AFGHAN election, on April 5, was a day of triumph for all Afghans, including women, who played their due role with full zeal amid fear of terror. Two of the women were brought on the back of a mule to the polling station for casting their votes. One of them, an elderly person and unable to walk, said that now she was fully satisfied and would have no regret if she died.

The other one had given birth to a child on the morning of the election, but she did not miss this historic day in Afghan history despite physical weakness.

They both were hopeful of a bright future for the coming generations. This election had a similarity with the battle of Maiwand, the second Anglo-Afghan war, in which a large number of women had taken part along with men to defend their homeland.

The election day very much exhibited the scene of Maiwand, with all energetic Afghans across ethnic lines and gender coming out to say no to militancy. The only difference was that there were ballots instead of bullets and the war was not restricted to a single battlefield. The entire Afghanistan was the battlefield and all Afghans were fighters on the same side against the Taliban.

On election day no one was the loser, everybody was a winner, including the candidates contesting among themselves and the voters casting their votes. This created a win-win situation for all who participated in the election.

It was the battle between democracy and militancy in which democracy and democracy-loving people won. Indeed, the ultimate winners were Afghans as they defied the Taliban and their violence.

Najeeb Kakar

Zhob