Voting trends indicate a generational desire for change, says US diplomat

Dawn Political Reporter
UNITED NATIONS: Voting trends in the February 8 elections demonstrated that there is a strong desire for change among the Pakistani youth, according to a senior US diplomat.
The remarks by Elizabeth Horst, a senior US diplomat overseeing Pakistan affairs at the State Depart­ment, came during a seminar held on the sidelines of an ongoing UN debate on the nexus between gender equality and human development.
Organized by the Muslim American Leadership Alliance, the discussion held last week saw active participation from the Pakistani-American community, with several speakers and attendees raising questions about the prevailing political scenario in the country.
Exhibiting diplomatic finesse, the State Department official refrained from making overtly political statements, instead underscoring the existing engagement of the Pakistani diaspora in addressing social issues in their homeland, while urging further efforts to empower women.
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She highlighted the transformative shift evidenced by the 2024 elections, saying: “A generational change has happened. I say generational change because the most recent election in Pakistan has demonstrated that there is a youth right now that’s hungry for change.”
She argued that this demographic would soon constitute a majority in Pakistan, and that would be an opportunity to see a different way of doing things. “So, encourage everyone who is engaged with Pakistan to leverage that as well,” she added.