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The so-called “youth bulge” has dramatically changed the demographic makeup of Pakistani society. A staggering 40 million Pakistanis will be eligible to vote for the first time in the upcoming elections.Sixty five per cent of the country’s 180 million people are below 30 years of age. Many are illiterate and without jobs, and the majority of them now live in either urban or suburban rather than rural areas.
High unemployment, illiteracy and a lack of economic growth have combined to make Pakistani society — and especially youth — generally anti-secular and cynical about western constitutionalism.A recent study by the British Council in Pakistan showed most people younger than 30 preferred the Islamic Sharia system of governance to the democratic system.More than half of the 18-to-29-year-olds polled said democracy had not been good for them or the country. In fact, 70 per cent said they preferred military rule and only 13 per cent of respondents indicated they preferred civilian rule.
That said, I've stopped trying to anticipate what people around here want a while ago, I've found it makes things smoother.
For I was an hungred, and ye told me to pull myself up by my bootstraps: I was thirsty, and ye demanded payment for the privilege of thine urine: I was a stranger, and ye deported me: naked, and ye arrested me for indecency.
Yeah, Pakistan's at real risk of going from being the sort of nation that hides Bin Laden within its borders, exonerates vigilante violence against politicians for advocating repeal of blasphemy laws, and lets American Predator drones and the Taliban run amok, to becoming a fundamentalist, illiberal and chaotic society.
EDIT: Aaaand my 10,000th post is about fascism, Plato, and gay sex. This is clearly a great accomplishment.
