‘Democratic norms needs to be introduced at all levels’

Democratic norms need to be introduced at all levels including in political parties and the overall society, speakers said at a conference held on Sunday. The gathering titled ‘Sindh Conference on Challenges to Democracy in Pakistan and Role of Civil Society’ was jointly organised by Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) and the Centre for Peace and Civil Society (CPCS) at Hyderabad Press Club.
The event was attended by a large number of active civil society members from across the province.
PILER Director Karamat Ali pointed out that the feudal system as a bane for Sindh and stressed the need for land reforms to strengthen democracy and ensure the rights of people.
He said under the 18th Amendment, Article 25-A has been inserted in the constitution, according to which all children from the aged between five and 16 years have the basic human right to get free education. However, this is not being implemented.
“It is responsibility of the civil society to make sure that no child is out of school from this year,” he said.
“There is no other system except democracy, where there is equality. We need to implement democracy in our lives. We have to change our undemocratic attitudes,” he added.
Speaking on the background of the campaign by democratic forces and trade unions launched long ago, Ali said, “It is a big struggle that all people should practice according to their faiths without any fear. Pakistan is the only country where land is owned by the state. Our entire system has no accountability because democratic institutions have not progressed.”
Dr Riaz Shaikh of the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) said the parliament has made three constitutional amendments that should be appreciated. During the tenure of the current assembly, the NFC Award and Council of Common Interest were revived. The devolution of power under 18th amendment is a significant development. He said there is no political victimisation in the country. It shows political process has grown towards maturity. He said all wrongdoings are linked to the government. “We should make it clear that democracy and the elected government are two things, hence we should see them separately,” he added.
He said the military’s efficiency can be gauged from the fact that 35,000 people have died in the war on terror. “Who were responsible for saving people’s lives?” he asked. “Was the GHQ attacked by our parliamentarians? The military failed to save its own GHQ. Osama Bin Laden was hiding in the country and they were not aware. Security institutions have failed to protect the boundaries. Military radars stopped working at the time American attack on Osama Bin Laden. Protecting the Mehran airbase was not the duty of the parliament. But no accountability was made. It is a big allegation that this system is corrupt,” he said.
“Apart from this, in 2005 when an earthquake hit Pakistan, the military failed to provide rescue and relief to the affected people. No one is asking where the billions of dollar provided by donors for the earthquake survivors go. Presently, it is said that the Railways is facing a crisis, but during General Musharraf’s government, the then railways minister Javed Ashraf Kazi bought Chinese engines that stopped working very soon,” he pointed out.
He said the judiciary’s role is also questionable. “Billions of rupees came from the Asian Development Bank in the name of the Access to Justice project. Can we ask who benefited from that project? The HRCP 2010 report says 1.4 million cases are still pending in the court,” he remarked.
He said the parliament should be given time to improve its functioning. Powers should be transferred from civil government to civil government instead of allowing military to intervene.
CPCS Executive Director Jam Chandio said democracy is not taking roots in Pakistan because the civil society has not played its role effectively. He said a watch dog forum should be there for keeping an eye on the developments to safeguard democracy.
He said the federation of Pakistan was formed by the people of this country and they are the only owner of this state. The main crisis towards democracy is that ownership of the state has not been transferred to people.