Why there is no name of Mai Jori? Who was she, who was she representing and why? Where is She now ? just like a fly that appeared and ..poof.. disappeared? Atleast put her name in the list and then ask the biased opinion. (Please check behind the curtain in picture above, what the hell he is doing?)
@Khan Your point is valid. Perhaps you (and other interested voters) can express their choice through the last option, i.e., Other.
In order to keep this poll transparent, we included only those parties which have representation in Pakistan’s parliament or which remain active and visible in today’s political scenario.
68 votes so far. While 54% support PPP, it is good to see that about 46% support other parties. In other words, there is a diversity of opinion in the LUBP visitors which is a healthy sign.
Believe me, I STILL….. STILL am a supporter of PPP or will remain if PPP may clean herself, again, from the clutches of those who do not belong in there and destroying the true legacy. The legacy which led common people like me to follow the name blindly for so long and still trying to pull on. I disagree with Farhad, as the poor supporters may be from the grass root as they always remain there but not the current ruling elite. The real ‘CRITICAL PPP’ grass root is curtailed to few honest people who are trying to keep the legacy intact along with making up the new legacy for future but I see a majority who are keen to eliminate or have a very good tendency to do the root it out. I am not doing favoritism for the sake of favortism any more.
The writer is a former envoy to the US and the UK, and a former editor of The News.
The recent by-elections to National and Provincial Assembly seats have reaffirmed the dominant political position of the country’s two major parties: the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). But this reality should be tempered by the recognition that a significant chunk of the electorate did not vote in these polls as indeed in the general elections in 2008. This should worry the two big parties as the nonvoting electorate – as much as 56 per cent in 2008 – points to a combination of voter disaffection and disinterest in the political process.
From the hard-fought Rawalpindi seat to the electoral contests in Lahore and Jhang, the PML-N won easily in its provincial stronghold with the PPP winning elsewhere. The vote banks of the two major parties are by and large intact. The most dramatic decline has been in the Jamaat-e-Islami’s urban influence, as evidenced by its debacle in Lahore.
This reinforces the fact that two parties continue to dominate voting and only they can realistically hope to win office. This is reinforced by the first-past-the-post electoral system. In terms of winning power the political system remains two-party, but in another sense, it is a two-and-a-half-party system. The half does not represent a third national force but indicates the fact that, without support from smaller, mainly regional parties, no single party is able to form a government – on the basis of the seats it can win on its own.
Coalition governments have resulted from this reality – in 2008, as during much of the Nineties. A look at the vote shares of the two main parties in 2008 is instructive in this regard. The PPP polled 31 per cent of the vote and the PML-N around 20 per cent because Muslim League supporters split their vote (with Q polling more votes), which can be consolidated if the two Leagues unify in the next election.
In seeking support from other parties to form a government at the Centre the PPP, as did the PML-N in Punjab, entered an era of coalition politics. Although the period of PPP-PML-N amity did not last long, the coalition at the national level has obliged different parties to work with one another. This has also enabled the smaller parties to hold the balance of power and enjoy unprecedented leverage in addition to the position they hold in their regional zones of influence.
As governance can no longer be predicated on a go-it-alone approach, this has meant inculcating a habit of working with and accommodating the interests and concerns of other parties. This also implies transcending the “winner take all” mindset by learning to live with one another – and not let disagreements produce either gridlock in the system or imposing the will of the majority party on others.
Consensual politics is still a work in progress, but there have been promising developments. The work of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms has seen a remarkable display of democratic give-and-take.
Except for the PPP leader’s blundering move to oust the PML-N from Punjab by Governor’s Rule – which it was forced to reverse – parties have generally shown respect for the other’s democratic mandate. The national coalition has survived despite internal strains and rifts.
As for a political system dominated by two major parties, its advantages are well known and include the check and balance instituted by two parties alternating in power, each expected to vigorously hold the other to account. This also provides voters with a clear idea about who is the government in waiting.
But if a key advantage is that the two parties offer the public a clear choice in terms of distinct outlooks on issues and policy options, then that doesn’t seem to be in evidence here. The choice is more between personalities and political traditions representing different constituencies rather than between discrete sets of policy agendas that people can identify these parties with.
This is a consequence of Pakistan’s dominant political culture, in which the major parties are organised around personalities and clan/biradari alignments and oriented to working patronage networks rather than focusing on issues that they define themselves by. As a result, constituency- rather than issue-based politics holds sway.
In terms of issues the PML-N – as the government-in-waiting – has done little to stake out clear and coherent positions on key challenges facing the country and offer alternative policy to distinguish itself from the People’s Party.
The impression this conveys is that other than offering an alternate leadership the PML-N has not yet thought through the kinds of solutions it will apply to resolve the country’s many problems. This may not, for now, cost the PML-N votes – in relation to the PPP – as its Punjab by-election wins show. But it hurts its image and public approval ratings and might ultimately also weaken its electoral strength.
Meanwhile, the large non-voting electorate indicates that significant political ground is not occupied by any party. This might well reflect the view among voters that the two major parties provide too narrow a political choice. What also plays into this sentiment is that the main parties, instead of trying to induct new blood, end up circulating the same elites. This is apparent from their ticketing policies which give precedence to the progeny or kin of traditional elites.
