Originally Posted by Nisar Ali

Why was Pakistan separated from India? Obviously, it was because Muslims of undivided India did not want to live under majoritarian rule of the Hindus. More importantly, they wanted to live in line with Islamic tenets. This was what Jinnah, our leader, envisioned. However, since 1947, democracy has veered like a weathercock. It is therefore optimistic t to see the developments of the past few years. The resurgence of the judiciary, the stentorian voice of media and the rise of the middle class have infused a flamboyancy in the anaemic democracy of our country. In the five-year tenure of the present government, consensus of major parties on democracy, elections, parliamentary supremacy, Balochistan situation and NFC award is sowing the seeds of democratic tradition. However, the threats to it are equally consequential. The titanic war among the state institutions (executive, judiciary, armed establishment and the media), corruption, inflation, energy crisis and to nail it all, terrorism, all create formidable challenges for the future of democracy. The elections to come and the performance of the next government will shape the final form of people’s rule in the country. However, we all need to see the bright side of our situation and cherish, protect and promote democracy.