A glimmer of hope in Pakistan

TEHRAN,May 15(MNA)--Last weekend’s parliamentary election in Pakistan was a major breakthrough for the country’s political system. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the transition of power from the ruling party to a new party is happening through a legal election. The Pakistan People’s Party, which has ruled the country for the past five years, will now hand over power to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who himself was toppled in a military coup in 1999 and sent into exile a year later. The election was marred by violence, and 29 people were killed in attacks against candidates, party workers, and voters on Saturday. However, the turnout, which exceeded 60 percent, proved that Pakistani citizens are determined to play their role in the political future of the country, despite the extremists’ massive efforts to disrupt the election. During the days leading up to the election, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan had warned that they would not allow the election to take place in the provinces of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. But this did not prevent the citizens of those provinces from casting their ballots. Bearing all this in mind, it can be said that the recent election delivered a big message of “no to extremism.” According to unofficial results, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-N party has an overwhelming lead but will fall short of winning a majority of the 272 directly elected National Assembly seats. The Muslim League’s huge popular base in Punjab, the most populated province in Pakistan, was the main reason behind its victory in the election. The election is a setback for Pakistan’s powerful army, and the military will now be hesitant to interfere in politics, which has been their habit for many decades. The parliamentary election has created a glimmer of hope on Pakistan’s political horizon. It was a major achievement, not only for Sharif and his followers, but for all Pakistanis, since they showed that they are ready to embrace democracy, no matter what the cost. Pirmohammad Mollazehi is an expert on Pakistan and Afghanistan based in Tehran. (By Pirmohammad Mollazehi)