Internet erupts with memes post-election 2024

It’s been almost 24 hours since the polling closed yesterday and all voters and bystanders are still awaiting results. While the night after the elections day has always been a night to mark celebrations (and contest defeat), the slow pouring in of ghair hatmi, ghair sarkari natayij (inconclusive, unofficial results) has raised many brows.

As many Pakistanis bemoan the electoral system’s familiar recourse to chaos and delays, social media is having a field day with memes and hilarious reactions. Internet users are remarking on the fairly odd-looking ballot papers this election season, owing to an influx of independent candidates with their innovative electoral symbols.

“All this hungama (chaos) for an election whose ballot looked like this,” posted one user on the microblogging platform X, formerly Twitter, alongside a picture of the Android emoji keyboard. Another commented on the unprecedented sight of independent candidates giving political bigwigs fierce competition on many seats, denoted by the abbreviation IND on media outlets tracking vote count.

“Bro, why is IND written everywhere on the TV? Is India winning?” asked the X user comically, with a picture of the Indian actor, Ajay Devgan, with tears in his eyes. One political party candidate’s initial vote count is making rounds on the internet for having just one vote. In a humourous turn, one netizen has found a parallel with “that one loyal oomf (follower) liking all my tweets no matter what.”

Detracting the amused condolences from that the one-vote candidate is another unfortunate contestant whose initial popularity remained at a shocking zero for a long time prompting jokes. “Bro could have at least voted for himself,” penned one internet user.

Others are wondering what the relevant authorities are up to while the Pakistani voters immerse themselves in helpless humour amid uncertainty. However, one X post seems to have got the inside scoop, posting a picture of a woman in her office cubicle playing Solitaire on a desktop computer with the caption, “Meanwhile ECP in the office.”

Given the previous election cycles, Pakistani netizens know better than to set high expectations for efficient results but 2024 might be falling short on even the most modest of hopes. One user who posted, “My prediction for the elections: there will be a result,” on February 8 reflected on their post one day later, saying “Well, that was a stupid prediction.”

Suffice it to say, many are convinced the political happenings this week will make for an interesting Pakistan Studies exam for the years to come. “I will appear for the Pakistan Studies exam again ten years from now. This is all such sexy content,” joked one post. 

“Honestly, Succession writers should come to visit Pakistan for like a writing retreat,” contended another amid posts advocating for the country to learn from these mistakes.

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