Democracy is the most accomplished process and form of government where only people’s representatives have the right and authority to run the affairs of the state including forming certain constitutional rules and regulations. Through democracy, people choose their representatives following a well-defined system of voting. The elected representatives then govern the affairs of the state on behalf of their people for a certain period of time.
These representatives actually ensure the authority and rule of law for their people in the larger interest of any nation, state, or country. On the other hand, they are also held accountable and responsible for their actions and exercising of the powers within certain limitations as defined in the constitution or legislated through parliament. Although Pakistan is a pure democratic parliamentary republic state as per its constitution yet it has politically and democratically remained an unstable country.
There has always been intensifying environment among the civilian bureaucracy, military dictatorship, and parliamentary form of government and as a result, Pakistan has been losing East Pakistan (Bangladesh) in 1972 due to such intensification and mess. Martial laws of 1958, 1977 & 1999 imposed by General Ayub, Zia-ul-Haq & Pervaiz Musharaf as well as criminal negligence by weak and incompetent judiciary along with civil bureaucracy caused great damage to Pakistan including making Pakistan externally, internally, and politically, and socially a weak and unstable state. Due to the democratic and political mess in Pakistan which emerged with the first ever martial law in 1958, there has always been a flaw in political leadership in the country which is even continuing in current times.
All the so-called political parties and political leaders have been planted since 1958, through the nursery of military establishment which is why the Pakistani nation is still divided on the basis of ethnicity, sectarianism, provincialism, and political affiliation. Not only that but a weak and pseudo-democratic system and yes boss election commission system have created a corrupt Pakistani society where there is no rule of law and accountability.
Neither there is peace, justice, harmony, tolerance, and trustworthiness in Pakistani society. Through this blog article let's discuss the democratic dilemma as well as the reasons behind the political leadership crisis and draw our conclusion with some viable solutions.
Introduction:
Archibald had said that “Democracy is never a thing done. Democracy is always something that a nation must be doing”. This means that democracy is an ongoing and continuous process. This ongoing but true soul of democracy lies in the form of government in which people (citizens) have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation which is called direct democracy or elect their representatives to govern the affairs of the state including law-making which is called a representative form of democracy, this is why an Irish dramatist Oscar Wilde had once said that “Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people by the people and for the people”.
From the Islamic point of view if we see the teachings of the glorious Qur’an we find that it also declares people as the ultimate authority to exercise their power through Majlis-e-Shoora and elect their representatives, who look after the governing affairs of the state by surrendering their will against the sovereignty of Allah the Almighty. Aristotle had once told that “Democracy arises out of the notion that those who are equal in any respect are equal in all respects; because men are equally free, they claim to be absolutely equal.”
Democracy is the only effective source that offers and ensures equal rights to all the citizens of the state and hence it brings harmony, cohesion, cooperation, collaboration, peace, and social security which eventually build a progressive nation. Democracy defines roles and limitations for all the institutions as well as it defines parameters for different segments of society to follow and behave like a responsible nation. When all the institutions function as per the true letter and spirit of democracy, progress and prosperity are inevitable for any state of the world.
According to Aristotle’s view, “In a democracy, the poor will have more power than the rich, because there are more of them, and the will of the majority is supreme”. When a specific class or group of people constantly rules over a nation, it is not a democracy by any means similarly, in the words of Achebe, “Democracy is not something you put away for ten years, and then in the eleventh year you wake up and start practicing again.
We have to begin to learn to rule ourselves again”. Democracy is a constant and continuous process. It is actually a theory with practical which is experienced by the common men, again and again, to choose the right people for their liberty, freedom, rights, prosperity, peace, and harmony. If anything is missing then there is still a lack of proper democracy.
The Dilemma of Democracy in Pakistan
Unfortunately, the tyranny of dictatorship and betrayal by civil bureaucracy didn’t let the democratic process flourish in Pakistan. In fact, the Pakistani state has always remained at the mercy of a powerful military dictatorship that not only abrogated the democratic rights of the common people but also imposed decisions that heavily hampered the future of the country. As a result corruption, lawlessness, anarchy, messes, and riots emerged in the country.
Similarly, the judiciary’s bow down in front of the dictatorship as well as the cowardly role played by media owners further pushed back the democratic process in the country. This is why today we have a very specific group of elite families who not only control the state affairs but also decide the dark future of the masses.
Poverty, illiteracy, corruption, poor health, lawlessness, insecurity, and denial of fundamental rights have become norms of our society. There is no accountability or law for the powerful elite class who are constantly either directly or indirectly ruling over the country and enjoying all kinds of perks and privileges for themselves. Not only that but they all very cleverly hide behind the repo of institutions including making emotional fools of the entire nation through so-called slogans in the name of patriotism and democracy is the best revenge etc.
Actually, they have nothing to do with such slogans rather this elite class of the country has always been busy developing various conspiracy theories just to safeguard their personal and vested interests and on the basis of certain conspiracy theories, so-called and puppet democratic governments were formed and dissolved and the nation remained the audience only.
In a democracy, we find that only national interests are given priority and hence in a democratic society there is no concept of a master or a slave. Contrary to that, the democratic dilemma in Pakistan has been destabilizing the country, and still, it continues in the form of foreign interference, abrogation of law, forceful imposition of decisions, and massive corruption.
Political
Leadership Crisis in Pakistan:
Except for Jinnah & Bhutto, there is no one whom we can rank as one of the political leaders in the history of Pakistan. In so-called political parties, we see dynastic rule where certain families have complete control of the parties. A puppet political nursery planted by the military establishment has been creating leadership gaps and flaws in the political arena of the country where people have no right to choose and select their political leaders rather so-called leaders are being imposed over them and people are to some extent forced to accept them as their political leaders.
Hence the so-called political parties do not consider people as ultimate power rather they knock on different national as well as international doors to come into power and enjoy their rule in terms of massive corruption and unlimited control over the institutions. This bullfighting game of power in the name of democracy has laid strong foundations for corruption and as a result people who are in power and have authority, look busy only in improving their assets, and wealth and tend to build their empires with the help of massive corruption, capitalism, and neoliberalism.
Therefore under such circumstances, we will never ever have any political leaders who may lead this nation and make this country a prosperous and progressive nation which this nation deserves as it has got all the potential to emerge as a progressive country. If the selective and controlled form of so-called democracy remains as continues it will further prove as fatal for common and poor men which is indeed a tyranny and oppression by the 5% so-called political elite class over the 95% population of the country.
Conclusion:
So we can conclude this discussion based on the above facts and realities that democracy is the only established mode for the progress and prosperity of any nation. In democratic countries, people and their representatives have the same and equal rights, unlike in Pakistan where politicians and civil servants enjoy all luxuries of life while people are dying in poverty and hunger.
However true democracy lies within the power of the vote as it is entirely the authority of the people to elect their representatives and leaders who can lead them in every walk of life including ensuring access to fundamental rights like quality education, health, justice, peace, equality, social cohesion, respect, and freedom.
Therefore the concept of true democracy in Pakistan cannot be achieved without active participation from the civil society, youth, and media hence we need to fix our True North from now on by selecting political leaders within the society and ending this dilemma of democracy once and for all.
At least, we should deny the parachute and pseudo-political leadership as well as corrupt political parties who never ever believe in true democracy rather in the name of democracy they have looted our national assets, built their empires, and made common people their slaves. We now need to destroy all such empires by bringing a revolution in terms of social awareness and selecting the right people who are living within us and know the issues and problems of the common man and above all who believe in the national interest and social service.
Author Raja Bahar Khan Soomro
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