Future of democracy in Pakistan Outline

Democracy and Pakistan Present, Past and Future Importance of democracy Threats to democracy 1. Weak political institutions 2. Influence of Military 3. Economic difficulties 4. Social Norms 5. Illiteracy lack of political of a areness !. "nemployment and po#erty $. Ima%e of political leaders&ip '. (o er politics ). *orei%n interference 1+. "n,ridled media 11. *eudalism and racism 12. -rie#ances of small pro#inces 13. .elation it& India 14. /errorism and e0tremism 1 Suggestions to meet the challenges 1. Stren%t&in% of political parties and political culture 2. So#erei%nty of parliament and ot&er statuary 3. Independence of 2udiciary 4. Eradication of illiteracy 5. (olitical a areness !. 3emocratic norms $. Economic uplift '. Emer%ence of ne leaders&ip ). (articipation of yout& in political process 1+. Mature and tolerant politics 11. Independence of media 12. 4ccounta,ility 1 Our strengths

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

(resence of pro5democracy leaders&ip 4cti#e 6i#il Society Independent Media 3etermined and dedicated nation (akistani 7out&

1 Conclusion

ssay
In t&is possi,ly terminal p&ase of &uman e0istence8 freedom and democracy are 2ust more t&en ideals to ,e follo ed rat&er its necessary for sur#i#al. Noam 6&omsky (akistan as t&e result of a political and democratic stru%%le ,ut democracy could not flouris& durin% !2 years of its e0istence. /&e founder of (akistan as a %reat democratic statesman &o en#isioned a democratic and pro%ressi#e (akistan. "nfortunately &is illness couldn9t let &im to contri,ute muc& for democracy. :is deat& as a fine ,lo to t&e political sta,ility of (akistan. ;ia<uat 4li =&an8 a de#oted prime5minister elected from Eastern (akistan as unaccepta,le to t&e rulin% elite of West (akistan and as su,se<uently eliminated from t&e political scene in 1)51. /&ese initial pro,lems of (akistan %a#e &im little time to focus &is attention on democratic and constitutional de#elopment of ne ly ,orn state. :is sudden deat& pro#ed a serious ,lo to t&e nation. :is successors dedicated t&eir efforts to perpetuate t&eir rule s&o in% little concern to democratic de#elopment. /&e early years ere marked it& conspiracies8 unet&ical and undemocratic tactics in po er corridors of t&e country. /&is situation pro#ided opportunity to military to inter#ene in politics and 4yu, =&an imposed first Mars&al ;a in 1)5'. 4fter t&is8 army ,ecame a stake&older in po er %ame and ruled t&e country four times t&rou%& coups. /&e recent %o#ernment &as assumed po er t&rou%& an electoral process ,ut after ) years of military rule. It &as not completed e#en t o years of its formation and t&reats &a#e surfaced to its e0istence. /&e current democracy is facin% multifaceted c&allen%es on economic8 social8 political and international fronts. /&is needs a sa%acious approac& to ensure continuance of democratic rule in (akistan. /oday t&e respect of a nation in t&e international community is directly linked to pre#alence of democracy. (akistan &as to stren%t&en democracy in order to earn a respecta,le place in t&e orld and &ead to ards t&e road of pro%ress and

