Islamabad, 13 Oct 2023: A consultative session, spearheaded by PILDAT (Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency), underscored the paramount importance of youth participation in Pakistan’s electoral processes during a gathering at the Institute of Management Sciences (IM Sciences) Peshawar. Representatives from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), faculty members of IM Sciences, and youth representatives collaborated in an earnest dialogue, dissecting the challenges and exploring solutions to fortify youth engagement in the democratic process.
Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan, Senior Projects Manager PILDAT, delineated the demographic spread of registered voters in Pakistan, underscoring that 45% pertain to the 18-35 age bracket. Through comparative analysis with India, where recent elections witnessed youth voter participation exceeding overall voter turnout, he highlighted a stark contrast and identified palpable challenges, such as skepticism and a lack of trust among young Pakistani voters towards their electoral system. The predominant perception of low youth voter participation being a genuine concern rather than an assumptive myth permeated the discussion, with panelists acknowledging systemic and perceptual barriers inhibiting youth engagement in voting.
Mr. Sameer Rasool, a Youth Representative, spotlighted the dichotomy of active youth involvement in electoral campaigns juxtaposed with a reluctance, or outright refusal, to participate in the actual voting process. Proposing solutions, he suggested the ECP could instigate incentive mechanisms to spur youth voting. Ms. Hafsa Hameed, also representing the youth, advocated for a shift towards obligatory voting, calling for legislation to mandate ballot casting.
The dialogue continued with Mr. Saeed Khan, Regional Election Commissioner Peshawar, illuminating the efforts undertaken by the ECP to amplify awareness and elucidate the importance of each vote among the youth demographic, while also detailing the measures ensuring transparency and fairness within the voting process. Ensuring equal opportunities for all to engage in Pakistan’s electoral process was also iterated as a pivotal ECP objective.
Dr. Amer Taj of IM Sciences emphasized the urgency of engraining a comprehensive understanding and awareness among the youth about their civic responsibilities and rights. He stressed the cruciality of cultivating a keen interest among youth towards electoral processes as a conduit towards initiating substantive change.
261 students attended the session, with a gender breakdown of 76 young women and 185 young men. Post-panel discussion, students partook in a mock polling exercise, engaging energetically in experiencing the democratic process firsthand, while immersing themselves in a vigorous discourse about the topics explored during the panel discussion.