Who needs democracy?

Ashraf Jehangir Qazi
November 12, 2010

What if, somehow, we came up with a brilliantly accurate analysis of our national predicament, a masterful set of practical problem-solving measures, and a completely do-able action plan for their implementation that would most certainly enable the government to successfully launch a process towards solving all the issues that currently stand in the way of Pakistan becoming a state that answers to the expectations, hopes and prayers of all our people? Wouldn't that make a world of difference for all of us? It would not. Why not? It would never be implemented. Why not? It simply would not suit anyone who could implement it. Why not? Because they have much more immediate, important and pressing preoccupations, and cannot afford to be distracted. From what? From doing their job. What job? Staying in power, or at least, in office. Why? Because it is much more fun and profitable. But isn't that deplorable? Well, they've been elected. To have fun and make money? That comes with the turf. What turf? Getting into office and/or power. But what about the people who elected them? What about them? They didn't elect them to have fun and make money. What did they elect them for? To help resolve issues about which they made a whole lot of promises. In that case, there seems to have been a misunderstanding. In that case, the misunderstanding should be cleared up. That is not possible. Why not? It would be undemocratic. But how long can this go on? Till the next elections. What then? The same, more or less. So, who needs democracy? The army.

The writer is Pakistan's former envoy to the US and India. Email: ashrafjqazi @yahoo.com