By Zabih Ullah Khattak (Pakistan)

Election year has been started and half of the world population would turn to polling booths by deciding their fates. The year of election does not seem in favor of democracy and one cannot feel confidence that it would engrain the democratic norms. Affluent countries like the US, the UK and Russia would bid to elections. Beside them, several other countries like Pakistan, India, Indonesia, and Taiwan are heading towards the electioneering processes.

Elections in the US also take utmost attention from across the globe and people are eagerly waiting for the result of who would elevate to the most powerful chair. In the 2016 elections Trump was assigned to be the president of the US. The following years saw many turns and outrages that engendered stern critiques against his policies. Ultimately. In the elections of 2020, he was dethroned by the people of America and entitled Joe Biden the executive officer of the USA. Despite the Trumpians claim of rigging in elections the analysts were repugnant to the claims and called it fair and transparent elections.

Meanwhile, American elections are at the crossroad and no clear indications can be made of the future president. Due to a lopsided policy regarding Palestine, Joe Biden candidacy is in danger and he may lose the American elections for presidential spat.

Moreover, the conservative government has to come up with new ideas and must do their utmost effort to regain their lost hope. The conservative role over the UK shed a conspicuous cloud over the political landscape. The intermittently changes being made to the top slot of the prime ministarialships portrayed a grim picture of their unclear policy and road map for the future made the people exhorted to change their ruling carriage and make a shift towards new faces that could retract the UK derailed train.

The Russian elections are less likely to be focused despite its central role being played as a powerful country. It is predicted that Putin would remain in the presidential chair without any existential threat from opposition leaders.

Apart from the above democratic skirmishes, the third world countries are heading to the polls including Pakistan, India, Indonesia, and Taiwan_ Bangladesh has already opened up its lottery by giving the prime ministerial seat to the three times prime minister Sheikh Haseena Wajid.

The elections in these countries are not panaceas to the democratic norms. They have largely manipulated the constitutionality before elections were to happen.

Pakistan is grappling with a bulk of issues that stranded the political wheels and do not show any progress to elevate the democratic norms. The status quo has remained persistent as the seizing, intimidating, arresting and disappearing ahead of the election is in full bloom.

Similarly, the election of Bangladesh is termed one sided as all the opponents are incarcerated or disqualified and political workers were beaten up to show resistance which marred the democratization picture in Bangladesh.

Adding to the above, the neighboring country shows a grimier picture of democracy. The Modi government is reluctant to win the upcoming election despite all the impairments they are doing to the people.

Minority’s rights are tarnished and Kashmiries are caged to not ask for their constitutional rights being envisaged in the UN charter and oppositions are threatened.

Overall, it speaks pleasant and melodious to hear that the year 2024 is a democratic year but on the other hand it has tormented the basics of democracy. It is imperative that democracy must inhale and exhale in an open environment and should not be choked and suffocated otherwise it would have detrimental impacts with a deteriorated outcome. 

Zabih Ullah is from KPK, Pakistan. He is a visiting lecturer of Political Science at Government Postgraduate College Karak and writes about current affairs.