites among Pakistani politicians and we are looking forward to work with whoever is elected on May 11.” Secretary Kerry’s decision to skip Pakistan during his South Asia visit is an indication of Washington’s eagerness to maintain neutrality during the elections.

ECP Pakistan Playing a Transprency Role to Conduct General Election 2013.The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) summoned 24 former federal and provincial lawmakers on April 5 over the fake degree issue,

The cases of the former parliamentarians would be heard by Chief Election Commissioner Fakhruddin G Ibrahim.

The election commission has stepped up its action against those lawmakers who were involved in the fake degree issueafter the Supreme Court of Pakistan .

He also pointed out that 4,000 contestants did not even have National Tax Number (NTN) while 70% parliamentarians had never paid tax. He submitted that the ECP had not yet formed any procedure to reject the nomination paper of such aspirants. Representing the federal government, a standing counsel told the court that Article 62 could be applied on such contestants.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has announced that dual national Pakistanis will not able to hold positions in Political Parties of Pakistan.

According to the announcement of Election Commission of Pakistan, the Political Order 2002 will apply to the dual national Pakistani who are seeking or holding positions in political parties. According to the Political Order 2002 the dual national Pakistanis cannot contest the election in Pakistan.

In compliance with an order of the Supreme Court, the National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) has devised a software to help 4.5 million overseas Pakistanis to cast their votes in the coming general elections.

The $1.5 million software will help overseas Pakistanis in 15 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia, UAE, France and Australia, to vote at 150 polling stations. However, approval of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be required to prepare required legislation.

The government failed to solve or even marginaly reduce the problems faced by the working class and the poor. Poverty has increased, the prices of essential daily used items including food has skyrocketed, religious intolerance and militancy has increased, the energy crisis has worsened, the economy is facing the threat of a meltdown, the social crisis has intensified, and unemployment and hunger are on the rise. The life of ordinary working class people and the poor has become like a living hell in last five years. According to the new United Nations Development Progress Report, Pakistan stands in 146th place out of 186 countries on the human development index.

It is now equal to Bangladesh and just ahead of Angola and Burma. Pakistan has one of the lowest levels of investment in education and health-spending a mere 0.8% of GDP on health and 1.8% on education. Countries like India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and even the Democratic Republic of Congo spend more on education and health than Pakistan. This report says 49% of the population lives below the poverty line. The PPP led government has done nothing to improve the situation for the large swaths of the population.

On the one hand the working masses continue to suffer but on the other hand PPP leaders, their cronies and allies have become billionaires. The looting and plunder of state resources has reached unprecedented levels. One corruption scandal after another appeares in the media almost on daily basis. This undoubtedly was the worst performance of any civilian government in the history of Pakistan..

The mood in society has changed since the 2008 elections. In 2008, the vast majority of people wanted to defeat the pro-Musharaf forces. The people overwhelmingly voted in favour of the PPP, PML-N and other anti Musharaf parties. There were high hopes that the new democratic government will work for their betterment and welfare and would change the anti poor policies implemented by General Musharaf’s regime. The failure of the PPP led government dashed these hopes. These high hopes have turned into big disappointment. Even “democracy” has been brought into question.

 The working class and poor are facing more problems and worst nightmare under “democratic rule” than compared to the Musharaf era. some sections of the working masses might come out to vote in the coming elections but not with any enthusiasm and and with very little hope. Large numbers of people might not come out to vote and are likely to abstain. On average 55% – 60% of eligible voters stayed away from the elections between the 1988 to 2008 elections. That clearly means that a majority of the population has no trust on the election process or that it will resolve any of their problems. This time around the turn out might be bit higher. One factor is that some parties boycotted the last elections in 2008 but are now contesting the forthcoming elections.

According to the United Nations, 22.3 percent of the population of 180-million live below the poverty line.  The UN’s Human Development Index (HDIO) estimated that more than 60 percent of Pakistan’s population lives on less than $2 per day, while 22.6 percent live of less than $1.

There are some sections of society that still hope that change can be brought through the elections. These sections will come out to vote either for the Imran Khan led PTI or the Nawaz Sharif led PML-N. They will vote to prevent the PPP from coming back to power. Both the PTI and the PML-N will get protest votes from those sections of society who are disillusioned with the PPP and its allies.

Sources ;Figures Collected by different National News Newspapers.