Shigar’s Backwardness: Who Is Responsible?

By Ghulam Jaffari Shigri

Whenever election season approaches, a strong narrative is repeated in certain circles of Shigar. People say that Shigar has been left far behind in education, health, and infrastructure. All the blame is placed on former political representatives. They are called enemies of education and health, and even accused of destroying collective development. Until the last elections, many of us believed the same thing. We felt that elected representatives focused more on personal favors instead of public welfare.

It was often suggested that the poor condition of education and health in Shigar was the result of a deliberate political plan. This time, however, we had a direct chance to take part in political campaigning and public outreach with the representatives. What we witnessed was painful but true, and it changed our perspective completely.

We visited almost every village, neighborhood, and many homes across Shigar. During these visits, we spoke in detail with local elders, educated individuals, and ordinary voters. One clear fact emerged: blaming representatives alone for the lack of development is an easy but incomplete explanation. In reality, the public also shares responsibility.

In very few places did people ask for schools, colleges, hospitals, or other public development projects. Instead, most discussions revolved around personal demands. People asked for electric wires, water pipes, bore wells, jobs, transfers, and similar favors in exchange for their votes. These demands were repeated everywhere.

This shows that representatives cannot focus on major public projects unless there is strong collective demand from the people. Politics has become a process of exchange. Representatives prioritize the issues that help them secure votes. When votes are traded for personal benefits, broader issues like education, health, and infrastructure are ignored.

Therefore, Shigar’s backwardness and the decline in education and health are not only the failure of representatives. They reflect the collective choices and priorities of voters. If voters themselves do not demand schools, colleges, and hospitals, representatives have little reason to focus on them.

Now is the time for self-reflection. If we truly want Shigar to progress, we must rise above personal interests. We must stop trading votes for pipes, wires, jobs, and transfers. Instead, we should prioritize schools, roads, hospitals, clean water, and sustainable development.

Representatives are a mirror of the people. Their actions reflect public demands. If the people of Shigar make education, health, and collective development the basis of their vote, representatives will be forced to act accordingly.

The future of Shigar does not depend on one individual. It depends on our shared awareness. Until we use our vote for the collective future rather than short-term gain, Shigar’s development will remain only a slogan. The choice is ours: temporary benefits, or a better Shigar for future generations.

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