Consultative Session on the Importance of Youth Participation in the Electoral Process of Pakistan at the University of Turbat
Posted on 21 Oct, 2023 - Published by
A consultative session on the “Importance of Young People's Participation in the Electoral Process of Pakistan with the students and faculty of the University of the Turbat (UoT) was held at UoT on the 19th of October 2023. Mr. Sikandar Jamali, Regional Election Commissioner Makran Division, Mr. Muhammad, District Election Commissioner, Mr. Ghous Baksh, Deputy Director from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), Mr. Chaker Hyder, Lecturer at the Department of Political Science, and youth representatives included Ms. Naz Gul, Ms. Tanavish Fazal, and Mr. Akhtar Ali participated at the consultative session. Mr. Changez Baloch, Chairman of the Political Science Department at UoT inaugurated the session with a welcome note on behalf of Prof. Dr. Jan Muhammad, Vice Chancellor of UoT. He expressed his gratitude to PILDAT for organizing this crucial discussion at UoT. The session was moderated by Mr. Faheem Ahmed Khan, Senior Projects Manager PILDAT. In his presentation, he provided a comparative analysis of the voting behaviors shown by the young populations of Pakistan and India.
The panelists agreed that low youth voter participation was a genuine problem, not a myth. They gave explanations for the low voter participation, one of which was that young voters did not trust the electoral system and hence, did not participate in the electoral processes. Concerns were raised about the lack of confidence among young voters in the voting system. In addition, they emphasized that young individuals had little knowledge of the procedures involved in registering to vote or casting a ballot.
Youth representatives stated that many young people in Pakistan believe that elections are not free and fair, which is why they are hesitant to vote. They said that the current electoral system does not involve young people in active politics. Mr. Sikandar Jamali firmly stated that the system can only be changed for the better when young people actively engage in it. Mr. Muhammad outlined the proactive efforts undertaken by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to raise awareness among the youth regarding their vital role in the electoral process. Mr. Chakar Hyder shared insights into the university’s initiatives aimed at engaging the youth.
Following the panel discussion, students enthusiastically participated in a mock polling exercise and cast their votes. The session was attended by a large number of students out of which 48% were young women.