THE post-election scenario is marred by protests and calls for re-polling on account of rigging. Pakistan has come a long way in terms of establishing basic norms of democracy like transferring power from one civil government to the other.

After six decades of tussle between democratic and undemocratic forces finally it seems that there is national agreement over civil rule. Two larger provinces have re-elected the same rulers back to power.

If results are a parameter of judging performance, we can easily infer that the PML-N and the PPP outstandingly performed in their respective provincial domains of government.

Whether someone agrees or not we don’t have any other way to assess political parties’ popularity. Surprisingly, some people in the Pakistani media are totally ignoring the PPP’s scintillating electoral success in Sindh.

Economic indicators show that poverty is sky-high in the interior of Sindh. The people lost their belongings in floods twice during the last five years, yet the PPP won.

Both the PML-N and the PPP did not do anything to empower the common man, the third tier of the government remained absent from the scene and basic problems of the people were never addressed. Despite all that, status quo parties have managed to eclipse others.

Does it mean that people are happy the way both parties have run their shows? If yes, then we should welcome another five years of prosperity. The only province where people expressed their dissatisfaction is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It means the ANP was the only party responsible for bad governance in Pakistan in general and in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa in particular.

We should all rejoice that Pakistani politics has been cleansed. If history is any reference, victory of the status quo in major provinces is yet another lease to corruption and mismanagement but this time the mandate is given by the people of Pakistan under the vigilance of free media and proactive judiciary.

Heavy responsibility now lies on the shoulders of the coming government. And let us wish the new government best of luck.

ATIF MAHMOOD Melbourne, Australia