Last week during a speech in the city of Chitral, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that "traditional old-guard politicians" should step back to give the young a chance to step into the country's political landscape.
The former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bhutto Zardari, who is 35 years old, expressed this rhetoric against his PPP party’s former partners in the previous coalition government Pakistan Muslim League Noon (PML-N), accusing the Shehbaz Sharif-led government of neglecting public issues and indulging in personal vendetta.
Bhutto Zardari's statement comes at a time when Pakistan's former prime minister and older brother of Shehbaz Sharif, leader of PML-N
Nawaz Sharif is gearing up to campaign in the
general elections hoping to become the country's prime minister for the fourth time.
So will the possibility of Nawaz's return as premier with tacit support from
Pakistan's Army be old wine in a new bottle or does Pakistan need a young leadership to look at its internal and external issues?
According to Scotland based political observer and writer Parvez Salik, Nawaz Sharif's return has been army orchestrated, but majority of Pakistanis don't have much faith in the PML-N's leader.
The analyst pointed out that it is highly interesting how Sharif managed to reconcile with the country's army and his cases are being pardoned.
Meanwhile,
Pakistan's most popular leader (as shown by several polls) and chief of
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party (PTI)
Imran Khan, is serving a three year prison sentence. It has been reported that his party PTI may be disqualified from contesting the upcoming elections.
Hence, with the existing vacuum in the political landscape, leaders like Bilawal Bhutto Zardari are pushing for young leadership to step up.
Nevertheless, in assessing Pakistan's trajectory, the question of whether the nation needs a young leadership to address its internal and
external challenges is a complex one. While age alone doesn't guarantee effective governance, there are solid arguments in favor of injecting youthful perspectives into
Pakistan's leadership.
According to a
report by the
Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) in Pakistan, youth represent 60 percent of the total population, but their voice is largely unrepresented in the political system.
Moreover, in a rapidly changing global landscape, digital literacy and adaptability, often associated with younger leaders, are becoming increasingly crucial for steering the nation towards
sustainable development.
However, he added that the lack of experience can also be a drawback, especially when dealing with long-standing international issues.
For Pakistan it's essential to strike a balance between the energy and innovation associated with youth and the wisdom and experience that come with age. A collaborative leadership that combines the insights of experienced leaders with the dynamism of younger voices may be the key to addressing Pakistan's
multifaceted challenges.