February 19, 2008	Tuesday	Safar 11, 1429

KARACHI, Feb 18: They went out, voted and had a change of heart. The virtues of democracy dawned on the corporate bigwigs as election results started pouring in on Monday evening after the parliamentary polls in Pakistan.

The businessmen voiced hope that peaceful election will help bring a stable democratic government that they consider crucial for promotion of business activity in the country.

“We welcome transition to democracy as free enterprise can only develop under this predictable, tried and tested system of governance,” said Shamim A Shamsi, the President of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

“Investing in the process is essential even when the cost is excessive,” Zubyr Soomro, President Overseas Chamber of Commerce and Industry said over telephone from Jacobabad, Sindh, on the projected high cost of the election in the country.

He was not happy with the role of the state machinery that he said was already perceived to be partisan. “There were several unsettling incidents in the interior of Sindh where voters were turned away by the polling staff, especially names of women voters were missing from the polling lists,” Mr Zubyr told Dawn.

He attributed more informed political debate prior to elections amongst ordinary Pakistanis to the media coverage of political developments over the last one year. “The level of political awareness has increased incredibly in Pakistan and electronic media played a role in improving the quality of public debate in the country,” the influential business leader said.

Many businesses are said to be waiting for the election outcome to decide on their future strategy. “A modicum of stability after Monday’s vote would give Pakistan a chance to sustain its economic progress,” said another leader who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Most leaders contacted confirmed low turnout of voters in many constituencies. They thought security concerns influenced the people’s decision who preferred to stay back home, more so in cities.

“It would be incorrect to interpret the low turnout to be reflective of weakness of people’s faith in the system. They wanted and aspired to vote. If they still did not vote it was because they considered it too risky,” a seasoned business leader of Punjab said talking to Dawn.