y the time you read this, Pakistan’s historic elections will have taken place (fingers crossed). I say historic because this is the first time that one democratically-elected administration will transfer power to another democratically-elected civilian administration. The fierce battle in Punjab between the cricket bat and the lion will likely determine the outcome of the elections, but one thing is certain: Pakistan’s middle-classes have come of age. These urban voters are articulate, opinionated, and media-savvy; they are politicized people who want a say in the system. And that is a good omen for democracy.