It may be correct to call the upcoming general elections in Pakistan the strangest in the country's history. Election credibility has already been marred, thanks to the Taliban who have forcibly ousted three liberal political parties who do not make religion an issue in their campaign. However, these liberal parties have not yet boycotted the elections because that would mean victory for the Taliban's arm-twisting tactics. At present, it's an election being contested by right-wing relgio-political parties and a few sectarian groups. By referring to them as religious parties, one might expect some decency among their leaders; but no, this election campaign only shows how low these leaders can go in their lust for power. If on one side, the head of a sectarian party Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) declares voting for another right-wing party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) as haram or religiously forbidden, then the leader of PTI calls his opponent's religious scholars infidels. And this ugly match includes other right-wing parties as well. After the circus organized by the Supreme Court's appointed Returning Officer to interview and check the religious credentials of prospective candidates, some leaders have gone to the extent of saying their prayers on stage, just to prove that they are practicing Muslims. All these right-wing parties who are at present attempting to win the elections need to understand that the Taliban threat will not go away with the ousting of liberals from Parliament. If they form a government in Islamabad, then they will have to follow the way the Taliban want to run the country, otherwise the Taliban know many ways to show them the way to the highway. Masood Khan, Jubail
