Humidity apart, it was a thrill to cover Pakistan’s elections
Pakistan’s general elections were held after five years this July, and for any journalist, covering elections is an opportunity of a lifetime.
Being based in the UAE for several years, I had never covered Pakistan elections. The last political activity I remember was the referendum held in 2002 seeking to allow Pervez Musharraf to continue as president and for that too, I just cast my vote at the Pakistan Consulate in Dubai.
Travelling to Lahore to cover the elections was a rushed decision. I chose Lahore because it is my home city, and I started my career there.
I was excited about voting too. The last time I had voted was in the 1990s when I had just turned an eligible voter. Getting around would be easier, I had assumed, and former colleagues were willing to provide support in Lahore.
The difference in this year’s election was caused by the presence of Imran Khan in his political avatar, and his Pakistan Tehreek-E-Insaaf (PTI) party, which emerged as the third biggest party alongside Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz Group (PML-N).
Political pundits had already predicted that Khan would have a great chance of forming the government this time around.
The mood was upbeat from the moment I hopped onto the plane. The majority of Pakistanis I interviewed on the flight were going back home specifically to vote — for Khan, who enjoys immense support from overseas Pakistanis.
I spoke to an excited beautician, who sat next to me on the plane, who said that she was going home after two years. She was glad to be able to vote for the first time. Several others were committed to voting for Khan since they wanted change.
The plane landed in Lahore, monsoon season had started. The weather was hot and humid.
There was just two days left for election day so it was important to gauge the mood of the public on the streets. Putting my hair up in a tight bun, I took along my camera and identity card and stopped people at random on the street for their comments. Interestingly, I was stopped by a number of people who wanted to voice their opinion instead of the other way round.
The dynamics of reporting on ground are very different in the UAE and Pakistan. The crowd is different. The atmosphere and the lack of contacts makes it a tad difficult to report in Pakistan.
However, journalists always enjoy such challenges and it was a thrill to send video recordings and do Facebook ‘Lives’ from unknown grounds and among curious faces.
On the second day, the best angle to tackle was the preparation of the voting booths, most of which were done in schools and colleges after being divided into zones.
Behind the scenes of an FB live with an assistant returning officer, who would be on duty in NA131, the zone where prominent leaders of all parties were running from, were a disaster.
After lots of permissions and cajoling, a talk went on air for 15 minutes on the KT FB page. A special mention for the RO who was a sport and willing to be reshot twice due to a technical glitch, and went through the process again without a frown.
A drive around the city later to capture the street mood was hampered due to intermittent rain.
The election day happenings themselves were among the most exciting coverages of my career.
The polling was due to start at 8am and I was at the polling station by 7.30am. It was heartening to see people, especially the elderly, already lined up and eager to cast their votes.
A wheelchair-bound lady, who was brought to the polling station, was among the first to cast her vote. She said she had been voting for Khan for the past 22 years and would continue to do so.
The voting process was smooth and within 15 minutes I was also done with casting my vote.
I felt an adrenaline rush as I kept interviewing people and sending clips that the web team used to update the live blog for KT readers.
Unlike stories that were circulating on social media, the security for the elections was tight. Despite my pleading, and an identity card as proof of being a journalist, security wouldn’t let me in since I was not accredited by the Pakistan government.
Lahoris are known for their love of food, and women, in particular, for their dressing sense. Despite the humidity and stuffiness, the majority of female voters didn’t let that affect them, and arrived at polling stations with impeccable makeup and blowdried locks.
The exhausting day ended on the dot at 6pm with the last of the voters making their way through the security gates. An FB Live summed up the voters mood again and the KT website buzzed with talk of Pakistan’s elections.
Results started trickling in soon after, but got delayed due to a system failure and were announced a day later with Imran Khan emerging the winner.
A day later, with all my work done, I finally got to wear my ‘Imran Khan’ shirt ordered specially to celebrate his win.
A wheelchair-bound lady, who was brought to the polling station, was among the first to cast her vote. She said she had been voting for Khan for the past 22 years and would continue to do so