Don’t take your rights for granted!
No matter what happens, I will always cherish my Pakistani heritage, but what happened today is beyond shameful and inexplicable.
Today, my fundamental right to vote was snatched away from me. I was not allowed to practice my freedom of choice.
At every step of the way, the army, the government, and the election commission created hurdles so people could not vote for the candidate of their choice.
Before the election: I flew from Canada to vote for PTI, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Pakistan Movement for Justice). PTI is Pakistan’s most popular and largest political party by numbers and backing. However, it is at odds with the military establishment. Due to mind-numbing political engineering by the military establishment, PTI’s election symbol, the cricket bat, was taken away from it.
This meant that every supporter of the PTI on election day had to research the name and election symbol of the candidate endorsed by PTI for their specific constituency prior to casting their vote.
Since PTI was not allowed to campaign, fundraise, or canvass for its election, it had to rely on YouTube and electronic media for all of its election-related activities. But every time PTI electronically campaigned, internet access mysteriously ceased nationwide for the duration of those activities.
If PTI supporters stepped outside and gathered for a rally, they were persecuted and jailed under false charges. All of this happened with the full backing of the courts and, of course, the military, the real rulers of the country.
Election day, February 8th, 2024: The internet surprisingly stayed up on election day; all major parties and their websites were accessible, but Insaf.pk, PTI’s official website, was blocked in the country.
This meant that if I tried to look up the candidate of my choice, I couldn’t find their name or symbol before I went on to cast my vote.
Luckily, I am an engineer and know my way around the internet, so of course, I used a VPN to access insaf.pk. However, five different people were running from PTI in the city of Sialkot for each constituency of the city. I had to look up which constituency I was supposed to vote in.
In Pakistan, you can find your constituency or polling area by texting your National Identity Card Number to 8300.
Lo and behold, not only was the 8300 number conveniently blocked on the day of the election, but the cell phone service was down too.
This meant that I wasn’t able to find which polling station I was supposed to cast my vote in Sialkot.
Needless to say, the army, the government, and the election commission succeeded in making sure I wasn’t able to cast my vote.
It is indeed true that the value of something is only fully appreciated upon its loss.
How does it feel: I feel as if someone took my dignity away from me, then punched me in the gut, and there is nothing I can do about it. This overwhelming sense of helplessness is profoundly debilitating.
Those courageous enough to protest or raise their voice in the past have been incarcerated or silenced through harrowing methods, known as “software updates” by the local people.
But, I urge you not to pity me, for I am among the fortunate few. Unlike the vast majority of my fellow 250 million Pakistanis, I hold dual citizenship with Canada and Pakistan.
In Canada, I enjoy the liberties of voting and expressing my views without fear of persecution — a stark contrast to the oppressive realities faced by every Pakistani residing in their homeland.
Having shared the grim reality endured by millions of Pakistanis, I urge you not to take your right to vote lightly.
Voting is a privilege that Pakistanis would cherish, as they yearn for the freedom to choose their leaders without the intervention of unelected military officials.
Next time the opportunity to vote arises, consider taking the day off to visit your polling station and cast your vote.
