For the rich

In our country, the elections have always remained subject to controversies and conspiracies. The much-trumpeted fair general elections of 1970 were also not so transparent after all. Even then, the opposition parties blamed each other and called out the irregularities in the election process. These allegations, to some extent, were true. One has been of the opinion that the possibility of a fair democratic process in a country like ours is quite low.

In Pakistan, politics is a game of the rich and powerful who exploit the poor and marginalised and use them as pawns. Those who have money and blessings of powerful forces get the less privileged to be on their side to gain power and then forget them conveniently. One wonders if we will ever have a system where people can really choose their representatives. Until that time, we will keep seeing the same old plot being repeated, resulting in a substantial increase in the wealth of the powerful at the cost of the poor people of Pakistan.

Raja Shafaatullah

Islamabad