Jawad Ahmad, the melodious voice behind the hit tunes “Bin Tere Kya Hai Jeena” and “Ucchayan Majajan Aali”, is venturing into politics in the upcoming General Elections. He formed his political party, the Pakistan Barabari Party, with the sole agenda of catering to the middle and lower class people. Equality in principle and in action is the central tenet of his party’s manifesto. Whether it is economic, social, or political equality, the PBP urges for an equitable playing field for all citizens regardless of class, religion, and caste. His election song also captures the essence of what he aims to do from his platform as PBP Chief. The party certainly has some admirable aims, but what’s more daring is the nature of Ahmad’s opposition in the various constituencies he is fighting from.
He is facing Bilawal Bhutto in NA-246, Shehbaz Sharif in NA-133 and Imran Khan in NA-132.
That’s right, he is facing all three major political party leaders in three key constituencies. NA-246 is Lyari, Karachi, which is already a PPP stronghold. With the other two as well, there is hardly any chance for a first-time election candidate to beat the political giants. However, it is an interesting show of will and determination by a civilian who is out to prove that he too can be politically involved. To this end, there is a lot of political consciousness amongst civilian circles, which is a much-needed break from the past. People are not only voting for mainstream parties, but they are getting directly politically involved like Jawad Ahmad is. Independent candidates like Jibran Nasir are also gaining a lot of media attention. And rightly so, these candidates are appealing to the minds of the middle and lower classes. They are trying to capture the crux of why there is inequality in society. They put structural limitations in conversation with attitudinal problems of elitism, which are hindering the socio-economic development of certain classes. Jawad Ahmad, for instance, has taken a stance against feudalism in particular. He believes land reforms are of top-most priority to create a more equitable society. So, Ahmad is tackling the socio-political issues from the ground up, which is certainly the need of the hour. It wouldn’t be naive to assume that such candidates can’t defeat mainstream political leaders. However, creating a positive media dialogue around them is important to put into channel their chances of winning in the future elections. Their involvement in politics is important to inspire greater political mobilization of the common people. “Nothing will change till people from middle and working classes contest elections and enter Parliament,” says the singer-turned-politician.