Another more fundamental question is raised by all of this. Are the country’s two major parties reflecting and capturing the significant social and economic changes that have occurred in Pakistan over the past two decades, including greater urbanisation, a growing middle class and a society more empowered by the impact of technology?
Recent years have seen the political matrix transformed by greater “connectivity” in society brought about by a number of factors including public access to an unprecedented flow of news and information and opportunities for expression offered by new media platforms. This has expanded the arena for democratic politics and opened possibilities for greater public engagement in politics.
Even if there is contention over the size of the middle class and how to measure it, few will dispute the fact that the middle class has grown in numbers and influence. Political activism by the middle class has already helped to realign national power via the lawyers’ movement for an independent judiciary and unleashed popular aspirations for rule-bound governance.
But have parties understood and leveraged the potential for mobilization and participation afforded by all of this? Have they responded to the challenges created by a more politically aware and informed public as well as the need to widen their electoral appeal to the educated middle class?
The PPP has yet to adapt to the higher level of urbanisation, attract members of a more assertive middle class and respond to the socio-economic changes induced by globalisation. Instead, it has preferred to rely on traditional ways of recruiting support and conducting politics. While more representative of urban Pakistan, the PML-N has not sought to represent wider urban aspirations beyond trader-oriented interests. Neither party has set up structures to systematically receive expert advice on issues or inform their platforms with new ideas.
As the main parties are able to muster the votes needed to win office, this seems to have bred complacency and contributed to a degree of stagnation that is an inescapable consequence of the lack of fresh and creative ideas in both parties. Both need to rise above the weight of traditional politics and dial their party clocks to 2010 to be in synch with the shifting state-society dynamic in the country.
They must try to address the sentiment found among a substantial section of the electorate that meaningful and result-oriented political engagement is not available within the framework of the two major parties. In so doing they will not only make themselves more representative and enhance their appeal but also align themselves more closely to changing public aspirations.
As the main parties are able to muster the votes needed to win office, this seems to have bred complacency and contributed to a degree of stagnation that is an inescapable consequence of the lack of fresh and creative ideas in both parties. Both need to rise above the weight of traditional politics and dial their party clocks to 2010 to be in synch with the shifting state-society dynamic in the country.
They must try to address the sentiment found among a substantial section of the electorate that meaningful and result-oriented political engagement is not available within the framework of the two major parties. In so doing they will not only make themselves more representative and enhance their appeal but also align themselves more closely to changing public aspirations.
———————————————–
Thanks for the above article link, that is the real me and majority of me (Me & I, the General Pakistanis at large) who now need a change. Some hand picked billionaires are meant to solve my problems with no insight of my problems. Poor us, try to find the best out of their speeches and policies to keep their politics alive by analyzing this and that, writing huge articles. They are all lying that they are fully aware of the problems and sufferings of the common man. They are not, what ever kind of legacy they are using as a bait to deceive me again and again. I dont have much time and therefore I can not give time to any body so that they may start serving us better when properly SETTLED.
It is heartening to see that LUBP has visitors representing diverse political and/or ethnic backgrounds.
Personally I would have loved to see more visitors from our right wing friends, e.g. from Jamaat-e-Islami and PML-N. They are very welcome not only to post comments but also write well reasoned articles which we will be very glad to post on LUBP.
Dialogue and transparency are the essence of LUBP. We really want to uphold these values.
@Abdul Nishapuri We (me and millions like me)have a long history of very intimate affiliation with the ‘Critical and original PPP or people’s party and not some close friend’s party which is it now’ as the earlier really represented us and our cause aptly for so long and sacrificed a lot. Khuda na karay JI or PMLN or any other loathsome junk may cast a shadow on us. We do not cross floor as we follow the ideology. Sorry to say after BB, the real ideology is lost somewhere in greed and lust for power. It is pretty evident and the truth must not be refuted by ‘mysterious silence’. The feeling that is in the development, the true ‘Nationalism’ is in fast depletion and slur kind of slogans like ”Sind Khappay”,” Punjab Khappay”, ”sindhi president or punjabi prime minister”, ‘ Pakhtoonistan ‘ etc etc are raising head.
Pardon me to say, what a rubbish, when some body is praised that he has chanted the slogan of ‘Pakistan Khappay’ and not ‘Pakistan Na Khappay’ other wise ……… How dare some body praise such elements who were about to chant that ugly slogan. What message they were trying to give to the nation. Millions of people have lost their lives and every thing, on this piece of land and who could dare to break it so easily and still parised. We have seen much in past couple of years. The blot of distrust amongst the critical community is getting deeper and needs some major honest and overt feats to eradicate.
