Bureacracy is a severe obstacle in Pakistan, especially for those who cannot read or write, which is almost half of the population. If you want to register a new car, many forms are needed. Outside the registration office, Nasir Mehmood Mirza works. His son Yasir just finished college and hasn't yet found a steady job and helps a bit. Nasir earns about the same as an ordinary office servant. 

Nasir Mehmood Mirza  (urdu)

-I daily make about 150 up to 200 rupees (around 3 USD, 20 SEK) a day sometimes. We help people fill out the process forms and they pay for that but they cannot pay much.

For that meager salary they only work halfdays and after midday Nasir and his son go home. In Pakistan more than 70% live on less than two dollars a day per person and to that majority the Mirza families belong. Nasir lives together with his brother Farhat in a small two story house in Rawalpindi, a city of two million people in northern Pakistan. Farhat works as an office clerk and they both have families.

Farhat Abbas Mirza (eng)

-We are low class. I have no bike, I have no car I have no my home (home of my own). This is a small home where me and my brother we live together, 12 persons. 

Every single space is needed for 12 persons in four small rooms.

Pakistan with 160 millions inhabitants is the 6th most populous country in the world and has all the problems which characterize a developing country.

Farhat Abbas Mirza  (eng)

-Our country's problems are first of all education, poverty, roads and streets. These are our problems.

The families' house was built in the 1950's and is in bad condition. It cannot carry another floor added on top of the roof.

Nasir Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-We need to take all walls down.

Farhat Abbas Mirza (eng)

-Demolish first of all, then we want to build it (up).

Nasir Mehmood Mirza (eng)

-But I have no money.

Millions of Pakistanis work abroad or have emigrated. It is just a distant dream for the Mirza families, like most other here, to move to Europe.

Nasir Mehmood Mirza (eng)

-Please help us! I request again and again to European union to provide visa for my all families. Kindly kindly.

Pakistan has achieved steady economic growth but the population increase of four million a year eats up most of the added resources. Municipal service is lacking. Nasir's wife Nasreen is a housewife like most women in Pakistan. She and their son Ahmed go shopping in the small streets in Rawalpindi.

Nasreen Mirza   (to the butcher, urdu)

-Cut some nice beef for us

At the greengrocer's they meet Nasir's sister Abidabibi.

Abidabibi Mirza (urdu)

-Prices have increased. If we go two or three years back, prices were resonable.

Nasreen Mirza (urdu)

-I usually buy vegetables and beef. We cannot eat mutton because of the high prices. Normally we eat just vegetables.

The Mirza families with their small resources try to give their children the best education possible and invested in a computer for them to learn.

Farhat helps his daughter Amina with her homework. Pakistan is an islamic state, and that influences the textbooks.

Amina Mirza (reads from schoolbook, urdu)

-The prophet he spoke, "Always ignore the mistakes once he..."

Farhat Abbas Mirza (urdu)

-No, why don't you read " the prophet, be peace upon him", he spoke...? That means also upon his family.

But the standard of education in governmental schools is considered to be really low.

Nasir Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-This education (system) is absolutely bad. There are schools, government schools, where the teachers do their own business while at work. That time they should teach but they just don't care. Then they tell the students "Come to me for tuition!" and there they will do their job because they get 5 - 700 (rupees) per month for that from the parents.

In spite of all, technical developments also reach Pakistan. In the bazaar Yasir has recently got an apprenticeship for repairing cell phones. He hopes that can develop into a good business.

Yasir Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-When children become older they always look for buying something good and nice, so even children think they must have a mobile phone. Now there are modern times, in every home there is a computer and everyone has got a mobile.

Since the partition from India in 1947, Pakistan's military holds a strong grip on political power. The state budgets have been consumed by defense spendings and corruption and people have seen little improvements in standard.

Nasir Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-This home was built by my father. We are still living here.

Farhat Abbas Mirza (urdu)

-We have not been able to make any improvements to this house. 

Sajid Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-Our development stopped at where it was 20 or 30 years ago. At that time we also had electricity and natural gas so nothing new has come. We are at the same place because these politicians just come and put money in their own pockets and return back abroad.

Nasir Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-Our leaders said that they would make Pakistan the same like Japan but until now our country has become neither Japan, not even like China.

In Pakistan, muslim Sharia laws are partly used, heavily discriminating against women. The laws and tradition make women seldom take own initiatives or raise own opinions.

Nasreen Mirza (urdu)

-Women today are slaves, what else?

Nasir Mehmood Mirza, to his wife (urdu)

-You tell this: I will not vote for them and I will reject them.

Farhat Abbas Mirza (urdu)

-Yes, yes..

Nasreen Mirza  (urdu)

-Those (the parties) who are not for women's rights, we will not give them our votes and I will reject them.

Many hold the view that the elections will not be free and fair in the present situation. According to human rights organizations, freedom of speach is severly limited, journalists are arbitrarily arrested and voting registers are falsified. The murder of Benazir Bhutto has further increased mistrust in the state and opinion polls show that an overwhelming majority wants President Musharraf to resign immediately.

Sajid Mehmood Mirza (urdu)

-No, in this situation the elections cannot be fair. Whatever he (Musharraf) says will be the law.

Farhat Abbas Mirza (urdu)

-The leaders should be aware of the situation. They should make sure that those things that happened will not happen again.

Bomb attacks are common against security forces and politicians. There are reports of up to 200.000 armed islamic extremists said to be in Pakistan. Few beleieve that those who come to power in the elections will be strong enough to reduce the strength of the extremists or the military.

Nasreen Mirza  (urdu)

-I want to have a good situation in my country. These bomb-blasts and killings should be stopped. Girls should have equality and education. Pakistan should be a peaceful country, a government who could do this should come to power.