Democracy in Pakistan: the chasm – by Haris Gazdar
Source Economic and political weekly (With thanks to reader Hussain Bux Mallah for providing a link to this article)
With the passing of the 18th constitutional amendment in April 2010, democratic Pakistan’s journey for political stability came within leaping distance of its destination, just as the chasm that needed to be crossed became deeper. The probability of success became greater as did the cost of failure. The process leading up to the passage of the amendment revealed as yet hidden sources of resilience within a polity that is reviled at home by an entrenched state apparatus and dismissed abroad as weak and ineffectual Read Full Article[PDF]
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Democracy in its true spirit has never been allowed to take roots in Pakistan. Since its independence in 1947, a military-bureaucratic establishment has always governed the country. Army generals usurp power at their own convenience and quit only when they are forced to quit by mass political movements or by a sudden unexpected death. When forced by external or internal pressures, democracy is given a chance but in reality a group of establishment keeps controlling the decision-making. This direct or indirect establishment’s influence is the greatest impediment to the evolution of a stable governing system in Pakistan. Establishment’s rule has ruined the state structure of Pakistan as a whole with only the elite benefiting from the system and no benefit being passed over to the general public. History is witness to the fact that Pakistan has lost territory while under direct establishment rule. National economy has gone bankrupt and national budget has become all foreign aid dependent. Establishment policies gifted the country with cross border terrorism and poverty. Despite all the setbacks we malign democracy and in a year or two we start hating democracy, why we fail to understand, we have nascent democracy and it would take time grow and time is needed for that. Just give a chance to democracy and see the charisma.
PPP’s policy of reconciliation adopted by President Asif Ali Zardari played the fundamental role in bringing all parties on one platform against dictatorship. In the long history of Pakistan it was the first time that several issues were resolved through consensus even PML-N and Musharraf had a heavy mandate with clear cut 2/3rd majority but they could not do that. The kind of across the board consensus on issues of great import exhibited by the current parliament has been rarely seen in the 63-year history of the country. Now at this point we must understand that Parliament can only be strengthened and become fully functional when the democratic process continues. Frequent interruptions of the system are partly to blame for what is perceived as the inefficacy of parliament, its achievements notwithstanding. Even the NRO, for which this government is often dragged over the coals, was as much a political compromise, meant to nudge the frozen political process forward, as it was a law. Blame game would yield nothing but addition to the agonies of nation, we must be prudent and understand that this country is important for us and democracy is the guarantee to safe this soil.
I feel Pakistanis in particular are very fickle to the point we get exploited. We are never satisfied with whatever we have. We fight for something so hard and realize at the end of the day we fought for a raw deal, then continue fighting for something else. This goes on forever and as such we are never satisfied and never at peace, and it has been such since our inception as a nation. After the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, Zardari came into power and chanted slogan of Pakistan Kahppay, he was the hero of this nation but all of a sudden Zardari become the bad corrupt boy . Trust me whoever comes in they wouldn’t last more than 2 years without problems, just like how Zardari is having it. Even if the most honest person comes there are just problems for every smallest thing and instantly there is a call to leave and for a new guy. This cycle goes on and is commonly exploited not only by self-interested politicians but also by foreign nations. This is where things have led! At the end of the day which human is perfect? Is Musharraf? Or is Nawaz? Or Imran Khan? All have murky history. Who else is left? Taliban? We should give democracy a chance. We may not find much good today, but in the long term we will see it’s positive effects.
I agree 100% with Zainab.. main thing is that dogs keep barking and the caravan moves on..
Wizard Who May Be Petrified Of men.