DO WE NEED ANOTHER 8.5 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE TO SEE (AGAIN) THE TRUE NATIONALISM or just wait or stay oblivious from what ever is happening around. We are all concerned here for the ‘Nationalism’ and not just petty political party politics. This is a true democratic gesture to show your true feelings in favor or against your party affiliations. Thats what I see here, any negative comment against
any political party is taken as a pro-action to other one. That is not the case always. Consider the more than 50~60% of population not at all voting, since last decade, to any one is the only reason that the distrust on all is increasing. No matter what you do or say, real actions will depict the true spirit. That’s why the 60% is looking for a change and not willing to see same blood relations heading the same political parties like a kingdom of a nobles and remaining are the ‘Kammees’ to follow.
حکومت نے اپنے دو سالہ دور کی کارکردگی کے بارے میں ’انتشار سے استحکام تک کا سفر‘ کے عنوانسے شایع کردہ ایک اشتہار میں جو ’ٹاپ ٹین‘ کارنامے بیان کیے ہیں ان میں دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں کامیابی، آئینی اصلاحات، ساتواں قومی مالیاتی ایوارڈ، آغاز حقوقِ بلوچستان، گلگت بلتستان کی داخلی خودمختاری، بینظیر انکم سپورٹ پروگرام، وسیلہ حق پروگرام، بے نظیر ایمپلائیز سٹاک آپشن سکیم، خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے اقدامات اور کسان دوست اقدامات شامل ہیں۔
خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے حوالے سے گھریلو تشدد اور دفاتر میں خواتین سے چھیڑ خانی پر سزا کے قوانین کی منظوری، خواتین کے لیے سرکاری ملازمتوں میں دس فیصد کوٹہ مختص کرنے کو حکومت نے اپنی کارکردگی بتایا ہے۔
کسان دوست اقدامات میں دس ہزار چھوٹے کاشتکاروں کو رعایتی ٹریکٹرز کی فراہمی، اجناس کی امدادی قیمتوں میں اضافے اور دیگر اقدامات کا تذکرہ کیا گیا ہے۔
خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے حوالے سے گھریلو تشدد اور دفاتر میں خواتین سے چھیڑ خانی پر سزا کے قوانین کی منظوری، خواتین کے لیے سرکاری ملازمتوں میں دس فیصد کوٹہ مختص کرنے کو حکومت نے اپنی کارکردگی بتایا ہے۔
بلاشبہ اگر دیکھا جائے تو حکومت نے بعض معاملات میں کامیابی ضرور حاصل کی ہے لیکن پرویز مشرف کے نو سالہ دور کے بعد قائم ہونے والی جمہوری حکومت سے جو عام آدمی کی توقعات وابسطہ تھیں وہ تاحال پوری نہیں ہوسکی ہیں۔
یہ بھی اپنی جگہ حقیقت ہے کہ گزشتہ دو برسوں میں عالمی اقتصادی بحران اور پاکستان میں داخلی بحرانوں کا اگر جائزہ لیں تو ایسے میں حکومت کی کارکردگی ایک حد تک کہا جاسکتا ہے کہ اتنی بری نہیں رہی۔ لیکن ’نظام بدلنے‘ جیسے جو حکومت نے خواب دکھائے اس سلسلے میں تاحال کوئی بھی پیش رفت نہیں ہوسکی۔
آغازِ حقوقِ بلوچستان پیکیج کی بات تو کی جاتی ہے لیکن آج بھی بلوچستان میں فرنٹیئر کور کا ایک کرنل بھی منتخب وزیراعلیٰ سے زیادہ با اختیار ہے۔ صوبے بھر میں سیاسی کارکنوں کی جبری گمشدگی کا سلسلہ جاری ہے۔ دس ہزار نوجوانوں کو ملازمت، باہر پڑھنے کے لیے سکالرشپ دینے کے حکومت نے دعوے بھی کیے لیکن مقامی بلوچ نوجوان کہتے ہیں کہ ملازمت ہو یا سکالرشپس، اس میں بلوچوں سے زیادہ غیر بلوچوں کو فوقیت دی جا رہی ہے۔
حکومت نے اپنے دو سالہ دور کی کارکردگی کے بارے میں ’انتشار سے استحکام تک کا سفر‘ کے عنوانسے شایع کردہ ایک اشتہار میں جو ’ٹاپ ٹین‘ کارنامے بیان کیے ہیں ان میں دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں کامیابی، آئینی اصلاحات، ساتواں قومی مالیاتی ایوارڈ، آغاز حقوقِ بلوچستان، گلگت بلتستان کی داخلی خودمختاری، بینظیر انکم سپورٹ پروگرام، وسیلہ حق پروگرام، بے نظیر ایمپلائیز سٹاک آپشن سکیم، خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے اقدامات اور کسان دوست اقدامات شامل ہیں
حکومت نے بینطئر انکم سپورٹ پروگرام تو شروع کیا اور اس کے تحت غریب لوگوں کو ماہانہ ایک ہزار روپے مل رہے ہیں لیکن آج بھی پاکستان میں پونے چھ کروڑ لوگ غربت کی لکیر کے نیچے زندگی گزارتے ہیں۔ گزشتہ دو برسوں میں غربت کے بارے اپنے بچے بیچنے کے کئی واقعات بھی سامنے آئے ہیں۔
اس بات کا ادراک حکومت کو بھی ہے جس کے بارے میں جمعرات کو وزیراعظم سید یوسف رضا گیلانی نے اپنی حکومت کے دو برس کی تکمیل کے سلسلے منعقد ایک تقریب سے خطاب میں کہا کہ ’مجھے پتہ ہے کہ بجلی نہیں ہے، بھوک ہے، غربت ہے، بیماریاں ہیں، بے روزگاری اور مہنگائی ہے اور یہ مسائل فوری طور پر حل نہیں کیے جاسکتے‘۔
وزیراعظم نے ایسے بنیادی اور دیرینہ مسائل کی ایک وجہ پاکستان میں جمہوری نظام کے عدم تسلسل اور اس نظام میں ہونے والی مداخلتوں (آمریت) کو قرار دیا اور اور اس بات پر زور دیا کہ پاکستان میں جمہوریت چلتی رہے اور تمام ادارے اپنی اپنی آئینی حدود میں کام کریں تو ان مسائل پر بھی قابو پایا جاسکتا ہے۔
حکومتی ترجیحات اپنی جگہ لیکن لیکن بعض ماہرین کہتے ہیں کہ غربت، بے روزگاری، مہنگائی اور بدعنوانی پر قابو پانا اور توانائی کے بحران سے نمٹنا جہاں موجودہ حکومت کے لیے ایک بڑا چیلینج ہے وہاں آنے والی حکومتوں کے لیے بھی یہ مسائل حل کرنا ایک بڑا امتحان ہوگا۔
