Quotes of the Day

It has been some time since I was as happy as I was on the night after Pakistan's Feb. 18 general election. Mine was perhaps a reckless joy, temporarily distracting me from the very real troubles that Pakistan faces. But as I spoke to friends and acquaintances, both here in London and in my hometown of Lahore, I realized that the sense of euphoria I was feeling was widespread.

Pakistan is sometimes described by the international media as the most dangerous place on the planet. That has always seemed to me to be an irresponsible exaggeration: there are other countries whose citizens are far more likely to die of violent causes. But certainly Pakistan is a troubled land, suffering from illiteracy, poverty, terrorism and the bite of rapidly increasing prices, especially of food. The Feb. 18 election has not solved those problems. Yet Pakistanis are justified in allowing themselves a sigh of relief. Indeed, the entire world should be breathing a little easier now, for Pakistan suddenly looks a lot less frightening than it did.

Pakistanis have shown a renewed commitment to participating in a democracy. Despite the threat of terrorism — a very real concern given recent attacks on political rallies and the assassination of Benazir Bhutto — over 45% of eligible Pakistanis turned out to cast their votes, considerably more than the number that voted in previous general elections in 2002 and 1997. Under the circumstances, this was an impressive level of engagement. And in terms of sheer numbers, it was massive: 36 million Pakistanis voted, more than the entire population of either Iraq or Afghanistan.

Pakistan also showed itself capable of conducting an effective election. True, there were irregularities, and just how free and fair the election really was will be the subject of ongoing debate. But these polls satisfied the litmus test of democracy: their results are being accepted as legitimate by the Pakistani people. For that, President Pervez Musharraf deserves credit. He has made some terrible decisions in recent years (from undermining the judiciary to shackling the media) but resisting the temptation to rig this election can only be characterized as laudable. Given Musharraf's unpopularity, it came as no surprise that his party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Q), won only a quarter as many seats as were captured by the two largest opposition parties. But at least as important was the crushing defeat given to religious parties across the country, and especially in the Northwest Frontier Province, which borders Afghanistan. There, voters flocked to secular candidates, utterly rejecting the politics of "Talibanization."

Growing up in Pakistan, I heard time and time again that Pakistanis were not ready for democracy: they were apathetic, they could not understand the processes or the issues at stake, they were too isolated in their villages or fragmented in their clans. If that was ever true, it is true no longer. The media, and particularly the independent television channels, have engaged, informed and connected the Pakistani body politic like nothing before. This election was covered with all the excitement and real-time analysis of an American political campaign. I watched the Geo news network on my laptop throughout the night, unable to tear my eyes away and go to bed.

The glare of public scrutiny is essential for curbing the excesses of democracy. The media, despite Musharraf's recent attempts to bring them to heel, are now a real force in the country, both shaping and amplifying public opinion. The state of the judiciary, too, also contains a kernel of hope. Yes, last year Musharraf dealt it a devastating blow by dismissing the country's most senior and independent judges. But the reaction to his move — a courageous and visible protest movement led by lawyers and civil society, and supported by the media — has emboldened politicians to push for the restoration of the judiciary, a task at which now, after the election, they might well succeed.

The coming weeks and months are likely to be tumultuous, as coalitions are hammered out and an increasingly unpopular Musharraf faces ever louder calls to depart. And the deeper economic and social problems Pakistan faces will not be easy to solve. But great uncertainty and huge obstacles are familiar to Pakistanis. What is less familiar is the feeling that now lingers in the aftermath of the election: a cautious, soul-gladdening optimism.

Fleeting though it may be, this moment deserves to be cherished.

Mohsin Hamid is the author of the novels Moth Smoke and The Reluctant Fundamentalist

• Mohsin Hamid