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Issue 03, July 02-08, 2007. Vol No.

07

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Letters Views expressed by writers in letters and articles are not necessarily those of Weekly Independent. Editor-inChief Democracy and feudalism Feudalism is a stagnant mentality permeating most institutions. Dictators crave to maintain status quo. They want power and prestige by keeping the public illiterate and backward, so no one can challenge their writ. Feudalism is passed on to succeeding generations. The Quaid-i-Azam did not get sufficient time to groom the public to imbibe egalitarian principles. His untimely death provided lacuna to the feudal lords to ascend to the throne, which put national welfare at the backburner and were preoccupied by their insatiable egocentrism. Frequent change of the government generated perpetual political instability, which provided vacuum to the army to intervene. Ayub Khan transferred power unconstitutionally to Yahya Khan. He launched army operation against the people of East Pakistan. Erratic development priorities and high-handedness alienated the East Pakistanis, who later separated. This calamity brought Z A Bhutto to power who projected himself as the champion of democracy, yet could not tolerate the opposition government in the NWFP and Balochistan. Spate of vehement protests by the opposition, due to alleged rigging of the 1977 elections by the PPP, ended with Mr Bhutto's incarceration and execution by the succeeding authoritarian regime.There was no continuity of policies due to wrestling for political authority. Ayub's 'industrialisation' and 'Basic Democracy', Bhutto's 'nationalisation', Zia's 'Islamisation', Benazir's and Nawaz Sharif's 'privatisation' were just cosmetic measures. The fate of the 'enlightened moderation' and the 'devolution plan' would not be very different from their predecessors. In Pakistan feudal lords have been philandering with democracy since the birth of the country. They sermonise egalitarianism but believe in social stratification. They frame laws to drive the masses with steel rod. They insult, mutilate and amend the constitution that can transfer maximum political power in their messy hands. To talk about women rights in Pakistan is to show red rag to feudal bulls. They are physically tortured, mentally strained, socially ridiculed, economically exploited and politically

marginalised. Student unions were the rearing grounds for those in queer street to become democratic national leaders. But feudal lords could not endure those politicians in legislative assemblies. Therefore, they collectively devised a scheme to ban student unions. Explosive growth alone cannot reduce poverty and socioeconomic inequality. During the first Green Revolution of the 1960s, wheat and rice were produced in hefty volume. During the second Green Revolution of 1970s and 1980s, the production of cotton was greatly enhanced. But only the well-heeled landlords garnered top crust benefits because they easily purchased fertilisers, pesticides and agrarian technology. Land reforms are indispensable to break the back of feudalism. Land reforms pioneered by Ayub and Bhutto failed to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor because the feudal lords transferred their surplus land to their relatives and tenants and later retrieved it from them. The US also does not want real democracy in Pakistan, which can clash with its vested interests in the territory. It pampers those who look after its concerns. Democracy and feudalism are incompatible. Democracy would only bear fruit when feudalism would be eradicated. There is need to reform the system to strengthen institutions instead of personalities and pressure groups. The army, bureaucracy, judiciary, print and electronic media, clergy and politicians should play a constructive role in beefing up the foundations of democracy. Dr Tanvir Hussain Bhatti Lahore

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