KARACHI: The turnout of women voters on election day in the city may not have been too huge but most of them said that they only came out to vote because they had to for “Kaptaan”!

“I’m fed up with what is being done with this country,” said Mehreen Qureshi, who had come to fulfill her right to vote at Nixor College in DHA Phase 6, which fell under the NA-241 and PS-110 constituencies. “How can four people decide our destiny?” She asked.

Hina Malik, an elderly voter there, who was sitting down for a bit until someone could find her polling booth, said that she came to vote out of desperation. “People are desperate for change. They cannot remain in ignorant bliss anymore,” she said. But, she also observed that many had also lost faith in the system. “Sadly, many, including so many young people, don’t have faith in things getting better in this country. They are also scared and think it is no use to fight back,” she added.

At a Clifton polling station, the elderly Krishna Bai arrived to vote with her son Man Sukh, daughter-in-law Sabita and little granddaughter Sehar. “I have heard much negative talk about these elections but I am also determined. I also trust my Bhagwan,” she said.

At Gizri, one ran into a beaming Kulsum Bano. “I voted!” She said showing her right thumb with the ink mark. “I also found my two daughters’ names in the voters’ list. Now I’m going back home to send them over to fulfill their rightful duty,” she announced.

Another couple of sisters there, Nasreen Baloch and Rasheeda Baloch, had no issues with sharing who they were going to vote for. “We are here to get Imran Khan out of jail, the poor man,” said one of the sisters.

At another polling station in Keamari, where turnout was very low, Zainab Rashid, a voter, said that she was not in the mood to vote but was dragged to the polling station by her sister Lubna Rashid. “Being here finally, I just knew whom not to vote for. Then my choice, PTI [Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf], became quite clear,” she said.

There were relatively more voters at the polling station set up at Government Boys Secondary School in PECHS No 1, which fell under the NA-238 and PS-132 constituencies.

Varda Tariq, a voter there, said that the country needs change, just like it did in 2018 also. “I also understand that rigging happens but I also could not forgo my right to vote as a Pakistani,” she said.

“I just arrived from Dubai last night to vote for PTI,” said Huma, another voter there, who had come to vote with her mother-in-law, Hamida.

Mother Salma Riaz had come with daughters Anum and Asma Riaz and son Usamah Riaz to vote for whoever they thought was “competent and honest.” The mother said that the country cannot handle any more dishonest politicians. “The dishonest ones are known to us all by now,” she said.

Amid the concern for the PTI, especially its leader, there was also a lot of confusion about the party’s symbols. “The PTI symbol for NA-248 and NA-249 is the alphabet ‘P’. Thankfully, I had looked it up before coming here to vote,” said Ruqaiyya Imran.

However, in North Karachi, constituencies NA-247 and PS-122, a couple looked very confused after coming out of their respective polling booths exchanging notes. “My husband thought the PTI symbol here was the wicket so he put his stamp on the wicket and I voted for the tennis racket. But now someone told us that the correct PTI symbol was the wall clock. Who have we voted for?” Arshi Adil and her husband Adil Shah wondered aloud.

Published in Dawn, February 9th, 2024