Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan!

(Essay for CSS)

Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan!

“Why democratic System is Weak in Pakistan: Causes and Solutions”

Pakistan has been in quest for stable democratic system from its very inception. The process
of its democratization has been slow and passive. Its nature has remained fragile. It has
been showing high vulnerability towards non democratic interventions. Besides, it has been
easily falling prey to non-civilian forces. As a result, Pakistan has been continuously failing
to offer what a democracy promises. Such pathetic scenario has various reasons behind it at
all three levels: State, government and society.

This Essay attempts to pin point and analyze the reasons behind such fragile and weak
nature of democracy in Pakistan and extends recommendations along with identifying
various means and players especially youth for strengthening democratic process in
Pakistan to make it promising and delivering.

Introduction. – From very its start, Pakistan has choiced democratic form of government for
itself. Its founders had ardently supported and emphasized for democratic system that could
ideally permeate the governance structure and body politic of Pakistan; Quaid Azam
Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s speech at the Staff College on June 14, 1948 is the witness of his
staunch support for democracy as corresponding structure for the polity of Pakistan to make
it people friendly and welfare state. However, it is another fact that Quaid Azam Muhammad
Ali Jinnah himself laid the foundation of non-democratic trends through centralizing
structure of Muslim League, dissolving non democratically Sindh Assembly and Ministry of
Khan Sahab in NWFP in 1948. Despite all this, what he choiced and dreamt for Pakistan
about system is undoubtedly democracy? But unfortunately being constitutionally a
democratic country, Pakistan entirely fails to offer what constitutional democracies offer viz,
sovereign parliament, free, fair and regular elections, supremacy of constitution,
independent Judiciary, rule of law, civilian control over the armed forces, political life free
from military involvement, safety to minority rights, provision of basic human needs and
guarantee of freedoms of movement, expression, association and assembly .Contrary to
dreams ,hopes and promises ,What Pakistan offers is the chequered history of democracy
and unstable democratic process. Ironically, the country’s constitution has been abrogated
twice (1958 and 1969) and suspended thrice (1977, 1999 and 2007) .More than half of its
political life has been encroached by military generals. Five elected governments have been
removed by army. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, the founder of political vibrancy, mass based politics
and giver of Atomic power to Pakistan was ruthlessly executed through judicial murder. Ex-
prime ministers, and Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto were exiled. Causes: Nothing exists

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

without any reason in universe; creation of everything carries reason with itself. More ever,
According to principle of “Cause and Effect” unless the root causes of any problem are not
accurately identified and thoroughly diagnosed, problem can’t be solved on sustainable
basis. Therefore, let’s find and discuss the causes behind such weak, vulnerable and dented
face and status of democracy in Pakistan and try to reach at workable solutions.

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

Colonial Inheritances and Institutional Imbalance

From time of its very creation, Pakistan has been experiencing institutional imbalance. Its
roots go back to British period. Pakistan inherited administrative, political and legal legacies
of British period .From political and administrative legacies point of view, Pakistan inherited
high institutional imbalance characterized with strong and organized civil and military
bureaucracies, weak1 Political institutions and non-democratic political parties. As a result,
it lacked strong, dynamic and sustainable political institutions which could hold regular
elections based on universal franchise, could build trust of masses into democracy, could
protect democratic process against constitutional transgression and could provide a
conducive environment for democracy to flourish and could correspond to desires and
aspirations of masses. Muslim League which is credited to creation of Pakistan was a
movement not a well-structured and deeply rooted political entity2 that could offer post
partition program, could counter the power of army and bureaucracy and could offer
corresponding structure to desires and needs of masses after the partition. Besides, League
was non democratic in its nature led by elitists3.Consequently, It could not produce first line
as well second line leadership embedded with love for democratic norms and values in
particular and overall democratic culture in general .In this backdrop, administrative
supremacy coupled with absence of elections based on universal franchise4 in particular
and lack of democratic culture and process in general facilitated bureaucrats to rein the
country from 1947 to 1958. Their periods is characterized with dummy and rubber stamped
parliaments, abrupt and non-democratic dissolutions of assemblies, political intrigues,
bickering and quarrelling, inefficiency, abrupt and fast changes of regimes.

