Where proceedings and outcomes of February 8 General Elections remained more or less the same, there were a lot of positives that cannot be ignored. Polls ended with great hue and cry over massive rigging and discrepancies between forms 45 and 47. Except one political party, the PMLN, that claimed victory with mere 71 seats, all other political factions called the polls rigged and ‘managed’ to suit blue eyed boys of the ‘establishment’. Elections in Pakistan always end in similar fashion where losing factions blame winners of cheating. Nevertheless, elections form the basis of democracy as they manifest will of the people, and also their trust on the system and the state. As compared to GE 2013 and GE 2018, the turn out at GE 2024 remained low at 48 percent, but the country’s bulging youth population announced itself like never before.

Electoral politics in Pakistan mainly revolved around personalities and families at the local level. Candidates mostly had their own set vote banks which made them ‘electables’. People voted for candidates who would promise them, or had delivered employment, or basic development works at the union council and village council levels. Political ideologies had little role to play as far as electoral politics in Pakistan was concerned. This time around, majority votes went to ‘independent’ Pakistan Tehreek i Insaaf backed candidates, a party that underwent serious political victimization post May 9, 2023 with their leaders either jailed or in hiding, and more than 18 thousand workers facing ATA and treason charges. Their corner meetings, processions, and electoral campaign stayed on the radars of LEAs, and crackdowns continued till the eve of General Elections.

Pakistan’s youth, that forms more than 60 percent of the country’s total population, have not only spoken but roared through the ballot. Youth turn out shows the belief of country’s future in democracy and their urge to put Pakistan on the path of progress. Any attempt to steal their mandate or to subvert their voice may give the anti-democratic forces temporary victory, but in the longer run, there is no way they would be able to keep youngsters quite and in their control. Regardless of who forms the government, the voice of ballot has reached all corners of the world. It shook the rotten political system where negativities like political engineering, rigging, and horse-trading had become normal. Elections 2024 point out towards dawn of a new era in Pakistan, where voters vote for ideologies instead of their petty interests, where people’s will shall not be taken for granted.

The show of power by the people on February 8 has also threatened Pakistan’s traditional political landscape where the electorate revolved around dynasties. If our old political stalwarts are wise, they would see it coming. Dynasties would only be reduced to their divisions, districts, or provinces if they are as lucky as the PPP, that uses its feudal lords to win the Province of Sindh. It is the digital age, the age of social media. This not only highlights the need of political parties to become democratic, but also, to up their game on social media as it has now become the basis of election campaigns. Educated youth mainly relies on social media as a primary source of information. Hence, there has to be a narrative that attracts their attention, instead of the faces they have been seeing since the 90s. A narrative that advocates revamping of the old rotten political system.

People of Pakistan have found a new way of conveying their desires, and that is through social media platforms. Election trends show that people do not trust mainstream media anymore. He who wins social media will get the largest chunk of seats on the election day. Media censorship remained at its peak since the passage of Vote of No Confidence against PTI chief and then PM Imran Khan. Media houses were even barred from saying his name, which was often communicated as ‘Baani PTI’. Despite the unprecedented victimization and curbs on media, social media emerged as a powerful tool for the people to voice their support for PTI candidates, who were even deprived of their iconic ‘Bat’ symbol. Where other mainstream parties such as PMLN and PPP were spending sums on their campaigns on electronic media and leading newspapers, PTI used its social media power to touch the hearts of millions of voters.

Political engineering, rigging, and horse-trading are still very much in play, but the positives of elections 2024 have been unprecedented. People have decided that the old rotten system has to change, and their will has to be respected. Best part is that the people chose to show their frustration and anger that arose during the PDM tenure, through the ballot, and not by protests and violence. Despite the result manipulation by ROs, the power of vote was visible. PTI still emerged as the single largest party in the country with more than 90 seats. People have developed enough intellectual capacity to not be fooled again and again by the same players in similar old-fashioned ways.