prosperity. /&e clouds of uncertainty are &o#erin% o#er t&e democratic set5up in (akistan. /&e ma2or t&reat is a,sence of sound political infrastructure. *re<uent Military inter#entions pre#ented %ro t& of political culture. (olitical parties could not ,e esta,lis&ed on modern and democratic lines. (olitical parities are nursuries of democracy. In (akistan t&ese parties are pla%ued it& outside influence8 s&ort term %oals8 one man s&o and family politics. (olitical culture cannot flouris& until political parties start functionin% in democratic manner. Military &as emer%ed as a stake&older in political process t&at is a%ainst t&e #ery spirit of democracy. W&ere it is permanent t&reat &an%in% o#er t&e %o#ernment on one &and8 it encoura%es t&e undemocratic forces to desta,ili>e democracy on t&e ot&er &and. Economic difficulties are t&e ,arriers to -o#t performance causin% pu,lic discontent. (akistan %o#ernment is facin% financial difficulties. Its economy is under de#eloped c&aracteri>ed ,y &u%e trade deficit8 &ea#y de,t ,urden and deterioratin% currency. -o#ernment lacks t&e re<uisite economic resources for pu,lic uplift. 6onse<uently common men remain indifferent to national politics and democracy t&at induce undemocratic forces to inter#ene. /&e democratic system deri#es its stren%t& from people. 4s former 4merican (resident8 4,ra&am ;incoln8 &ad said8 ?3emocracy is -o#t of t&e people8 ,y t&e people8 for t&e people.@ W&ere &alf of t&e (akistani population is illiterate and stands una are to democratic concepts8 e#en t&e ma2or c&unk of educated people remains also indifferent to political de#elopments in t&e country. /&is allures undemocratic forces to assume t&e po er and to t&eir pleasure t&ey are accorded arm elcome ,y t&e nation &en t&ey assumed t&e c&ar%e. (olitical una areness amon%st t&e masses poses serious t&reat to democracy. 3emocracy can flouris& only if pu,lic at lar%e %et in#ol#ed in t&e political process. /&e ima%e of political leaders&ip &as ,een rotten o#er t&e time. 6ommon men tend to dislike t&e political personalities. /&ey are &eld responsi,le for all t&e afflictions (akistan facin% today. /&ere are deficiencies in politicians8 ,ut t&ese are pro2ected to t&e pu,lic it& e0a%%eration of some facts alon% it& certain myt&s. /&is mistrust of pu,lic pre#ents t&em to concern a,out t&e political process. (olitical insta,ility alon% it& economic difficulties pus&ed t&e country to ards forei%n dependence. .esultantly8 t&e international po ers8 in pursuance of t&eir o n %oals8 care little to t&e democratic sta,ility of t&e country. 4ll t&e military rulers en2oyed

forei%n support. $5A of financial aid ,y "S4 as recei#ed durin% t&e military re%ime. (urportedly8 t&ese forei%n players intri%ue to desta,ili>e t&e political set up8 &en t&eir interest re<uire doin% so. Media independence is #ital to democratic sta,ility ,ut it must ,e su,2ected to some et&ics8 rules and re%ulations. "nfortunately8 media scarcely follo s t&e et&ical and le%al limits. 6ommercialism some time allures it to pursue yello 2ournalism puttin% aside t&e national interest. In order to catc& pu,lic opinion8 media manipulate t&e facts and mis5represent it to t&e pu,lic &ere constructi#e criticism play a positi#e role8 undue casti%ation arouse pu,lic rat& for t&e sittin% %o#ernment. 6onse<uently people start desirin% c&an%e &et&er democratic or undemocratic. *eudalism is ne%ation of e<uality and freedom. 3emocracy is not 2ust &appenin% of electoral e0ercise8 it is set of principles ,ased on t&e concept of freedom8 li,erty8 e<uality and tolerance. Elections are 2ust one of t&e manifestations of democracy. W&ile feudalism does not &inder t&e electoral process8 it put cur,s on t&e people9s ri%&t of freedom. Masses are restrained to freely participate in t&e democratic process. *eudalism is still pre#ailin% in (akistan and people fallin% under its 2urisdiction are treated like su,2ects. /&ey can ne#er ,ecome t&e acti#e participants of political process. Small pro#inces &a#e lost t&eir confidence on federation. Military rulers suppressed t&eir demands. /&ey ere denied t&e %enuine le%al and constitutional ri%&ts. /&ou%& t&e present democratic %o#ernment sou%&t apolo%y from Balouc&s8 no su,stantial efforts &as ,een e#inced yet to redress t&eir oes8 t&eir anti5centre feelin%s8 if not addressed aptly ould a%%ra#ate in t&e days a&ead. (akistan unfriendly relations it& India o#erpo er its domestic and international policies. Bot& t&e countries remained at lo%%er &eads since t&eir inception. (akistan8 in order to counter t&e menace of Indian ad#entures8 &ad to allocate ma2or c&unk of &er resources for military de#elopment at t&e cost of ne%atin% ot&er socio5economic sectors of t&e country. S&e &as to maintain a lar%e army in spite of &a#in% limited economic resources. (akistan annually allocates 33A of &er ,ud%et to defense on a#era%e. If relations it& India are normali>ed8 t&ese resources may ,e ,etter spent on pu,lic uplift8 social elfare8 education and &ealt&. If it &appens it ould ,rin% prosperity t&at stren%t&ens t&e democratic foundations of t&e country. /errorism is one of t&e ,i%%est t&reats to sur#i#al of entire &umanity. /&e entire orld is intimidated of t&is menace and makin% efforts to counter it. Its afflictions are per#asi#e and en%ulfin% t&e peace and prosperity of t&e nation. /&e multiple c&allen%es lin%erin% on democracy t&us re<uires a multipron%ed stru%%le to counter t&em. (olitical parties are t&e primary institutions of democracy in order to pro#ide a solid