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) 90 55%
Awami National Party (ANP) 16 10%
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 16 10%
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) 13 8%
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) 9 5%
Other answer… 8 5%
Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) 5 3%
Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) 5 3%
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) 2 1%
Balochistan National Party (BNP) 1 1%
Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam – Fazl (JUI -F) 0 0%
Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML – F) 0 0%
Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) 0 0%
Other Responses
the one which is not political, truly for the progress of Pakistan…Zaid hamid
BRP
CMKP
INTERNATIONAL MARXIST TENDENCY
Tehrik e jafria
nothing, no party
Pakistan citizenship
Talibaan 🙂
we should thrown out this evil system known asw democracy since it takes the right of constitution from ALLAH and give it to the people..and people makes law in thiere own benefits…the root of all the problem is democracy………do u think that majority can be a criteria 4 justice? criteria is one.and that is quran..hizbut tahrir is the world largest political party working 4 the reestablishment of khilafah..the only solution.
west adopt capitalism and they make a revival society…we cant adopt capitalism…because capitalism close the CREATOR in a church or MOSQUe….but i know if there is any CREATOR then HE knows how to spend life..how to run our political system…how to run our judiciary..wat should be our education system…did not u people ever thought that HE who give the method 4 “how to take a bath” how to urinate; ….WILL NOT he tell about SYSTEMS??????? and we know that islam is not only a religion but a DEEN .a complete code of life.if its a complete code of life.then why majority take decisions?
all the main stream political parties who represent themselves as champions of democracy; their political leadership is never been elected through within party elections…..they are bunch of corrupt mafia destroying Pakistan for last three years……slaves who became masters but still, they are slaves, keep changing their masters for last 200 years……….
PPP is the party which divided Qaid-e-azam’s Pakistan into 2 pieces. They have only one goal–sit in the golden castles and loot Pakistan by whatever means.
And because of the present criminal mafia which is rulling us , I dont know what is going to happen in near future. May ALLAH save our Pakistan.
@drtahir Tell me in one sentence; do you respect democracy? Democracy mean’s people’s government.
Why do the people of Pakistan always vote for the PPP and PML-N as their first two choices respectively? Why do the ponies and donkeys of Mansoora and GHQ always get rejected by the people of Pakistan?
discipline an are charged with law making.Pity this nation an pray allaha ashamed to be a pakistani where i find murders finincial bunglers thiefs patharidars an jagga tex extortionists
i am afraid to mention that allaha almighty has imposed his wrath on us in the shape of defaulters criminals law breakers patharidars tax evaders and goondas of very high profile.One has just to open quran an read how allaha chooses to punish those communities who disobey his laws an procedures. A country run by foreigners an their loans along with dictates and line of action truely cant be sovereign. The amount so taken is shifted to our big shots private accounts abroad.On top loans taken from domestic banks are charged.Only allaha can help us we pray we be relieved of this burden of psudo leaders liers hypocrates.
Why there is no name of Mai Jori? Who was she, who was she representing and why? Where is She now ? just like a fly that appeared and ..poof.. disappeared? Atleast put her name in the list and then ask the biased opinion. (Please check behind the curtain in picture above, what the hell he is doing?)
@Khan Your point is valid. Perhaps you (and other interested voters) can express their choice through the last option, i.e., Other.
In order to keep this poll transparent, we included only those parties which have representation in Pakistan’s parliament or which remain active and visible in today’s political scenario.
it is the only party which has gross root support through pakistan
68 votes so far. While 54% support PPP, it is good to see that about 46% support other parties. In other words, there is a diversity of opinion in the LUBP visitors which is a healthy sign.
