Pakistan General Elections 2008

Today the people of Pakistan voted for another time in the hope of a better tomorrow. Hope afterall is the only things the 170 million people of pakistan have. Since independence 60 years ago Pakistan has had a troubled past with numerous untimely elections and military governments running and plundering the country. The last puppet government mostly run by Genereal Pervaiz Musharaf and his puppeteers was the first one to complete a term in office amid allegations of rampant curroption and nepotism.

A country of poor folk where neccessities like cooking oil, flour, water, electricity and gas have become a rairty rather then norm has once again voted for another batch of people with empty promises who openly used and abused their povety for a vote. Political candidates used everthing the could think off to get the votes of the people, reportedly people have been promised/delivered bags of flour, tins of oil and fresh fruit among other neccesities but the most blatant disregard for ethics and morals has perhaps come from the incumbent party which has promised in some cases and sent money orders in other to the amount of Rs.1500/- for a vote.

Even though the atmosphere was tense the voter turnout seemed to be mediocre, it was noticed that educated people who seldom went out of their houses in past elections went out to vote for their favourite candidates, I went to 3 polling stations in the vicinity of DHA Lahore to observe and photograph. One of the stations had a good amount of people while the other two seemed rather quite, political parties had set up booths to assist their voters and I noticed a few complaints of names missing from the voters lists but in geneal things seemed to be running smoothly.