Why politics is becoming such a dirty game in Chitral?

ZAIT (CHITRAL), June 13, 2013: The word “politics” has been defined and debated upon by scholars and political thinkers in different ways. But for us in Chitral, politics has now become the dirtiest game where the players have complete disregard to ethics and values.

During the 2013 elections, our politicians ignored decency and fair play and did whatever they could to win the polls and discard their rivals at all costs. The people of Chitral were used to the politics of tolerance, decency and fair play and this tradition was created mostly by senior politicians like Shahzada Mohiuddin who fought his opponents without harming the norms of society. Shahzada Sahib is such a personality that whenever history will need to refer to decency in politics, his name will always be on the top.

The people of Chitral are also witness to the fact that despite having the means Shahzada Mohiuddin never used money during his election campaigns. He always won only because of his work for the people of Chitral. This was the reason he even fought against Nusrat Bhutto but did not use a single penny. But what happened during the 2013 elections? On May 8, three days before the polling day on May 11, one of our so-called leaders in PK-90 spent approximately 0.6 million rupees on holding a meeting where “Palao and oil for the participants’ vehicles” were served lavishly.

Long queues of vehicles were seen near the petrol pump doling out free fuel totally against the election commission’s set rules. Besides, even wheelbarrows, mobile phone sets and cooking oil were distributed to win votes. As many as 14 candidates were in the field for the provincial assembly seat of upper Chitral. Eight of them belonged to different political parties while six were independent candidates. Among them, two were from the same clan and were bnamesakes. One was fighting from the PPP and another as an independent.

Due to resemblance in their names and negligence of the presiding officer at Chuing polling station, PPP’s votes went to the independent and this negligence and unprofessionally couldn’t stop. Flow of news about their negligence came day by day. Now you can imagine that in PK-90 about 55,724 votes were cast. Syed Sardar Hussain of Booni bagged 10718 and it makes 19.02% of the total while Ghulam Mohammad of the APML got 10689 which makes 19.01%. Sardar Hussain of Greenlasht (independent) had 304 votes which makes only 0.5%. When counting of postal ballots started about 123 votes went to Syed Sardar Hussain (PPP) which makes 8.02% and Sardar Hussain (independent) got 18 votes which makes 1.02%.

Now how come a person who got 0.5% from the public can get 1.2% from the postal ballots? On the other hand, Ghulam Mohammad got 159 votes which were 10.06%. Whether it was good luck of Ghulam Mohd or not another Ghulam Mohd (Jamaat-i-Islami) was also in the election contest. Without mentioning the word “Maulana” in the ballot papers with the JI canidate, some of his voters also went to Ghulam Mohd (APML). Who is the real leader of the public? My heart is aching day and night for the future of Chitalis.

Why our elected leaders have broken the tradition that Shahzada Shahib had been shielding. Seeking votes is not a crime but purchasing it is. And, to support the needy is not a misdeed but taking advantage from their poverty is a sin. Iftikharudin defended his father’s seat and we congratulate him on his achievement. We have given you votes and like your father you should be our true leader and an interpreter. I am a science student and don’t have command over descriptions but enthusiasm keeps me anxious. We want our leaders to get rid of self inertness. When Nawaz Sharif was elected the prime minister in the National Assembly, one of the MNAs was seen narrating the problems of his area.

On his left chair, our MNA Iftikharuddin was sitting. Most of the MNAs talked on behalf of their parties but our leader left the hall when his turn arrived. After that, most of the members of the house went to President House for the oath-taking ceremony of the prime minister but the house proceedings moved on under the deputy speaker. He gave permission to everyone to speak one by one but our MNA’s disappearance from the house was quite painful for us. We want you to be our voice and pay your duty of raising our issues on the floor. If not, then remember the public IQ isn’t weak.