Believe me, I STILL….. STILL am a supporter of PPP or will remain if PPP may clean herself, again, from the clutches of those who do not belong in there and destroying the true legacy. The legacy which led common people like me to follow the name blindly for so long and still trying to pull on. I disagree with Farhad, as the poor supporters may be from the grass root as they always remain there but not the current ruling elite. The real ‘CRITICAL PPP’ grass root is curtailed to few honest people who are trying to keep the legacy intact along with making up the new legacy for future but I see a majority who are keen to eliminate or have a very good tendency to do the root it out. I am not doing favoritism for the sake of favortism any more.
I just realized that two people are using the name Khan. I should change mine.
Why parties need change
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Dr Maleeha Lodhi
The writer is a former envoy to the US and the UK, and a former editor of The News.
The recent by-elections to National and Provincial Assembly seats have reaffirmed the dominant political position of the country’s two major parties: the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). But this reality should be tempered by the recognition that a significant chunk of the electorate did not vote in these polls as indeed in the general elections in 2008. This should worry the two big parties as the nonvoting electorate – as much as 56 per cent in 2008 – points to a combination of voter disaffection and disinterest in the political process.
From the hard-fought Rawalpindi seat to the electoral contests in Lahore and Jhang, the PML-N won easily in its provincial stronghold with the PPP winning elsewhere. The vote banks of the two major parties are by and large intact. The most dramatic decline has been in the Jamaat-e-Islami’s urban influence, as evidenced by its debacle in Lahore.
This reinforces the fact that two parties continue to dominate voting and only they can realistically hope to win office. This is reinforced by the first-past-the-post electoral system. In terms of winning power the political system remains two-party, but in another sense, it is a two-and-a-half-party system. The half does not represent a third national force but indicates the fact that, without support from smaller, mainly regional parties, no single party is able to form a government – on the basis of the seats it can win on its own.
Coalition governments have resulted from this reality – in 2008, as during much of the Nineties. A look at the vote shares of the two main parties in 2008 is instructive in this regard. The PPP polled 31 per cent of the vote and the PML-N around 20 per cent because Muslim League supporters split their vote (with Q polling more votes), which can be consolidated if the two Leagues unify in the next election.
In seeking support from other parties to form a government at the Centre the PPP, as did the PML-N in Punjab, entered an era of coalition politics. Although the period of PPP-PML-N amity did not last long, the coalition at the national level has obliged different parties to work with one another. This has also enabled the smaller parties to hold the balance of power and enjoy unprecedented leverage in addition to the position they hold in their regional zones of influence.
As governance can no longer be predicated on a go-it-alone approach, this has meant inculcating a habit of working with and accommodating the interests and concerns of other parties. This also implies transcending the “winner take all” mindset by learning to live with one another – and not let disagreements produce either gridlock in the system or imposing the will of the majority party on others.
Consensual politics is still a work in progress, but there have been promising developments. The work of the Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Reforms has seen a remarkable display of democratic give-and-take.
Except for the PPP leader’s blundering move to oust the PML-N from Punjab by Governor’s Rule – which it was forced to reverse – parties have generally shown respect for the other’s democratic mandate. The national coalition has survived despite internal strains and rifts.
As for a political system dominated by two major parties, its advantages are well known and include the check and balance instituted by two parties alternating in power, each expected to vigorously hold the other to account. This also provides voters with a clear idea about who is the government in waiting.
But if a key advantage is that the two parties offer the public a clear choice in terms of distinct outlooks on issues and policy options, then that doesn’t seem to be in evidence here. The choice is more between personalities and political traditions representing different constituencies rather than between discrete sets of policy agendas that people can identify these parties with.
This is a consequence of Pakistan’s dominant political culture, in which the major parties are organised around personalities and clan/biradari alignments and oriented to working patronage networks rather than focusing on issues that they define themselves by. As a result, constituency- rather than issue-based politics holds sway.
In terms of issues the PML-N – as the government-in-waiting – has done little to stake out clear and coherent positions on key challenges facing the country and offer alternative policy to distinguish itself from the People’s Party.
The impression this conveys is that other than offering an alternate leadership the PML-N has not yet thought through the kinds of solutions it will apply to resolve the country’s many problems. This may not, for now, cost the PML-N votes – in relation to the PPP – as its Punjab by-election wins show. But it hurts its image and public approval ratings and might ultimately also weaken its electoral strength.
Meanwhile, the large non-voting electorate indicates that significant political ground is not occupied by any party. This might well reflect the view among voters that the two major parties provide too narrow a political choice. What also plays into this sentiment is that the main parties, instead of trying to induct new blood, end up circulating the same elites. This is apparent from their ticketing policies which give precedence to the progeny or kin of traditional elites.
Another more fundamental question is raised by all of this. Are the country’s two major parties reflecting and capturing the significant social and economic changes that have occurred in Pakistan over the past two decades, including greater urbanisation, a growing middle class and a society more empowered by the impact of technology?
Recent years have seen the political matrix transformed by greater “connectivity” in society brought about by a number of factors including public access to an unprecedented flow of news and information and opportunities for expression offered by new media platforms. This has expanded the arena for democratic politics and opened possibilities for greater public engagement in politics.
