Recently a survey was released by the British Council in Pakistan. It indicates that the majority of Pakistan’s youth support an Islamic state as opposed to democracy. It also suggested that a staggering 94% of the young generation, aged between 18 and 29 years, believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction, expressing their desire for real change in Pakistan.

Because of these facts the traitors in the political and military leadership and their masters in Washington have become very worried. This survey was widely published in the print media. Although, the electronic media did not mention this survey directly in their news bulletins or talk shows, but in order to dispel and address this reality, they aired various programs. In one live program who’s title was “Democracy or Dictatorship” the participating youth rejected democracy and dictatorship and discussed Khilafah to an extent that one of the participants proclaimed that it seems to me that this program is not on democracy or dictatorship, rather we are discussing only Khilafah and that is what the majority wants. This live telecast got such a tremendous response from the viewers that the management of the channel increased its air time from the scheduled one hour to almost two hours. Similarly, the state TV channel PTV World, which is an English language channel, aired a talk show titled “Will election 2013 bring any change?” The anchorperson in her opening statement also referred to the same British council survey. During the discussion she accepted that the arguments against this motion are very strong, but at the end she encouraged youth to participate in the upcoming elections. Even before these programs, the largest media house in Pakistan, Geo had already launched a campaign in which, through various examples, they tried to convince people that it is not the failure of democracy rather it is the failure of one government. But it seems that all these efforts have not being able to change the opinion of the people. Now the Election Commission of Pakistan has made a deal with the popular cricketer Shahid Afridi that he will tour the country and encourage people, especially the youth, to vote. On top of that some of the religious figures have been asked to issue Fatawas in support of casting vote in this democratic system.

Five years ago in election 2008, a minority voted. This turn out was in an environment when people of Pakistan were very angry against the Musharraf rule because of his pro-American stance, enlightened moderation and Lal Masjid tragedy and also there was a sympathy towards PPP because of the assassination of Benazir Bhutto. People wanted to get rid of Musharaf and his supporters. But after the experience of five years of uninterrupted democracy, people are convinced that, like dictatorship, democracy also is a tool which destroys the economy by implementing IMF and World Bank policies and it provides an opportunity for America to secure her interests at the cost of the people, country and Islam.

Now the Ummah is aware that this drama of dictatorship and democracy only serves the traitors in the political and military leadership and their American masters. The Ummah wants to liberate it self from the shackles of democracy and dictatorship and considers Islam as the only real change. These facts have been so much clear and established that on 20th April 2013, the chief American agent in Pakistan, General Kayani, during his address to the passing out parade of the officers of Pakistan army in Kakul, said “Let me remind you that Pakistan was created in the name of Islam and Islam can never be taken out of Pakistan”. The Ummah awakens from its hibernation and is declaring Islam and its Khilafah as its destiny. One respondent to the British Council survey, Muhammad Usama, was quoted as saying “As a Muslim, I believe in Khalifah rule. Democracy is like giving your country and faith to America.”

Shahzad Shaikh

Deputy to the Official Spokesman of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Pakistan