foundation to edifice of democracy. (olitical parties &a#e to re5or%ani>e and function on democratic lines. /&ese &a#e to esta,lis& t&eir roots at %ross root le#el and de#elop t&em like institutions open to pu,lic. Cnly political parties can ensure pu,lic participation in political process and inculcate t&e democratic #alues. 4 dedicated in#ol#ement of people at lar%e ould pro#ide a solid ,ase to democracy in (akistan. (arliament is representati#e institution of pu,lic. E0ecuti#es must ,e accounta,le ,efore t&e parliament. If all decisions are made t&rou%& t&e parliament8 it ould stren%t&en democracy. Dudiciary is a foremost pillar of state. 4n independent and efficient Dudiciary ensure pre#alence of social 2ustice in t&e society. It pro#ides a plat5form to a%%rie#ed citi>ens to seek redressal of t&eir %ri#eneces. If people %et le%al ay to t&eir redressal8 it reduces t&e likeli&ood of ille%al ad#entures. So independence of 2udiciary is key to stron% democracy. Educational uplift of t&e society makes its mem,ers ell con#ersant to t&e concepts of freedom8 li,erty and democracy. (eople learn t&e ,lessin%s of pu,lic rule. It en&ances t&eir commitment to democracy and t&ey can stand a%ainst t&e efforts to derail t&e political process. Ironically8 a considera,le ma2ority of educated people lack a areness to democracy. /&is issue must ,e addressed t&rou%& transformation of sylla,us on modern lines. 3emocracy8 its need and its ,lessin%s must ,e incorporated as part of t&e sylla,us at all le#els of education. Besides t&is8 %o#ernment must 2oin &ands it& media8 ci#il society and ot&er pressure %roups to inculcate t&e #alues of freedom8 li,erty8 &uman ri%&ts and democracy amon%st t&e masses. (olitical players must set %ood norms to stren%t&en democracy. (o er t&rust8 intolerance and corruption &a#e pla%ued t&e politics of (akistan. /ime &as come to stop t&e old practices and follo t&e democratic #alues pre#ailed in de#eloped societies. (olitical parties need re#ision re%ardin% t&eir structure as t&ey lack democracy. Economic %ro t& ,rin%s prosperity in t&e life of common. 4 prosper society is more likely to adopt democracy and acti#ely en%a%e in political process. ;eaders&ip pro#ides ne direction to society and led t&em to t&e destination. (akistan desperately needs trust ort&y leaders&ip t&at people follo dedicatedly. Cur yout& constitute 3+A of t&e society t&ey are representati#e of ne %eneration. /&eir participation may ensure structural impro#ements in national paradi%m. It &as ,een itnessed t&at durin% (akisan mo#ement yout& played #ital role in opinion

formation and mass a areness and so is t&e time no . /&ere is a need to %uide our yout& to take t&e responsi,ility of our tomorro . Its t&e &i%& time &en yout& is acti#e and illin% to elcome t&e da n of democracy and it s&ould ,e utili>ed to its fullest. 4n impartial system of accounta,ility en&ances pu,lic trust on t&e political system. It pro#ides enormous stren%t& to democratic process. Moreo#er8 it compels t&ousand &o are c&ar%ed it& %o#ernance8 to transparently disc&ar%e t&eir official responsi,ilities. It ensures %ood %o#ernance and stren%t&ens t&e political set up. Inspite of facin% innumera,le c&allen%es and s&o in% unsatisfactory performance8 (akistanis &as t&e capa,ility to emer%e as a democratic and pro%ressi#e nation. (akistan can road to democracy it& dedication8 determination8 commitment8 coura%e and patriotism of its political leaders. If t&ey are aptly inculcated it& t&e true spirit of democracy8 t&ey are potent enou%& to c&an%e t&e destiny. /&ere is no second opinion t&at democracy is pre5re<uisite for (akistan to earn a respecta,le place in t&e international community. Its track record durin% !2 years of e0istence portrays a %loomy picture. /&e current c&allen%es and t&reats furt&er a%%ra#ate t&e scene. But t&is does no imply t&ere is no room for impro#ement. 4 %lance at t&e &istory re#eals t&at difficulties al ays appear in t&e life of sur#i#in% nations. But t&ese ad#ersities are pro#ed ,lessin% in dis%uise &en t&ese are faced %allantly. /&is moment ,ecomes startin% point in t&eir 2ourney to ards success. It &as all t&e potential to o#ercome t&e mountainous c&allen%esE t&e re<uired is unity8 fait&8 discipline and %uidance.