Even if there is contention over the size of the middle class and how to measure it, few will dispute the fact that the middle class has grown in numbers and influence. Political activism by the middle class has already helped to realign national power via the lawyers’ movement for an independent judiciary and unleashed popular aspirations for rule-bound governance.
But have parties understood and leveraged the potential for mobilization and participation afforded by all of this? Have they responded to the challenges created by a more politically aware and informed public as well as the need to widen their electoral appeal to the educated middle class?
The PPP has yet to adapt to the higher level of urbanisation, attract members of a more assertive middle class and respond to the socio-economic changes induced by globalisation. Instead, it has preferred to rely on traditional ways of recruiting support and conducting politics. While more representative of urban Pakistan, the PML-N has not sought to represent wider urban aspirations beyond trader-oriented interests. Neither party has set up structures to systematically receive expert advice on issues or inform their platforms with new ideas.
As the main parties are able to muster the votes needed to win office, this seems to have bred complacency and contributed to a degree of stagnation that is an inescapable consequence of the lack of fresh and creative ideas in both parties. Both need to rise above the weight of traditional politics and dial their party clocks to 2010 to be in synch with the shifting state-society dynamic in the country.
They must try to address the sentiment found among a substantial section of the electorate that meaningful and result-oriented political engagement is not available within the framework of the two major parties. In so doing they will not only make themselves more representative and enhance their appeal but also align themselves more closely to changing public aspirations.
http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=230531
As the main parties are able to muster the votes needed to win office, this seems to have bred complacency and contributed to a degree of stagnation that is an inescapable consequence of the lack of fresh and creative ideas in both parties. Both need to rise above the weight of traditional politics and dial their party clocks to 2010 to be in synch with the shifting state-society dynamic in the country.
They must try to address the sentiment found among a substantial section of the electorate that meaningful and result-oriented political engagement is not available within the framework of the two major parties. In so doing they will not only make themselves more representative and enhance their appeal but also align themselves more closely to changing public aspirations.
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Thanks for the above article link, that is the real me and majority of me (Me & I, the General Pakistanis at large) who now need a change. Some hand picked billionaires are meant to solve my problems with no insight of my problems. Poor us, try to find the best out of their speeches and policies to keep their politics alive by analyzing this and that, writing huge articles. They are all lying that they are fully aware of the problems and sufferings of the common man. They are not, what ever kind of legacy they are using as a bait to deceive me again and again. I dont have much time and therefore I can not give time to any body so that they may start serving us better when properly SETTLED.
It is heartening to see that LUBP has visitors representing diverse political and/or ethnic backgrounds.
Personally I would have loved to see more visitors from our right wing friends, e.g. from Jamaat-e-Islami and PML-N. They are very welcome not only to post comments but also write well reasoned articles which we will be very glad to post on LUBP.
Dialogue and transparency are the essence of LUBP. We really want to uphold these values.
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Poll Results:
http://polldaddy.com/polls/results.php?id=2927582
@Abdul Nishapuri We (me and millions like me)have a long history of very intimate affiliation with the ‘Critical and original PPP or people’s party and not some close friend’s party which is it now’ as the earlier really represented us and our cause aptly for so long and sacrificed a lot. Khuda na karay JI or PMLN or any other loathsome junk may cast a shadow on us. We do not cross floor as we follow the ideology. Sorry to say after BB, the real ideology is lost somewhere in greed and lust for power. It is pretty evident and the truth must not be refuted by ‘mysterious silence’. The feeling that is in the development, the true ‘Nationalism’ is in fast depletion and slur kind of slogans like ”Sind Khappay”,” Punjab Khappay”, ”sindhi president or punjabi prime minister”, ‘ Pakhtoonistan ‘ etc etc are raising head.
Pardon me to say, what a rubbish, when some body is praised that he has chanted the slogan of ‘Pakistan Khappay’ and not ‘Pakistan Na Khappay’ other wise ……… How dare some body praise such elements who were about to chant that ugly slogan. What message they were trying to give to the nation. Millions of people have lost their lives and every thing, on this piece of land and who could dare to break it so easily and still parised. We have seen much in past couple of years. The blot of distrust amongst the critical community is getting deeper and needs some major honest and overt feats to eradicate.
DO WE NEED ANOTHER 8.5 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE TO SEE (AGAIN) THE TRUE NATIONALISM or just wait or stay oblivious from what ever is happening around. We are all concerned here for the ‘Nationalism’ and not just petty political party politics. This is a true democratic gesture to show your true feelings in favor or against your party affiliations. Thats what I see here, any negative comment against
any political party is taken as a pro-action to other one. That is not the case always. Consider the more than 50~60% of population not at all voting, since last decade, to any one is the only reason that the distrust on all is increasing. No matter what you do or say, real actions will depict the true spirit. That’s why the 60% is looking for a change and not willing to see same blood relations heading the same political parties like a kingdom of a nobles and remaining are the ‘Kammees’ to follow.
