{"id":54806,"date":"2024-01-31T23:10:32","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T23:10:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/pakistani-americans-appear-disenchanted-with-elections\/"},"modified":"2024-01-31T23:10:32","modified_gmt":"2024-01-31T23:10:32","slug":"pakistani-americans-appear-disenchanted-with-elections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/pakistani-americans-appear-disenchanted-with-elections\/","title":{"rendered":"Pakistani Americans appear disenchanted with elections"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div dir=\"auto\">\n<p><figure class=\"media  sm:w-full  w-full  media--stretch    media--uneven  media--stretch\"><figcaption class=\"media__caption  \">DR Mohammad Khalid<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>WITH February 8 drawing closer, Pakistani Ame\u00adricans find themselves entangled in a complex web of anticipation and trepidation. Beyond the surface of casual gatherings and earnest discussions among senior citizens lies a prevailing sentiment \u2014 a palpable disenchantment with the electoral process.<\/p>\n<p>From questioning the scheduling uncertainty to advocating for voting rights, the community\u2019s diverse opinions converge on a shared skepticism, painting a nuanced portrait of their attitudes towards the upcoming elections.<\/p>\n<p>In a series of interviews with <em>Dawn<\/em>, some Pakistani Americans also voiced concerns over the lack of voting rights for overseas communities, urging the Election Commission to set up an inclusive system for their participation in the electoral process.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1809309\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>A tiny minority \u2014 such as Naveed Chela of Frederick, VA, and Sajjad Baloch of Prince George\u2019s County, Maryland \u2014 is certain that elections will be held as scheduled. Chela supports PML-N, and Baloch believes that overseas Pakistanis should never disagree with the government in Islamabad.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"blockquote-level-1\">\n<p>Views of the diaspora offer a range of perspectives, revealing a shared skepticism and palpable disenchantment with the fairness of the upcoming electoral process. There are also some confident ones, particularly among PML-N supporters, showing how the community is divided along political lines<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Khalid Tanveer of Springfield, Virginia, asserts, \u201cIf Pakistan allows dual citizenship, it should also extend voting rights to its overseas citizens. Denying us this basic right is unfair.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Considering the previous PTI administration\u2019s endorsement of electronic voting machines (EVMs) to enhance election transparency, many advocating for voting rights express their willingness to support PTI, if given the chance.<\/p>\n<p><figure class=\"media  sm:w-full  w-full  media--stretch    media--uneven  media--stretch\"><figcaption class=\"media__caption  \">Johnny Bashir<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>\n<p>Johnny Bashir, a PTI leader in the US, asserts that Imran Khan garnered support among Pakistani Americans due to his honesty and commitment to ordinary Pakistanis. \u201cIn fair elections, PTI would be unbeatable.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Mohsin Zahir, a community activist in New York, notes that the support for PTI isn\u2019t limited to those advocating for community rights.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cA significant number of Pakistanis in the US continue to view Imran Khan as a hero. Despite disappointment with the current situation in Pakistan, they believe Mr Khan can bring about positive changes and, as a result, they favour him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Zaheer clarifies, however, that he is not a PTI supporter.<\/p>\n<p>Many Pakistani Americans are hopeful for stability in the wake of elections, yet there\u2019s a notable undercurrent of skepticism regarding the transparency of these polls. Tanveer, for instance, questions the likelihood of a free and fair election, highlighting concerns such as the financial crisis and the alleged denial of voting rights to PTI supporters.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1809921\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Kamran Rizvi, a former adviser to Benazir\u2019s government now residing in the US, underscores the importance of the electoral process.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRegardless of your opinion on the election arrangement, voting is crucial. Rejecting the electoral process can lead to violence, and violence is detrimental for everyone,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n<p>Dr Aftab Hussain, an agricultural scientist affiliated with PTI, emphasises the importance of voting, stating, \u201cIt\u2019s a fundamental right, and voters should choose candidates prioritizing people\u2019s interests.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"media  sm:w-1\/2  w-full  media--right  media--embed  media--uneven\">\n<p>    <iframe class=\"nk-iframe\" onload=\"setInterval(()=&gt;{try{this.style.height=this.contentWindow.document.body.scrollHeight+'px';}catch{}}, 100)\" width=\"100%\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" style=\"height:400px;position:relative\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dawn.com\/news\/card\/1809998\" sandbox=\"allow-same-origin allow-scripts allow-popups allow-modals allow-forms\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<p>Dr Mohammad Khalid, who leads the Washington chapter of the International Physicians for the Preven\u00adtion of Nuclear War, expresses concern about potential rigging, noting: \u201cMany Pakistani Americans fear manipulation, but they continue to urge those in Pakistan to vote, as it\u2019s their fundamental right to do so.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Dr Khalid adds that during the 2018 elections, several Pakistani Americans visited the country to cast their votes, but observes that \u201cThis year, there\u2019s a noticeable decline among my acquaintances planning such trips.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Bashir too, acknowledges this apprehension, stating, \u201cPTI supporters may be afraid to go, but their love for Imran Khan and continued support remain unwavering.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Rana, a PTI activist hesitant to disclose his full name, asserts, \u201cMany PTI supporters, including myself, fear going to Pakistan as we\u2019ve seen how our relatives were harassed because we supported PTI in the US. This fear has deterred us from visiting during the election season.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Two other PTI activists, a transport company owner and a physician, share concerns about their business interests in Pakistan, with one saying, \u201cI avoid going to prevent potential imprisonment due to my political affiliation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Pakistan\u2019s US Ambassador Masood Khan dismisses their fears as \u2018baseless\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one has been arrested solely for political activities, and such arrests are not anticipated in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Views expressed by Pak\u00adistani Americans display a nuanced range of perspectives on the upcoming elections, revealing a shared skepticism and palpable disenchantment.<\/p>\n<p>There are also some confident ones, particularly among PML-N supporters, showing how the community is divided along political lines.<\/p>\n<p><em>Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2024<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>DR Mohammad Khalid WITH February 8 drawing closer, Pakistani Ame\u00adricans find themselves entangled in a complex web of anticipation and trepidation. Beyond the surface of casual gatherings and earnest discussions among senior citizens lies a prevailing sentiment \u2014 a palpable disenchantment with the electoral process. From questioning the scheduling uncertainty to advocating for voting rights, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":54807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.dawn.com\/large\/2024\/01\/3113463143f5572.png?r=134751","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-54806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pakistan"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54806","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54806"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54806\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54806"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54806"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/pakistaninewspaperlist.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54806"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}