Democracy is underlines the rule of majority of a population over the minority with a popular voting system. Unfortunately, we in Pakistan live under a pseudonym of democracy where majority is decided by the member of provinces rather than by number of people. The glaring example of Punjab with 56 percent population of the country is pre-empted by 44 per cent population of three other provinces in so much as obstructing the building of a single mega dam like Kalabagh in Punjab, while there is no objection from Punjab in building half a dozen dams in other provinces.
Balochistan, which has half the population of Lahore city, carries same weight as Punjab to block a project of national importance of life and death for the country. Similarly, other two minority provinces frustrate the majority of Punjab. A new social contract is needed wherein the majority of people of Pakistan are not held hostage by a minority on the issue of national importance.
DR MUHAMMAD YAQOOB BHATTI
Lahore