S!" STIO#S F$O% S #IO$S

&'( t&ou%& you &a#e elcomed su%%estions and comments from seniors8 ,ut after readin% your essay8 I couldnFt stop myself8 your essay is ell t&ou%&t and ell mana%ed.

,utGGG &ile readin% it i came to certain %ray areas8 &ic& I am s&arin% &ere. please make sure8 i &a#e read it from my o n perspecti#e8 I may ,e ron%. at t&e ,e%inin% of your essay and in certain parts8 its seem you are ritin% on t&e pro)lems of pakistan not on democracy8 ,ecause ideas related to democracy ere indirectly incorporated. In my #ie 8 it ould ,e sound to analyse t&e credentials of democracy frist8 t&en %i#en different cases &y t&ey failed in pakistan. e.%. t&e crises o#er constitutional de#elopment8 &et&er to form a parliamentary form of democracy or presedential form8....etc.

secondly8 in some areas you &a#e used slan% lan%ua%e or not appropriate use of p&rases. e.%. you &a#e used Fc&unkF for ,ot& %roup of educated people and for resources. I t&ink you can use appropriate ords. t&irdly8 you &a#e collected e0cellent facts8 ,ut your o n intellectual po er is of %reat importance for assessor. particularly your #ision re%ardin% democracy s&ould ,e #i#id and po erful to con#ince t&e assessor. last ,ut not t&e least8 I apolo%i>e for &at i &a#e ritten &ere8 ,ecause8 i am not an e0pert and i &a#e not ritten a sin%le essay yet. ,ut....after some days i ill s&are my riteups for you critical ,om,ardments.

(2)

Salee<a you &a#e done a %ood 2o,. But t&ere is al ays a room for impro#ement. So &ere are some of my su%%estion for your essay to adorn t&at in a more or%ani>ed ay. *irst of all8 I ould ponder o#er your outline.

7ou &a#e started your essay it& &istory of (akistan in a remote ay of democracy. I donFt say t&at to rite &istory is inappropriate rat&er it is an essential part of an essay8 ,ut it s&ould ,e after a ,rief and concise introduction of t&e topic accompanyin% it& present scenario. In section of effects and conse<uences8 you &a#e used t&e tec&ni<ue of SWC/ analysis8 as is apparent from your outline section of /&reats and Stren%t&s. Would not it ,e more suita,le to use t&e &ole SWC/ analysisH Stren%t&s Weaknesses Cpportunities /&reats *nother Outline+ ', Introduction i5 Iuote of 4,ra&am ;incoln ?3emocracy is -o#t of t&e people8 ,y t&e people8 for t&e people.@ ii5 3efinition of 3emocracy. iii5 Ela,oration of 3emocracy. i#5 Institutions of 3emocracy. #5 (resent system of 3emocracy. #i5 (resent (olitical Scenario in t&e ake of 3emocracy. -, .rief /istory 0ery concisely J as you &a#e %i#en in your openin% para%rap&K 1, Strengths of Democracy

2, 3eaknesses of Democracy 4, Opportunities for Democracy J present pre#ailin% scenarioHK 5, Threats to Democracy 6, Suggestions and $ecommendations to eradicate the threats, '. Conclusion &a#in% critical analysis of t&e present condition of t&e political process. Many Su,&eadin%s can ,e placed under &eadin% no 3 to $8 ,ut due to time constraint I &a#e kept my self a ay from doin% t&at. I &ope you ould add t&ese &eadin% ,y yourself. &at opportunities democracy can a#ail in t&e