By:Wajid Shamsul Hasan


The Pakistan Day on March 23 would be yet another landmark event in the life of the nation. The first-ever election to be held under a democratic government has been announced for May 11 by President Asif Zardari after the completion of five-year constitutional tenure of the parliament.

It would be yet another first that power would be transferred through vote to an elected government after a series of extra-constitutional interventions of the past. It would indeed be a momentous occasion for the entire nation that has suffered long to see democracy blossom into a formidable dispensation despite long catalogue of intrigues, machinations and Praetorian coups backed by the judiciary.

As the nation gears up for the historic polls, I would like to salute the toiling masses who remained steadfast in their commitment to pursue the democratic destiny chosen for them by the Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and those great men and women who braved worst possible persecution to keep the torch of freedom alight.

While it would need a separate article to record the long journey of how we have come to such a joyous pass, briefly I would like to remind the nation about a historic coincidence. One of the greatest political figures of our struggle for democracy Begum Nusrat Bhutto was also born on 23rd March many years before Muslims in India resolved to carve a separate homeland.

Begum Nusrat Bhutto was born in Isfahan, Iran on 23 March, 1929. Her life went through many ups and downs in Pakistani politics. Her husband, Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was the founder of the Pakistan Peoples Party. Her son-in-law Mr Asif Ali Zardari is currently President of Pakistan.

Begum Nusrat Bhutto took over as head of the Pakistan Peoples Party after Shaheed Bhutto’s elected government was overthrown in a coup by Gen Ziaul Haq in 1977 and subsequently Bhutto Sahib was eliminated by him in 1979. She led the party for several challenging years until her now-martyred daughter Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto took over as head of PPP to become the first ever woman to be prime minister twice in a Muslim country.

Begum Nusrat Bhutto was an iconic political leader who made significant contribution towards establishment of democratic rule in Pakistan and founded a unified opposition – Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) – to wage struggle to free the country from the clutches of dictatorship. She was one of the most charismatic leaders of our time and god mother for the entire nation, especially those under-privileged who found in her a voice for themselves. Her services for democracy and the masses of Pakistan will never be forgotten.

It is satisfying moment for the nation as it pays tribute to Begum Nusrat Bhutto, her daughter Benazir Bhutto and all those who sacrificed in blood, toil and tears and made idea of a democratic Pakistan possible.

Notwithstanding the enormous difficulties electoral matters are moving in the right direction and we shall have a change of government through vote at last. Five years of democratic rule have been of far reaching consequence.

We never had it as good as manifested in politics of reconciliation and consensus – a vision of Benazir Bhutto – that brought its political leadership including the opposition, military and judiciary on the same page. Constitutional amendments – the 18th, 19th and 20th – have made democracy invincible. Pakistan today is self-sufficient in wheat and its economy has shown improvement slowly but surely overcoming multifarious challenges. Its Benazir Bhutto Income Support Scheme has laid the foundation of a social welfare state.

The legacy of the government that is moving out would be a source of strength for its successor since the nation and its institutions are unified on issues of national and strategic importance. President Zardari’s decision of handing over management of Gwadar Port to China and Pak-Iran gas pipeline are of paramount importance for the progress and prosperity of the country. Among its other achievements include opening up of trade with India without compromising on the core issues.

Yet another feather in its cap is the excellent relations with the United Kingdom as endorsed by the British Prime Minister in his oft-repeated assertion that “your enemies are our enemies and your friends are our friends”. As High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK I must acknowledge the role played by the UK in getting Pakistan market access into EU and its continued tenacious support to Pakistan for GSP+ status. No doubt the UK has established itself as our most reliable friend in the western hemisphere.

As far as Afghanistan is concerned Pakistan has convinced all parties to initiate a dialogue with Taliban for an Afghan-specific resolution when the NATO withdraws by 2014. Now it is up to Taliban to respond positively to a way out of imbroglio. A resilient Pakistan, however, is determined to safeguard its sovereignty and eliminate terrorism.

Pakistan today has an independent judiciary that had been rendered into a pliable tool in the hands of dictators in the past. Media too can gloat itself on account of the absolute freedom it enjoys. It is also a matter of pride for the government that there is no political prisoner in the country. Even rallies led by foreign nationals are allowed to symbolise the nation’s strength in democracy.

