Our brand of democracy

All fingers point at N League

The prospects of democracy seem dwindling in Pakistan. One feels like asking the question the Joker was very fond of: “Why so serious?”No one really seems to like PML-N. The funny thing is it does not seem to like anyone either. And this has been exactly the problem with it whenever it comes into power – a sense of aloofness and might. But should it be so? Ideally not.

PPP and MQM have been facing the axe of both the government and the establishment. PTI is like an angry aunt who does not want to attend the wedding anymore. PAT is not happy after the Model Town incident. The other champions of democracy hate the fact that democracy seems to be slipping away and the system seems to be comfortable in the lap of a soft coup. Judiciary is an important pillar, but again too much is being ceded to the judiciary. The question of tackling militancy and extremism seems unanswered even to this day, at least through civilian means. NAP is interesting, as after a brief firing period the system resorts to napping on the NAP. NAP also talks about reforming the seminaries. Well, try if you want.

Where are we headed to? Toward a transition of government, perhaps? I hate to break it but we don’t have any viable options. Towards anarchy? Well we have almost reached there with all these periodic sit-ins? Toward a coup, then? There isn’t any space left really. So where exactly are we headed? Only God knows.

“This would not be the case,” Waseem Akhtar of MQM asserted, “had there been any statesmanship exhibited on the part of the elected government!”

“Whenever the elected government fails to deliver,” he went on, “there is always room for other forces to step up. So rather than lamenting on the presence of intervention in the system, the civilian system should be made better.”

Coming from an opposition party under the axe recently, these words posit no serious surprise. However as we delve deep into the analysis, we come to realise that there is something seriously wrong with the entire system. Opposition is not happy. Traders are not happy. Military, judiciary and seminaries, on the other hand, are too happy. Where is the balance, the equilibrium? Nowhere, it seems.

Dwindling democracy

Democracy, per se, is a system of governance where the masses are empowered. It is not quantified by the metro buses and the green line trains, rather it is measured by the fact whether the people sitting in the parliament are representative of the masses or not. We only keep lauding and lamenting a few factors, ignoring the others.

While Washington Post recently lauded the fact that Pakistan seemed to be well on the way towards development, the economy seemed to be better, the local traders and doctors and other professionals – the real building blocks of democracy — have made it clear through their statements and their strikes that this is not the case. There have been flashy mega projects. Yes, there is Metro. There is the Green Line train. There is the Motorway. There is the Ring Road. But this illusion of development has not trickled down to the masses.

“The Chinese investment has improved our image,” Umar Masud, eminent consultant and board member of various organisations, commented. “But to me most important is the trust of the local investor. FDI is not everything; we need to raise local investment too.”

Masud thinks that despite the apparent ripples on the surface, the lower layer remains stagnant and static.

Democracy, per se, is a system of governance where the masses are empowered. It is not quantified by the metro buses and the green line trains, rather it is measured by the fact whether the people sitting in the parliament are representative of the masses or not. We only keep lauding and lamenting a few factors, ignoring the others

“This is the problem,” he told DNA. “Investment has come through China and yes economic corridor presents a good prospect, but our own industrialists are shifting to Bangladesh and to Saudi Arabia.”

Traders are generally never happy with any government as they want more profit and government wants more tax. Both care for their own revenues. This is what’s going on after the tax on transactions. Masud too agrees that pleasing the traders is a difficult thing to do. However he has certain reservations too.

“The recent tax policy is destroying the service sector particularly,” he explained. “If you look at consulting more than 50 percent goes into salaries. With a new major tax, what profitability margin is left?”

The problems do not rest on economy solely. Rather all the avenues of life are disturbed. There hardly seems to be any avenue where life is a smooth sail. Opposition these days is particularly unhappy. According to most, this is not the way a country should be run and diplomacy is not the name of the current system.

Waseem Akhtar highlighted various problems while talking to DNA.

“NFC Award is not making equitable allocations,” he started off with the problems. “Look at the education, health and infrastructure as well. There are mega projects but look at the overall state, and you will know the answer.”

So apparently there are a lot of problems. Some of these problems have been attributed to the excessive religiosity, the judiciary and to ethnic groups like MQM, but is that so?

Do the clerics and ethnic groups contribute?

Yes, a lot of state and non-state actors generally have to bear the onus of blame for this. It is often assumed that democratic consensus is distorted and disabled due to a number of factors.

Religiosity has often been blamed. Tahir Ashrafi, Chairman of Pakistan Ulema Council denies any such existence.

“I don’t think any relationship of this sort exists,” he assertively denied.

“Different people are influenced by different factors. Blaming it entirely onto the religious factions of the society is simply not justified. Even politicians and journalists wield a lot of influence on certain individuals. No one seems to give generalised statements about them.”

However, Allama Ashrafi’s statements are not really supported by the upheaval our Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid faced earlier. Neither are they supported by Khanzada’s assassination, while fighting against sectarian extremism and militancy. When questioned about such events, Allama Ashrafi declared them to be mere illusions.