Frequent intervention of Non civilian forces into political domain

Failure of bureaucratic regimes created space for army which was more organized than
even civilian bureaucracies to intervene into political domain of country .formal involvement
of army into civilian matters begun from martial law in Lahore in 1953 to control the riots

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

between Ahmedis and Sunnies. Thereafter from 1958 army has ruled the country with short
sighs, as short as of new born baby, of so called democratic regimes. Field Marshal law
Ayub Khan ruled the country from 1958 to 1969, General Yahya Khan from 1969 to 1971,
General Zia from 1977 to 1989, General Pervez Musharraf from 1999 to 2008. All four
military regimes have remained characterized with impositions of Martial Law, ban on
political parties, censorship on media, dissolution of assemblies and abrogation or
suspension of constitutions. Thus, they destroyed political institutions and frustrated the
forces viz media, political parties that support and channelize consolidation of democracy.

Weak Party System

One among the major forces which counter the military interventions into political domain
and extra constitutional steps are genuine political parties with mass based support. But
unfortunately Pakistan has been lacking strong and efficient party system which is very vital
ingredient of Democracy. Democracy can neither exist nor can consolidate its process
without strong, vibrant, vigilant and efficient political parties. Political parties play
indispensable role in strengthening democracy in various ways. Parties translate various
values and aspects of democracy into reality; they work to institutionalize the diversity of
opinions, the beauty of democracy; translate ideological strength of masses into
organizational shape; work as channel to elect representatives; serve as mean whereby
power is peacefully transformed; serve as platform to mobilize, sensitize and educate public
and stand as bridge between public and government. In order to do all these tasks in letter
and spirit, Political parties need to be systematically networked, deeply rooted into masses
and internally democratic and operationally efficient, immune to internal divisions,
sustaining worst times and outliving the death of its founder(s). But, unfortunately Party
system in Pakistan has remained very weak. Resultantly, it has created space for
nonpolitical forces to emerge into political arena. It is proven fact that, apart from other
reasons behind the overt and covert rule of dictators in Pakistan, absence of strong party
system has remained one of the potent causes. Such non democratic orientation of political
parties has weakened the culture of competition, bred nepotism and created incompetency
which has obstructed the democratic process of parties’ aswell country.

Non Democratic Social structure

The nature and structure of society translates itself into nature and structure of political
institutions. Political institutions don’t emerge in vaccum; they are expression of social
institutions. Political and societal compositions interplay and influence each another. That is
why; it is said that democracy is not external but internal Phenomenon6. You cannot plant it
like an artificial tree but can set up it through a particular process of democratization.

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

Social structure of Pakistan is by and large feudal. From very its pre partition time , Two
forces viz British rulers and Muslim Lesage, ironically who claimed and still claims
champion of democracy ,have supported consolidation of feudal structure in the regions
which constitute present Pakistan Feudalism and democracy are two quite controversial
norms: Feudalism is driven by principles of one person show, oppression, bondage, slavery.
Whereas democracy is driven by principles of participation, peace, equality, pluralism and
freedom. Owing to this, the nature of parliaments and political parties has remained non
democratic in Pakistan. Pakistan has been remaining at the mercy of either these feudal
politicians or military generals. One among the reasons which has made India to emerge as
democratic polity is that it has abolished feudalism from very its inception. But Muslim
League perpetuated and consolidated this system because it was party of feudal itself where
as Congress owing to its class question orientation has been anti feudalism. Post partition
history of Pakistan is marked with some initiatives taken for land reforms to loose the grip
of feudalism. Ayub then President and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto then prime introduced the
reforms. But the reforms introduced by both were ineffective, secondary in their nature and
devoid of genuine intent Such feudal structure of society of Pakistan has been obstructing
democratic process into various ways. It has translated non democratic trends into political
culture. Secondly, it has impeded development of participatory culture. Thirdly, it has
formed elitist orientations of politics. Fourthly, it has impeded Bourgeoisie middle class
which is support mechanism to democracy .Lastly; it has been obstructing free and
independent choice of public in elections which is basic and indispensable component of
free elections.

Manipulation of election process.

Free and fair elections are major component of representative democracy. For democracy
is, in one way, name of popular government which is not possible without free and fair
process of election that guarantees genuine representation of masses in Parliament.
Besides, Elections are the source of peaceful regime change. People resort to violent means
of change if elections can’t represent their aspirations, needs, and fails to offer them due
and fair space. In this regard, Pakistan has dismal image to show. All the general elections
except of 1971 and 2006 to some extent, have been manipulated in one or other way either
at pre, during or post phase of the elections. The manipulation has been worstly
demonstrated into form of political victimization, gerrymandering, stuffed ballot boxes,
intimidation of polling staff, pressurizing masses, use of state assets and violating rule of
Election commission set for the election. Consequently, elections could not have been
instrumental to determine the will of the people and have eroded trust of masses in
democracy. If election could have proven to be instrumental in representing genuine will of
people, the elected representatives must have elevated dignity of parliament, worked for
strengthening of democracy and for welfare of masses whereby developing their trust in

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

democracy.

