THE city is awash with election fervour: banners stretch from pole to pole and posters have been pasted on empty spaces. But in Youhanabad even seven months after the horrendous bomb blasts and public lynching incidents, there is little excitement. If anything, there are mixed feelings and signs of vengeful resentment rather than excited anticipation.

Youhanabad and its adjoining Christian-majority areas including Asif Town, Esa Nagar and Hamza Town have several panels contesting the upcoming local government elections. But political action is reduced to corner meetings. It is apparent that while Shahbaz Sharif won from this constituency earlier, this time Youhanabad residents have ‘boycotted’ the PML-N, and most refuse to vote for them. Hence, there is a flood of ‘independent’ candidates and panels.

“Youhanabad residents are angry with the PML-N for ignoring their concerns especially as non-Muslims,” says Javed who runs a local pharmacy. “Looking back at the Punjab government’s past it is always under Sharif rule that Christians have suffered most and in terrible ways.” He refers to several incidents including the Gojra massacre, the Shantinagar episode, and more recently the Joseph Colony, Kot Radha Kishan and Youhanabad incidents.

“We voted for the PML-N last time but absolutely no work has been done here with regard to job creation and basic facilities,” says housewife Mrs Aazim.

The majority of the population in the Union Councils (UCs) of these Christian-majority areas (UC-245 and 246) comprise factory workers, who were reportedly sacked after the terrorist incident in March.

Resident Tanvir Akhtar says the victorious independent candidates are expected to ally themselves with the PML-N later. “The so-called lions dare not show their faces here for campaigning,” he asserts. “PML-N candidates have been threatened with social ostracisation by the residents. So now they are running independently.”

But his brother Saleem Sylvester, a social worker whose informal organisation is known as Peace Committee, says that UC changes have left non-Muslims very angry.

“Under Gen Musharraf’s regime, the UCs were made of about 200 families or 2,000 to 5,000 voters. Today, the government has changed the UCs. Now each UC consists of 18,000 voters which is certainly too large. What is worse is that the Christian community has been divided into two or three UCs where they are to face a very large number of Muslim votes. It is apparent that they have no chance of winning from that vote.

“Ever since the bomb blasts, the lynching, and the young men being ‘picked up’ by security agencies, things have changed. Employers’ attitudes have changed towards workers who live here, and the adjoining Muslim neighbourhoods have adopted a harsh stance towards us.” He says although some political personalities have tried to mediate, the change has been slight. “To put it clearly, no Muslim will vote for a complete Christian panel.”

A random street survey indicates that the PTI is not very popular either in these parts. “There is religious discrimination within that party too,” says resident Dr Waris. “But even after its boycott, the PML-N remains quite strong here with a 50pc chance of victory. There are many who still support it.”

Harry, a Christian shopkeeper, is one of these loyal voters. “My family are PPP loyalists but I always vote for the PML-N, because I am impressed by Shahbaz Sharif’s persona. He is one of the better leaders.”

Akhtar, however, remains critical of the PML-N leadership. “If Shahbaz Sharif had earnestly sympathised with his voters even once, after the bomb blast, they would have forgiven him. But they perceive him as having visited a few select areas where there were more Muslims and as sympathising more with the families of the lynched men than those of the blast victims.”

A controversial amendment in the Punjab LG Elections Ordinance which takes away the power of the non-Muslim population to elect their chosen representatives, has increased resentment. There were some excited people in Youhanabad who began campaigning even before the elections began, but they were not aware that this amendment had been reintroduced. One candidate, wishing to remain anonymous, says they were fooled into thinking they could still simply file nomination papers and contest the elections. But protests and announcements by churches in Lahore made them understand the amendment had taken away this right again. These people had spent money on campaign advertisements but later discovered that only the victorious chairman and general council would choose a candidate through secret balloting.

“This leads to corruption because people are attracted to political parties who’ll end up paying for their campaigning,” says Sylvester. “And a selected candidate can never be a true representative of the community.”

The UCs’ huge size means there is more transport for the candidate and voters. Candidates will be spending a lot on travelling to meet their voters while voters may not even come to vote.

It seems that the garbage mounds on street corners, and stagnant sewerage water are only a few of the problems plaguing Youhanabad that has been largely ignored by its political representatives.

Published in Dawn, October 13th , 2015

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