It is satisfying to note that President Zardari has buried the politics of vendetta and replaced it with tolerance and peaceful coexistence as a democratic way of life. He has also ensured that power would be transferred to those who win elections within the framework of the constitution under an interim set up. It is a landmark and proud achievement that a democratic government has completed its tenure to make room for constitutionally mandated transfer of power. Long live Pakistan, Long live democracy!

The writer is High Commissioner of Pakistan to the UK

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013...ive-democracy/

Friday, 22 Mar 2013

New factors make first democratic transition of power important

Gear up for the first democratic transition of power in Pakistan’s 66-year history. With the Pakistan Peoples Party-led coalition at the centre having managed to successfully persuade all provincial governments to dissolve together, May 11 is set to be the day all of Pakistan gets to vote. And in another first the people of the tribal areas will also get to elect their representatives. Another first is that these are expected to be the first elections where an independent Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) shall conduct a meaningful scrutiny of the nomination papers of candidates. The Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and National Database Registration Authority (NADRA) are expected to aid the process.

But if this was to be a time for unprecedented celebrations; it has been dampened by the impasse over selecting a caretaker setup and the short three-week campaign time candidates are expected to get. This does not take away from the fact that major political parties have been undertaking their campaigns for at least six months; with the parties in power doling out last minute development schemes and those out of power campaigning on the go.

The current polls will also show the strength of the rise of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf as a serious contender in national politics – and the true strength of the ‘youth factor’ it has been banking on and traditional parties trying to woo. More than 49.76 million voters, equal to 58 percent of the total voters, are 40 years old or younger, while 34 percent of total voters are aged less than 31 years old. These suggest that the preferences of younger voters will be key in deciding whether new faces will emerge or the same faces will don the assemblies after the polls.

The religious minorities vote has also emerged as a wildcard – and is expected to be the decisive factor in over 96 constituencies. With over 2.77 million non-Muslim voters in the country, winning candidates in 13 districts in Sindh and two districts in Punjab are expected to turn on the support of minorities.

The election turnout itself is expected to be better than previous elections. The expected interest of the youth in casting their vote and the independence of the ECP means that people have more faith that their vote will matter in the grand scheme of things. It is of interest to know that 3,844 senior citizens, over 100 years of age, have also registered themselves to cast votes. Punjab still continues to possess the country’s largest vote base, being host to 57.17 percent of the country’s voter base.

On May 11, 2013, 85 million voters shall get a chance to cast a vote to elect the representatives to the national and provincial assemblies. Each vote shall be decisive.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013...in-the-making/

March 25, 2013
Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD

Pakistan is at critical crossroads. Its moral, intellectual and socio-economic and political capacity and lifelines are undermined by its own wicked rulers. If there were any educated, honest and intelligent political leaders of vision and integrity, they would worry about its present and future and try to pursue a navigational Change. Could the think people of Pakistan reverse the course of junk history and make a new beginning based on the ideology and values of the concept of Pakistan? Could the new generations of educated, honest and intelligent Pakistanis initiate new political system and institutions, produce proactive visionary leadership to extend intellectual security and help to protect the integrity and security of the besieged nation?

Crises made Pakistan’s history. The first time political power was ever transferred to civilian rule was on the Independence Day - 14 August 1947 by the British colonial Viceroy to Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the 1st Governor General of Pakistan.. What happened afterwards is a history full of intrigues, wickedness, in-house conspiracies and bloody tragedies to shame the Pakistani nation. Whenever an opportunity arose for peaceful transfer of power, it was foiled by the traitors - both military and their complacent civilians. Some might allege that Sheikh Mujib ur Rehman was a traitor but what about ZA Bhutto? In principle, Sheikh Mujib ur Rehman’s Awami Party won the majority seats in the Pakistan National Assembly during the 1971 elections, why was the power not transferred to him. It was ZA Bhutto, the self-centered and power hungry man, not Sheikh Mujib. There are credible statements that he never wanted separation of the East Pakistan into Bangladesh. ZA Bhutto in collision with General Yahaya Khan conspired for a military action against those who had won a fair election in One Pakistan. ZA Bhutto was likewise a traitor too who took over the reign of power illegally after Pakistan was defeated by India in December 1971. This was his plan implemented to defeat and disgrace the Muslim nation. Bhutto and Yahya Khan were the people who stabbed the body and soul of Pakistan. There was evidence that ZA Bhutto wanted to grab power lot earlier during the Ayub Khan presidency. He wanted to see Pakistan defeated under Ayub Khan when India attacked on West Pakistan in 1965 because of war in Kashmir. Those running the politics are nothing other than filthy creed of the dead past. The stunning contrasts and internal conflicts generate extreme uncertainty and massive insecurity to the common folks looking for law and order, individual safety and a secure future. It is all because there are wrong people operating the political governance.