Solutions/Recommendations
The problem of democracy is solvable in Pakistan, if genuine steps are taken with cohesive
and integrated approach. Let me extend few suggestions for strengthening democratic
system, process and culture in Pakistan.

For state

Feudalism should be immediately abolished to enable elections genuine instrumental

of people’s wishes; to create participatory culture; to develop democratic values and to
transform social stagnancies into dynamism which all together help consolidation of
democratic process.
Judiciary should be made Independent so as to enable it to ensure implementation of
rule of law; to undo and stop all legal and constitutional transgressions.
Parliament should be made sovereign. A specific channel should be launched in
parliament that air proceedings to make masses aware of what is going into it. It will
make legislatures serious and responsible in their conduct and will push them to chalk
out people friendly policies which in turn will make governance efficient and will build
trust of masses in democracy. In this way, space and need of call to army to intervene
in political domain will dwindle largely.
Supremacy of constitution should be ensured. Article six9 should be practiced in letter
and spirit to check all constitutional abrogation which has been by and large affecting
democratic process in Pakistan.
Free and fair election should be ensured through independent Election Commission in
order to prevent the rigging.
Democracy education should be incorporated in the syllabus at all levels of education
to promote and create democratic values, norms and practices in youth in particular
and in masses in general.
Political party rules 2002 should be strictly implemented in order to help democratic
structure and conduct of political parties.
Funds should be allocated on the basis of membership to political parties in order to
strengthen them to work effectively for democracy.

For Political parties:

Political Parties should develop well defined people friendly ideology, expand their
organizational network, perform structurally and operationally democratic, develop
strong coordination between their lower and higher tires , train their staff and impart

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

democratic education to masse to give outlook of political entities which could

generate the atmosphere of democracy within and outside of them, counter the
supremacy of non-political institutions ,Counter the constitutional transgression
through public support mustered by restoring their trust in political parties.

For Civil Society Organizations.

Civil society organization should

Impart democracy education to general masses, youth, political workers media

persons and writers ;
enhance capacity of political parties and other stake holders in order to make them
vigilant, vibrant and responsive towards question and issue of democracy;
impart liberal ,progressive and political education to masses in order to create political
society to create conducive atmosphere for democracy;
lobby with the lawmakers to pursue them to take concrete initiatives for consolidation
of democracy such as incorporation of democracy education in syllabus, allocation of
funds for political parties etc;
launch advocacy programs to highlight non democratic trends and actions;
launch capacity building programs for youth to inculcate love for politics and
democracy into them

For youth

Youth is the most significant part of any human society. They have played indispensible role
in emancipation of human being .With fresh and hot blood, youth is always inclined towards
activism, dynamism, change, and novelty. Populations of Pakistan constitute almost 35
percent of youth. Therefore, they also share the onus of enhancing democracy in Pakistan.
Their indifferent attitude towards democracy in particular and towards politics in general
will counter product rather produce constructively for consolidation of democracy.
Therefore, youth of Pakistan should

Join political parties after academic education because what execute plans for
democracy most effectively are political parties;
Should raise the issue and question of democracy in print and electronic media;
Impart democracy education into their constituencies;
Register their votes and take active part in election process;
Join national and international youth organizations which work for democracy.

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 Democracy Has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan! (Essay for CSS)

Conclusion

Short analysis reveals that Pakistan has been badly experiencing chequered history of
democracy. Weak political institutions, frequent military interventions, frequent dissolution
of civilian governments, Engineered and flawed election process, weak party system, lack of
constitutionalism and lack of rule of laws has been obstructing way for promotion of genuine
democracy in Pakistan which would be characterized with sovereign parliament, free, fair
and regular elections, supremacy of constitution, independent Judiciary, rule of law, civilian
control over the armed forces, political life free from military involvement, safety to minority
rights, provision of basic human needs and guarantee of freedom of movement, expression,
association and assembly. In this backdrop, Onus lies on State institutions, political parties,
civil society organizations and youth to play part of their role as enumerated in
recommendations given above to create space for democracy to entrench itself firmly in
Pakistan as it could be delivering and substantial.

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