Candidates use SMS, Facebook to woo voters

Internews/Rawalpindi

Candidates and their supporters are convincing voters using modern methods: sending short message service (SMS) and using the social networking websites.

At least in the urban settlements of Rawalpindi, many candidates have outsourced their election campaigns to information technology sweat shops. Some have asked their supporters to convince people through the social networking sites.

Prior to the elections, candidates managed to get lists of mobile numbers in their respective areas, and soon after the acceptance of their nomination papers, started sending SMS to people to seek their support.

The Pakistan People’s Party, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Pakistan Muslim League-N and the Jamaat-i-Islami are informing the public of their candidates, election symbols and routine corner meetings. The PTI launched its election campaign through Facebook and SMS messages across the country.

Mohammad Hasan, a resident of College Road, said he was fed up of receiving SMS and messages on his Facebook account from political workers.

He was already convinced to vote for the PML-N, which improved the roads and launched development work in the city. However, he was not interested in attending public meetings of the party due to his hectic routine.

Imran Hussain, a resident of Westridge, said he was informed of political activities in the city through the social networking sites and SMS. “All parties presented impressive manifestos, but the PML-N’s and PTI’s were better. My grandfather advised me not to involve myself in political activities and focus on my studies,” he said.

Nazia Ahmed of Usmanpura was convinced to vote for PTI, but her parents were in favour of PPP. “I tried to convince my parents using arguments given by my friends, but my parents refused,” she said.

Waleed Ahmed, a resident of Chaklala Scheme-III, said he wanted to vote for change to a new party but his father  had decided to vote for PML-N. “Strange attitude of my father; he is convinced the tiger (PML-N’s election symbol) will improve things in the country,” he said.

The Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), which wants Shariah (Islamic system) in the country, is also using Facebook and SMS to mobilise voters. The JI official site on Facebook displays its message to vote for the ‘scale’.

“Through SMS, we are making voters aware of the election campaign and the election symbol,” said JI leader  Malik Azam.

He said the social networking and SMS were necessities of the modern day and all candidates of JI in the district were using them.

For former information minister Sheikh Rashid, SMS is not new as people in NA-55 had been receiving messages informing them that Rashid would appear in television shows to expose the corruption of PPP and PML-N.

The practice continued after the announcement of the elections as people received messages from different cell phones with Rashid’s message.

Former lawmaker Malik Shakil Awan, the PML-N candidate in the garrison city, is also convincing voters via Facebook.

He said he had created an account two years ago but had not used it regularly. “After the election announcement, my supporters advised me to mobilise the youth, and I started using the Facebook account too. I use it at night, while my supporters write messages on my behalf during the day,” he said.

Zamrud Khan, PPP candidate, said that the basic aim of SMS and Facebook was to create awareness among the voters of “our campaign schedule”.

“The actual publicity is the reputation of the candidate and my reputation in the area is good. Being the former managing director of Pakistan Baitul Mal, I have done work on merit and helped people without discrimination,” he added.

Some candidates said using the social media and SMS was economically feasible as it didn’t require a lot of money, and youngsters were sending SMS through the packages offered by all cell phone companies.