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Pakistan witnessed its worst riots following this event, but this phenomenon is not new for the world or the South Asian region in particular. Sporadic rioting is often sparked after such national tragedies. However, as far as Pakistan's transition toward democracy and its self-preservation are concerned, the country is fully intact. The government is fully operational and in full control of the situation now.
Some people assert that Pakistan is becoming more vulnerable to terrorism than war-ridden Afghanistan or any other state. This is a distortion of the facts, however. In fact one could say the United States is most vulnerable to acts of terror since the events of 9/11 shook the echelons of power.
Recent acts of terrorism in Pakistan can be viewed as consequences of the Pakistani government's pledge to be a linchpin in the war against terror. As far as al-Qaida hideouts in Pakistan are concerned, military forces have swept the northern area and are trying to purge the country of these extremist elements.
To a common Pakistani of indigenous origin, the welfare of the state is most important, in any way by any means. People in Pakistan are now much more concerned about power and wheat flour shortages than the upcoming elections, because these are the basic issues they have to encounter every day. This is not unique for an agro-state like Pakistan, where agricultural production has numerous implications on the overall economic structure.
A common Pakistani wants a greater role for Islam in society but completely rejects Talibanization or the radicalization of religion. As for the drive toward democracy, people want a democratic government but true democracy is a question that is yet to be addressed.
Among the urban elite and even among the masses in Pakistan's interior areas, the inclination toward militancy and extremism is not found on a large scale. Traces of this inclination may be seen in some areas which are economically weak, where people send their young ones to receive basic Islamic education accompanied by food, clothing and shelter.
As far as Pakistan's upcoming elections are concerned, the common citizens seem rather despondent, thinking the elections might not change the status quo for them, even though political parties' affiliates and workers seem to be zealous and enthusiastic enough to make their plans work. Politicians have strongly demanded that the incumbent government hold free and fair elections, but doubts exist about it on a large scale. The people will watch intently to see whether promises made by political leaders will yield anything at the grassroots level, or whether they will just become redundant slogans right after the elections.
Now the political parties are calling for help from the United States and other Western states to ensure free and fair elections. However, unfortunately they lack democracy within their own parties and follow feudal monarchic traditions. The number of parliamentary seats reserved for women candidates have been increased for these elections, but reality shows that most of the women candidates are not even aware of the problems of their constituencies, and some have not even visited their native area for ages. They only plan to visit their respective areas for a few days to acquire the women's votes. If elected, they will disappear into the urban elite.
There is a strong need for all Pakistani people to evaluate the candidates this time and choose the right candidates who will remain in contact with them beyond the election. Women in rural areas must not go for candidates who buy their votes for a few hundred rupees and then leave them alone. They should try to elect someone who is interested in solving the area's problems rather than building a new home in one of Pakistan's metropolitan cities after becoming a member of the National Assembly or Provincial Assembly.
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(Mehwish Hassan Sara is a research fellow at the Institute of Strategic Studies in Islamabad. She is a regular contributor to research journals as well as popular media in Pakistan. She has a master's degree in international relations from the National University of Modern Languages in Islamabad. ©Copyright Mehwish Hassan Sara.)
