Pakistan heads for another power struggle?

 By DR. ABDUL RUFF

[Dr. Abdul Ruff Colachal, Educationist,  Chronicler of Foreign occupations & Freedom movements (Palestine, Kashmir, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Xinjiang, Chechnya, etc.) Chancellor-Founder of Centor for International Affairs(CIA); Specialist on State Terrorism ; Commentator  on world affairs & sport fixings, Expert on Mideast Affairs,Former university Teacher; Editor:INTERNATIONAL OPINION; Editor: FOREIGN POLICY ISSUES;  Palestine Times: RANDOM THOUGHTS; (http://abdulrubb.wordpress.com);  website: http://abdulruff.wordpress.com/ mail: abdulruff_jnu@yahoo.com]

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Poll politics in Pakistan has been intrigue. A NATO destablished Pakistan can have  too many problems to face even after the poll. 

Amid NATO attacks on its people and an ill-focused neighbor India seeking fully the Islamic nation, Pakistan's elected government completed its full five-year term March 17, an unprecedented development in a country that has seen four military rulers, the last of whom was Gen. Pervez Musharraf, now denied  permit to contest and put in Jail.

The past five years have seen political uncertainty with Yousuf Raza Gilani being forced to step down as prime minister and Pervez Ashraf succeeding him over the issue of writing to the Swiss courts to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. The elections are going to be held under a caretaker government with Mir Hazar Khan Khoso, a former judge of the country's top court, being made the caretaker prime minister.

A country of 180 million Pakistan is headed to general elections May 11 that will see 84 million voters, including 36 million women, exercising their franchise to elect 272 National Assembly general seats. Pakistan's parliament, according to the 1973 constitution, is bicameral. It consists of the president and two houses - the National Assembly and the Senate. The National Assembly has 342 seats, including 60 reserved for women and 10 for non-Muslims.

The parties battling it out include the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party. There are others too like the Jamaat-e-Islami, Awami Muslim League and the Pakistan Muslim League (Q). Imran Khan, who leads Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, held a mammoth rally in Lahore in 2011 that stunned foes and admirers alike.

The general elections saw Musharraf returning to Pakistan March 23, after over four years of self-imposed exile. Though he was keen to contest the elections, his nomination papers were rejected from four constituencies. He was subsequently arrested on graft charges and is under guard at his luxurious country villa just outside Islamabad, which has been declared a sub-jail. Pakistan military establishment expressed concern over Musharraf's arrest.

The youth will be the driving force of this election. A significant proportion of the electorate is made up of people under the age of 35. Nearly half of the 84 million registered voters - 47.8 per cent - are aged between 18 and 35, while 19.77 percent, or 16.88 million voters, are under the age of 26.

Now that  Pervez Musharraf  has left the poll field, announcing his boycott of the poll because he  has been  barred from contesting by election commission, polls  process has become less complicated, leaving the extra corrupt Zardari and Sharif  in the open field to fight it out. Cricketer turned politician Imran Khan might not play any role in post poll arrangement. . 

The post poll power struggle if there is no clear “winner” would be a different story and the Pakistani voters have no answer.

Role of military is important in any terrocracy, but  in Pakistan the issue is  quite complicated.

Yea, one has to wait and see  how the  poll politics unfolds in Islamabad.