WHATEVER is being said by the political leaders about themselves and their opponents — together with the print media and TV shows — does not enable the voters to sort out good from not-so-good-intentioned parties. It remains a dilemma for them.

Two major contenders have been together, and have been taking turns to rule the country — by mutual agreement previously. They have both been blamed for mega corruption and have reduced our country to almost a ‘banana republic’ within the last 10 years.

One of them has been found guilty by our courts and its leaders have been sentenced to long prison terms, while the other party’s cases are being processed.

The convicted confidently denies any wrongdoing, citing from the conviction order that nothing has been established by the court against him.

The new emerging party appeals to our youth. When our country has been burdened with an unbelievable burden of debt, it looks next to impossible to be able to fulfill electoral promises in the foreseeable future. However, this is a good sign for the nation that there are some leaders who understand, care and worry about being under such heavy debt.

Some of the things which worry voters are that the PTI leader is inexperienced as far as running a government is concerned, and he has allowed some established corrupt individuals to join his party in the name of ‘electables’. And last but not least according to a diehard PML-N worker from Gwalmundi, and I quote: “Jera kadi jail e nain gaya, o leader kistaran akhwa sakda aay.” You be the judge yourself.

M. Masud Butt

Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2018