The Jinnah Park locality in Gulberg II wears a fresh look after the streets were carpeted in the last week of December.

“Thanks to the election season, our sewerage line as well the roads have been fixed,” says Syed Ali Shah, a resident of the area. “Elections are a blessed event; the time when our voices get heard, and some of our problems resolved.”

In many neighbourhoods of the city, voters are raising their voices to highlight the challenges they face in the lead-up to the 2024 elections. As they prepare to cast their votes, they are aware that this is the time when their concerns can be heard and addressed.

Muhammad Hassan Ishaq, a resident of Makkah Colony in Gulberg, says all candidates should address economic challenges that their voters are facing with on a daily basis. “Jobs are scarce; and inflation has hit us hard. The rising prices of essential commodities are making it difficult to make ends meet,” says Ishaq, a low-grade banker. However, he says, it may be pointless discussing the economy with an individual candidate. It is better to talk about the state of infrastructure: potholed roads, inadequate public transportation and a lack of basic amenities.

“We need our representatives to address the basic infrastructure issues plaguing our locality. It’s about time our concerns are heard and addressed,” says Shahzeb Khan, a resident of Badami Bagh.

Tanveer Hussain, a resident of Ghaziabad, says the lack of educational facilities should become a dominant issue in the conversations between voters and candidates.

“My son passed the matriculation examination last year. We found no public college in a radius of 10 kilometres,” he said. Many other parents spoke about the quality of education and the need for better facilities in public schools.

“Our children deserve a better education. The government should focus on establishing colleges and schools and improving the quality at the existing ones to ensure that the youth receive a quality education,” he says. He also wants attention paid to Lahore General Hospital.

“The hospital is well-equipped but it is always crowded,” he says.

Referring to the ongoing pneumonia crisis in the city, Shazia Khan, of Badami Bagh, calls for improved healthcare facilities and accessibility. “My toddler was suffering from pneumonia. We had to have him treated at a private clinic. We need better healthcare infrastructure. The current situation has exposed the gaps in our healthcare system. It’s crucial that our elected representatives prioritise this issue,” she says.

Dr Aoun Raza, a resident of Gulshan-i-Ravi, says a candidate for the Provincial Assembly had held a corner meeting in the locality. “We asked him for concrete plans and commitments for the welfare of the locality. We want our elected representatives to be proactive and address the challenges faced by the people of Lahore. Lip service won’t suffice; we need action,” he says.

Waris Paracha, a resident of a Punjab University hostel, says upcoming elections are likely to be one of the least credible in Pakistan’s history.

“Elections are about democracy, not civic issues. My reservations are about the actions taken against former prime minister Imran Khan and his supporters. I doubt the legitimacy of the electoral process,” he says.

The writer is a media veteran interested in politics, consumer rights and entrepreneurship