“Pervaiz Rashid clarified his statement and people got pacified,” he narrated. “Those who stretched the issue for political reasons were not entertained. Again Khanzada’s fight was a fight against militancy, and terrorism. That has nothing to do with religiosity. Even various ulema died during this war. How come then you label religious factions of the society accountable?”

So apparently, all the media rage on clerics is not justified. Another major trouble that various governments have faced to this day is the Karachi Cauldron; recently PPP and MQM have faced the axe for allegedly causing massacre and involvement in clandestine activities in the country’s financial jugular.

Akhtar however denies this and attributes it to the political status quo.

“MQM is a party catering to middleclass and lower middle class,” he claimed.

“All other political parties are family politicians. MQM might have flaws but it challenges the status quo and that is why it has to face the reaction. When votes are required all politicians turn to Nine-Zero for support. But when they are safe, they start targeting MQM.”

So what is the real cause?

Recently we are losing democracy to the iron fist of military and omnipotence of judiciary. Both of these institutions are very important, especially judiciary holds significance in the democratic setup. However, it has been claimed that law and disorder has replaced law and order in Pakistan and the Lawyers’ Movement has failed to deliver what it promised.

Ahmer Bilal Soofi, prominent lawyer and former law minister, agrees to this.

“Yes judiciary has been overactive in Pakistan lately,” he commented.

Then there is the military. The civilian government seems to have ceded a lot of portfolios to the military. This fact in itself does not support democracy. The cause, according to many, is the failure of the civilian setup which compels the army to step up and take over.

Akhtar agrees. “This happens when elected government fails to deliver,” he explained. “Any other institution only steps in this kind of a situation.”

One of the reasons extracted hence is the failure of civilian setup. But this one reason cannot be enough. There are other factors leading to the distortion of democracy as well.

“There has been dynastic politics,” Akhtar continued. “Again sincerity is lacking on the part of the leadership. Statesmanship is not visible. Status quo maintenance is the aim of the system. During such times, other forces manipulate and blackmail the democratic set up.”

Another interesting factor about Pakistan is that all the provinces are always crying wolf. As if the four provinces were not enough, recently the regions themselves show immense desire to be new provinces. Administratively, this might be useful, but this is a tell-tale sign of failed democracy and sense of deprivation until now.

“Southern Punjab wants to be a new province now,” Akhtar highlighted. “Karachi has done a lot for Pakistan but deprivation is building up in its people as well. They are also exclaiming for a provincial status now. This is not some conspiracy or anything. This is due to the discrimination they have faced until this day. With a contribution of around 2,000 billion in the NFC Award, they are only allocated 50 billion in return. Then the rural-urban divide is disrupting merit. The 60-40 quota ratio is causing immense problems. Local bodies elections are not encouraging. Constitution articles are violated, particularly 140A. The clean-up operation is wreaking havoc on innocent people. What kind of justice is this?”

Apparently dynastic politics, regional disparities, lack of statesmanship, failed policies, uneven pace of development, lack of accountability and the lack of connection with the lower strata of masses are among the many reasons that mar the smooth sailing of democracy in the country. It is therefore the need of the hour that the government immediately sets priorities right and gets to work these issues out

Another important aspect that needs to be kept in highlight is that change is on-going these days, and there are many agents that resist change. This happens in all spheres, including economic.

“Two very major concerns these days,” highlighted Masud, “are broadening of tax net and accountability across the board.”

These are some good initiatives if government works on it and if they do not fail democracy. However, the rule of thumb is to pursue the undesirable in the most desirable form – which sadly our political elite does not follow.

Apparently dynastic politics, regional disparities, lack of statesmanship, failed policies, uneven pace of development, lack of accountability and the lack of connection with the lower strata of masses are among the many reasons that mar the smooth sailing of democracy in the country. It is therefore the need of the hour that the government immediately sets priorities right and gets to work these issues out.

Where to head now

Turmoil is there, there is no doubt in that. Abraham Lincoln’s notion of democracy is not there either. But we can’t sit lamenting, and have to set a clear direction. Different stakeholders have different suggestions for this purpose.

Economic policies are important to inculcate a sense of confidence in the masses and hence inevitable for the survival of democracy.

“Two things are important,” Masud opined. “Public-private partnerships should be made, and HR capital should be developed. This will somehow solve the problems in the economic era.”

Akhtar talked from another standpoint. “Statesmanship and sincerity are important; otherwise, other forces will take over.”

Soofi had other suggestions. “Judiciary needs to rationalise its position,” he said. “There is a lack of coordination between executive and judiciary which should be bridged. And again the judiciary should focus more on management of district courts and lower courts. Yes, it should take high-profile cases, but it should also focus on its own domain.”

Instead of burying its head in the sand like a proverbial ostrich, the government should get to some real work. The need of the hour is to strengthen the dwindling democracy through democratic means rather than taking aid of other institutions. Moreover the government should take the will of the people and impact on the masses into consideration before policy implementation.

Lincoln was right. Democracy is all about people. Failure to cater to people, in effect, means failure of democracy. However, people do exist outside the parliament as well. This is what our political elite needs to constantly remind itself.