حکومت نے اپنے دو سالہ دور کی کارکردگی کے بارے میں ’انتشار سے استحکام تک کا سفر‘ کے عنوانسے شایع کردہ ایک اشتہار میں جو ’ٹاپ ٹین‘ کارنامے بیان کیے ہیں ان میں دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں کامیابی، آئینی اصلاحات، ساتواں قومی مالیاتی ایوارڈ، آغاز حقوقِ بلوچستان، گلگت بلتستان کی داخلی خودمختاری، بینظیر انکم سپورٹ پروگرام، وسیلہ حق پروگرام، بے نظیر ایمپلائیز سٹاک آپشن سکیم، خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے اقدامات اور کسان دوست اقدامات شامل ہیں۔
خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے حوالے سے گھریلو تشدد اور دفاتر میں خواتین سے چھیڑ خانی پر سزا کے قوانین کی منظوری، خواتین کے لیے سرکاری ملازمتوں میں دس فیصد کوٹہ مختص کرنے کو حکومت نے اپنی کارکردگی بتایا ہے۔
کسان دوست اقدامات میں دس ہزار چھوٹے کاشتکاروں کو رعایتی ٹریکٹرز کی فراہمی، اجناس کی امدادی قیمتوں میں اضافے اور دیگر اقدامات کا تذکرہ کیا گیا ہے۔
خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے حوالے سے گھریلو تشدد اور دفاتر میں خواتین سے چھیڑ خانی پر سزا کے قوانین کی منظوری، خواتین کے لیے سرکاری ملازمتوں میں دس فیصد کوٹہ مختص کرنے کو حکومت نے اپنی کارکردگی بتایا ہے۔
بلاشبہ اگر دیکھا جائے تو حکومت نے بعض معاملات میں کامیابی ضرور حاصل کی ہے لیکن پرویز مشرف کے نو سالہ دور کے بعد قائم ہونے والی جمہوری حکومت سے جو عام آدمی کی توقعات وابسطہ تھیں وہ تاحال پوری نہیں ہوسکی ہیں۔
یہ بھی اپنی جگہ حقیقت ہے کہ گزشتہ دو برسوں میں عالمی اقتصادی بحران اور پاکستان میں داخلی بحرانوں کا اگر جائزہ لیں تو ایسے میں حکومت کی کارکردگی ایک حد تک کہا جاسکتا ہے کہ اتنی بری نہیں رہی۔ لیکن ’نظام بدلنے‘ جیسے جو حکومت نے خواب دکھائے اس سلسلے میں تاحال کوئی بھی پیش رفت نہیں ہوسکی۔
آغازِ حقوقِ بلوچستان پیکیج کی بات تو کی جاتی ہے لیکن آج بھی بلوچستان میں فرنٹیئر کور کا ایک کرنل بھی منتخب وزیراعلیٰ سے زیادہ با اختیار ہے۔ صوبے بھر میں سیاسی کارکنوں کی جبری گمشدگی کا سلسلہ جاری ہے۔ دس ہزار نوجوانوں کو ملازمت، باہر پڑھنے کے لیے سکالرشپ دینے کے حکومت نے دعوے بھی کیے لیکن مقامی بلوچ نوجوان کہتے ہیں کہ ملازمت ہو یا سکالرشپس، اس میں بلوچوں سے زیادہ غیر بلوچوں کو فوقیت دی جا رہی ہے۔
حکومت نے اپنے دو سالہ دور کی کارکردگی کے بارے میں ’انتشار سے استحکام تک کا سفر‘ کے عنوانسے شایع کردہ ایک اشتہار میں جو ’ٹاپ ٹین‘ کارنامے بیان کیے ہیں ان میں دہشت گردی کے خلاف جنگ میں کامیابی، آئینی اصلاحات، ساتواں قومی مالیاتی ایوارڈ، آغاز حقوقِ بلوچستان، گلگت بلتستان کی داخلی خودمختاری، بینظیر انکم سپورٹ پروگرام، وسیلہ حق پروگرام، بے نظیر ایمپلائیز سٹاک آپشن سکیم، خواتین کی ترقی و تحفظ کے اقدامات اور کسان دوست اقدامات شامل ہیں
حکومت نے بینطئر انکم سپورٹ پروگرام تو شروع کیا اور اس کے تحت غریب لوگوں کو ماہانہ ایک ہزار روپے مل رہے ہیں لیکن آج بھی پاکستان میں پونے چھ کروڑ لوگ غربت کی لکیر کے نیچے زندگی گزارتے ہیں۔ گزشتہ دو برسوں میں غربت کے بارے اپنے بچے بیچنے کے کئی واقعات بھی سامنے آئے ہیں۔
اس بات کا ادراک حکومت کو بھی ہے جس کے بارے میں جمعرات کو وزیراعظم سید یوسف رضا گیلانی نے اپنی حکومت کے دو برس کی تکمیل کے سلسلے منعقد ایک تقریب سے خطاب میں کہا کہ ’مجھے پتہ ہے کہ بجلی نہیں ہے، بھوک ہے، غربت ہے، بیماریاں ہیں، بے روزگاری اور مہنگائی ہے اور یہ مسائل فوری طور پر حل نہیں کیے جاسکتے‘۔
وزیراعظم نے ایسے بنیادی اور دیرینہ مسائل کی ایک وجہ پاکستان میں جمہوری نظام کے عدم تسلسل اور اس نظام میں ہونے والی مداخلتوں (آمریت) کو قرار دیا اور اور اس بات پر زور دیا کہ پاکستان میں جمہوریت چلتی رہے اور تمام ادارے اپنی اپنی آئینی حدود میں کام کریں تو ان مسائل پر بھی قابو پایا جاسکتا ہے۔
حکومتی ترجیحات اپنی جگہ لیکن لیکن بعض ماہرین کہتے ہیں کہ غربت، بے روزگاری، مہنگائی اور بدعنوانی پر قابو پانا اور توانائی کے بحران سے نمٹنا جہاں موجودہ حکومت کے لیے ایک بڑا چیلینج ہے وہاں آنے والی حکومتوں کے لیے بھی یہ مسائل حل کرنا ایک بڑا امتحان ہوگا۔
http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/2010/03/100325_pak_government_two_years.shtml
jiye bhutto
Poll Results update on 10 April 2010:
Total Votes 165
Party —- Vote Count —- vote Percentage
Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) 90 55%
Awami National Party (ANP) 16 10%
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) 16 10%
Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) 13 8%
Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) 9 5%
Other answer… 8 5%
Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid-e-Azam (PML-Q) 5 3%
Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party (PKMAP) 5 3%
