In the recent elections for the Mayor of London, 45 year old Sadiq Khan defeated opponents to comprehensively win the contest. A record 1.3 million people voted for him, which was an incredible 57% of all votes. History was made as he became the first Muslim Mayor of London.
The former human rights lawyer Sadiq Khan is of Pakistani heritage, with humble beginnings. He grew up in a council estate, while his father was employed as a bus driver. Sadiq worked hard, was well educated and progressed to becoming the Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP) for Tooting, in London.
The election campaign was very tough as his main opponent was Etonian billionaire Zac Goldsmith, a MP for the Conservative Party and former brother-in-law of Imran Khan. Unfortunately the Conservative Party strategy was divisive and toxic using Sadiq Khan’s religion against him. Accusing him of sharing platforms with alleged Muslim extremists. Similar in some ways to how Donald Trump has stirred up the public in the USA against Muslims.
However Sadiq Khan responded with calm determination focusing on his policies and the positive changes he wants to make for London.
On winning the election Sadiq gave a perfect response to his critics. ‘Fear does not make us safer, it only makes us weaker. And the politics of fear is simply not welcome in our city’. He gave a message of ‘hope over fear’.
With the backdrop of increasing Islamophobia in the West, this victory has had a huge, much needed ‘feel good’ boost for the Muslim communities, not just in London but all over the UK and internationally.
So why did Sadiq Khan win?
Simply because he is a well respected, honest, likeable, wise politician who is in tune with the needs of most Londoners. He wanted to make a genuine difference to the plight of the needy. He makes a concerted effort to reach out to all faiths and speaks in churches, synagogues, temples and mosques. He gave a positive message which was well received by the public.
With London having 40% of all of the Britain’s Muslims and a wide range of ethnic minorities, he was assured of strong support.
Sadiq Khan has become one of the most powerful Muslim politicians in the West, an opportunity to became a strong positive influence. Time will tell what real impact he makes.
What can Pakistan learn from this election result?
Pakistan’s democracy should learn that we need to return to the principles of ‘Jinnah’s Pakistan’. Each and every citizen of Pakistan whatever their caste, creed or religion should be entitled not only to vote but given an equal opportunity to succeed to high political office. Sadiq Khan proved to us that a son of a Muslim, working class immigrant, can make it to the top against all odds in the UK.
Could this happen in Pakistan? I very much doubt it. What are the chances of a Christian, Hindu or Ahmadi being elected to a high political level? I feel in today’s Pakistan it would be near impossible.
Pakistan needs to clean up its political system, put an end to corruption. Individual politicians should be elected for their ability, skills and how they will help the public eg. with essential needs like food, electricity, gas, water, housing, transport, law and order.
If a fair and transparent system is not developed the rich only get richer and the poor will get poorer. The basic needs of society will not be met.
A pluralist society needs to be developed by tolerating each other’s beliefs even if they are different to our own.
