Elections in Pakistan in 2012!

The man is shaky! He does not know whether he will be there in 2012 or 2013. In fact the man is under siege. Yes! We are talking about the Pakistan’s President Aziz Ali Zardari.  The last few days of last year could not decide whether he stays in power or will his Government survive the storm. But the die has been cast. Elections in Pakistan within 4 months is definite.

Aziz Ali Zardari’s  challenge is to ward off the “Memogate” charge that his Government faces. It is reported that he tried to strike a deal with the United States to stave off the possible feared military coup  The anger of the Strong Military in Pakistan over his double dealing is deepened. Add to this is the rise of the cricket player cum political celebrity Imraan Khan who is currently riding a wave of popular support because he has touched the nerve of the people on the streets by harping on the issue of corruption as also the increasing footprint of the American forces on Pakistani soil. Says Imraan Khan who is the leader of the comparitively newer Tahreeki insaaf party “ If the politicians do not declare their assets truthfully, we will come out on the roads and launch a civil disobedience movement”

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Not to be outdone, the opposition PML-N party are also planning a similar path like its competitor the Tahreek-e-insaaf party. Besides corruption, it also aims to target to other issues like the collapse of state enterprises which includes the railways which are in danger of folding up  So expect a fiery December for Pakistani politics. 

But not everyone is writing off Zardari. Many analysts say that the PPP which is presently running the Government remains popular in the country, especially in its strongholds in Sindh and South Punjab where it still remains safe and unchallenged. It can be added here however that Zardari in the past has handled even more trickier situations but has emerged victorious which can be read as his strong point. But if the opposition is able to bring people  out on the roads and threaten enough street violence breaking the Country’s law and order situation which can bring in the army to intervene.

The Pundits meanwhile are waiting and watching whether Zardari Government will back off or concede but you can be sure of not a peaceful Pakistan in the not too distant  future