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) 2 1%
Balochistan National Party (BNP) 1 1%
Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam – Fazl (JUI -F) 0 0%
Pakistan Muslim League – Functional (PML – F) 0 0%
Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) 0 0%
Other Responses
the one which is not political, truly for the progress of Pakistan…Zaid hamid
BRP
CMKP
INTERNATIONAL MARXIST TENDENCY
Tehrik e jafria
nothing, no party
Pakistan citizenship
Talibaan 🙂
only ppp is best party in pakistan
we should thrown out this evil system known asw democracy since it takes the right of constitution from ALLAH and give it to the people..and people makes law in thiere own benefits…the root of all the problem is democracy………do u think that majority can be a criteria 4 justice? criteria is one.and that is quran..hizbut tahrir is the world largest political party working 4 the reestablishment of khilafah..the only solution.
west adopt capitalism and they make a revival society…we cant adopt capitalism…because capitalism close the CREATOR in a church or MOSQUe….but i know if there is any CREATOR then HE knows how to spend life..how to run our political system…how to run our judiciary..wat should be our education system…did not u people ever thought that HE who give the method 4 “how to take a bath” how to urinate; ….WILL NOT he tell about SYSTEMS??????? and we know that islam is not only a religion but a DEEN .a complete code of life.if its a complete code of life.then why majority take decisions?
all the main stream political parties who represent themselves as champions of democracy; their political leadership is never been elected through within party elections…..they are bunch of corrupt mafia destroying Pakistan for last three years……slaves who became masters but still, they are slaves, keep changing their masters for last 200 years……….
PPP is the party which divided Qaid-e-azam’s Pakistan into 2 pieces. They have only one goal–sit in the golden castles and loot Pakistan by whatever means.
And because of the present criminal mafia which is rulling us , I dont know what is going to happen in near future. May ALLAH save our Pakistan.
@drtahir That explains the hatred behind your comments. Actually you are servant of Zia and Maududi who are creating pollution everywhere.
You hate Pakistani people, Pakistani people hate you. That is your reality.
@Akhtar </a
Yes my hatred is for those who divided Pakistan and Pakistanis will never forgive them.
Yes my hatred is for those who looted poor Pakistanis and deposited that wealth in swiss banks.
Yes my hatred is for those who are depriving poor pakistanis of drinking water and electricity.
Yes my hatred is for those who are patronising corruption and criminals.
I hate anti-Pakistanis like you who dont see the reason and just blindly support these criminals. Because of people like you, we are being rulled by murderers like Mr.10% etc.
Listen my dear , they can kill their wives for the sake of power not to speak of you and me.
GROW UP MAN , GROW UP
@drtahir Tell me in one sentence; do you respect democracy? Democracy mean’s people’s government.
Why do the people of Pakistan always vote for the PPP and PML-N as their first two choices respectively? Why do the ponies and donkeys of Mansoora and GHQ always get rejected by the people of Pakistan?
Grow up if you can!
discipline an are charged with law making.Pity this nation an pray allaha ashamed to be a pakistani where i find murders finincial bunglers thiefs patharidars an jagga tex extortionists
i am afraid to mention that allaha almighty has imposed his wrath on us in the shape of defaulters criminals law breakers patharidars tax evaders and goondas of very high profile.One has just to open quran an read how allaha chooses to punish those communities who disobey his laws an procedures. A country run by foreigners an their loans along with dictates and line of action truely cant be sovereign. The amount so taken is shifted to our big shots private accounts abroad.On top loans taken from domestic banks are charged.Only allaha can help us we pray we be relieved of this burden of psudo leaders liers hypocrates.