VOA标准英语2013--Pakistan's Religious Parties Vie for Votes in National Elections

 

 

Jamaat-e-Islami is one of several conservative religious parties in Pakistan. The May 11 ballot¹ will be the first time it vies for votes on its own.

Party official Khurshid Ahmad said Jamaat-e-Islami appeals to Muslims who want clear, ethical² governance and to get away from the U.S.-led war against terrorism.

"Islam deals with the worldly issues as much as it deals with the spiritual issues. So there is no dichotomy between private morality and public morality and the Islamic vision is that one should accept God in totality," he said.

In a country rife³ with corruption⁴ and a faltering⁵ economy, the message has appeal.

Islamic law student Mudassar Abbasi said he supports anyone who would implement⁶ the Islamic tenets in Pakistan's constitution -- but he does not think religious parties will fare well in the vote. 

"If the religious party [were to come] in power in coming election, the result will be that Pakistan will be more stable and less corruption," Abbasi noted⁷. "And the basic rights to every citizen will take easily."

Religious parties are hoping to improve on the eight seats they held in the last 342- seat national assembly.

But Moeed Yusuf, South Asia Advisor⁸ with the United States Institute of Peace said the prospect⁹ of enacting¹⁰ Sharia law -- conservative Islamic law as laid out in the Quran -- lacks broad appeal.

"Political Islam or politicization of religion, has an emotive appeal in Pakistan, it doesn't have a political appeal, this is a very interesting distinction. You can bring the people on the street - if you are the religious party you can have a million people marching on the street," he stated. "When it comes to going to people and saying vote for me because I am the best governor, you won't find many takers for it."

Many shopkeepers in this small village on the outskirts¹¹ of Islamabad are voting for the former ruling Pakistan People's Party. Others here are supporting the new opposition¹² party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, or PTI.

Shahid Riaz is a PTI supporter who said religious parties are too narrow in their approach.

"I think with my mind, they cannot change the economy, and they think only about the religious matters, I think, and we want democracy and better economy in Pakistan," added Riaz.

Yet politician Imran Khan appears to have found a religious angle to his platform with broad support.

His PTI party is running strong second in the polls. The pillars of Khan's campaign: an Islamic welfare state that is no longer part of the war on terror. 

1 ballot   

n.（不记名）投票，投票总数，投票权；vi.投票

参考例句：

• The members have demanded a ballot.会员们要求投票表决。
• The union said they will ballot members on whether to strike.工会称他们将要求会员投票表决是否罢工。

2 ethical   

adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的

参考例句：

• It is necessary to get the youth to have a high ethical concept.必须使青年具有高度的道德观念。
• It was a debate which aroused fervent ethical arguments.那是一场引发强烈的伦理道德争论的辩论。

3 rife   

adj.(指坏事情)充斥的，流行的，普遍的

参考例句：

• Disease is rife in the area.疾病在这一区很流行。
• Corruption was rife before the election.选举之前腐败盛行。

4 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

5 faltering   

犹豫的，支吾的，蹒跚的

参考例句：

• The economy shows no signs of faltering. 经济没有衰退的迹象。
• I canfeel my legs faltering. 我感到我的腿在颤抖。

6 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

9 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

10 enacting   

制定（法律），通过（法案）( enact的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Generally these statutes apply only to wastes from reactors outside the enacting state. 总之，这些法令只适宜用在对付那些来自外州的核废料。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• In addition, the complexion of enacting standards for live working is described. 另外，介绍了带电作业标准的制订情况。

11 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

12 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。