How to Change the history - to disconnect with the junk past and to make a new beginning is an issue that is not addressed by the traditional political apparatus in this war-torn nation. They all appear eager to hold new elections and use intrigues and backdoor conspiracies to define the power-sharing and political governance. You won’t find a single frontline politicians having vision, honesty of purpose and integrity to be respected by the masses. Change would mean life, stability and a promising future if at all it is envisaged by the new educated generation of intelligent and creative people. Nation-building and individual change and development framework have lot in common. Those living in darkness could well appreciate the sight of light and power of seeing and those deaf by nature could well dream and adore when they hear the sound breaking self denied silence. Change is constant part of human life built-in as the full meaning and purpose of life. Nations likewise the individual go through the process of change, leaving past to history and embarking on anew future for change and adaptability to futuristic challenges. The Western industrialized nations have accomplished this aim effectively. Where would the Change come from if there is no systematic mechanism to facilitate political change? If change and new political imagination were ever part of Pakistan’s political systems (if there are any), how dare the Generals stole fifty years of the national lifelines? Global history tells us wherever absolute military rule overwhelms the country it destroys all its natural thinking hubs, morals and intellectual powerhouses. This is what happened to the Europeans before and after the WW II and this is what America is experiencing and this is what caused the former USSR to collapse. Pakistani politics nurtures under the powerful shadow of the military Generals, not on its own national institutions breeding freedom, human rights, vision, integrity and any glimpse of a different future. America and Britain both share vital strategic interests with Pakistani military establishments. The “War on Terror” is the net outcome of this strategic pursuit to keep the imperial domination over the former subjects- the subservient Pakistan. The US politicians and British comrades in arms used the 9/11 pretext to wage a bogus war on terror against the Muslim world.

Finian Cunningham (“9/11 Paved the Way for America’s Permanent Wars of Aggression” - Global Research: 9/11/2011) explains some of the pertinent facts: Whether 9/11 was an inside job or an amazing terrorist success, the fact is that either way the atrocity is intimately linked with US state terrorism…..that Al Qaeda, Mujahideen or Jihadis - whatever they are labeled - are the Frankenstein creation of US and British military intelligence to fight the proxy war against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan during the 1980s. The 9/11 tragedy - if we see it as such - is thus a form of blowback where the terrorist dogs of dirty war come back to bite the hand that feeds them. …..So even if we believe that the “war on terror” is genuine - albeit crassly misguided - the fact is that it would not be occurring if it were not for the state terrorism that emanates from Washington and London in pursuit of imperialist intrigues…… Leaving aside that 9/11 may have been an inside job to facilitate strategic permanent war, even if the official narrative were true, it still gets down to the US and British playing with fire. These governments create terrorists, fund terrorists, train terrorists and use terrorists. Either way, the facts emerge: the US and its allied puppets have absolutely no regard for democratic freedom, international law or human rights.

There is ample tangible evidence to prove that the US led war in Afghanistan has continuing strategies to undermine the integrity of Pakistan. Professor James Petras (“Legal Imperialism” and International Law: Legal Foundations for War Crimes, Debt Collection and Colonization: Global Research: 12/3/2012) helps us to understand the prevalent context of a modern infant Empire dreaming of global strategic domination and control:

By now we are familiar with imperial states using their military power to attack, destroy and occupy independent countries…….…Empire-building throughout history is the result of conquest - the use or threat of superior military force. The US global empire is no exception. Where compliant rulers ‘invite’ or ‘submit’ to imperial domination, such acts of treason on the part of ‘puppet’ or ‘client’ rulers usually precipitate popular rebellions, which are then suppressed by joint imperial and collaborator armies. They cite imperial legal doctrine to justify their intervention to repress a subject people in revolt.
The spill-over impacts of the war in Afghanistan and strategic developments in the region shaping Pakistan’s future appear to be the same blueprint as was used by the US and its allies in March 2003 of Iraq invasion. This week is the 10th anniversary of that terrible aggression and crimes against innocent people. In her critical insights unto Iraq’s bloody ordeal, Felicity Arbuthnot (“Iraq: Destroying a Country: War Crimes and Atrocities.” Part II Global Research: 11/8/2010), describes the scope of horrifying human tragedies inflicted on the Iraqi population which perhaps Pakistani nation is going through over several years:

The Independent’s Robert Fisk (“The Shaming of America”, 24th October 2010) commented: “As usual, the Arabs knew. They knew all about the mass torture, the promiscuous shooting of civilians, the outrageous use of air power against family homes, vicious American and British mercenaries, the cemeteries of the innocent dead. All of Iraq knew because they were the victims.”

“We found people wandering like ghosts through the ruins... looking for the bodies of relatives, trying to recover some of their possessions from destroyed homes... We moved from house to house, discovering families dead in their beds, or cut down in living rooms or in the kitchen... It became clear that we were witnessing the aftermath of a massacre, the cold-blooded butchery of helpless and defenseless civilians.”

In wars, when an aggressor sees the defeat coming, it resorts to mass killings of the civilian population to avenge the fear of the unknown. To pursue its policy of global domination, now American strategists sponsor death squads in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The aim is to terrorize the masses by drone attacks and death squads and destroy their habitats thus creating more reactionary terrorism through its paid political agents - the ruling elite. Its ultimate goal is to make Pakistan a crippled nation totally incapacitated for any useful role in global affairs. The cruelty of the American led bogus war on terrorism has transformed Pakistan into a non-productive beggar nation, solely looking to military and economic aid for all of its operations. The army Generals and their by-products - the ruling Bhutto family-PPP Zardari, and in-waiting Nawaz Sharif (Muslim League-N), have infected the body politics of Pakistan with corruption and political tyranny, drained out all of the positive thinking and creative energies of the nation for change, development and a promising future. The traitors are inside, not elsewhere. If the law and justice system is still in tact, these political thugs and indicted criminals should not be allowed to hold offices of public responsibility but be held accountable in a court of law. The besieged nation MUST see itself in the mirror and learn from the dead past, to change the future course of history and to articulate a new beginning - a new political system under the new educated generation of honest, intelligent and visionary leadership to strive for a promising future.

The military Generals, Bhuttos, Zardari, Sharifs and Chaudries could never have come into political governance unless the whole nation had lost the sense of PURPOSE of the creation of Pakistan and MEANING of the Foundation of Pakistan. Are there any concerned and proactive young people to safeguard the national interests of the present and future generations of Muslim Pakistan?

To all concerned and educated Pakistanis, it is becoming crystal clear that the so called politicians are the wrong people, with wrong thinking and doing the wrong things. The so called American financed democracy has no relationship to the living masses of Pakistan. With almost half of a century of lost time and opportunities under the dictatorship of various army Generals, dismantled public institutions, devastated social and economic affairs, disjointed trades and commerce, political surge of terrorism and dead leadership, how could a nation be able to conduct business as usual?
The masses wish if Pakistan could be returned to its originality - foundation of Islamic ideology and practices for peace and unity of the divided nation. The corruption knows no bound. Under military dictators, Pakistan has lost precious time and opportunities to regain honor (“Ezat”) while the Generals were used to lead coercive politics devoid of reason and responsibility - the nation continues to live in tormenting uneasiness and being crippled by the cruel acts of death and destruction across Pakistan. Shamefully those wicked instigators who target and kill the minorities and make feuds with other sectors of the society are the criminals bent on destabilizing and destroying the essence of vision and integrity on which Pakistan was built in 1947. If the nation is fractured and feels insecure- the traitors are inside- the few political names- feudal lords, palaces erected with stolen wealth of the nation and hired killers organizing political campaigns who will make their way to foreign lands once their ambitions are met. A concerned school teacher in Islamabad asks the grade 10 students - what is the meaning of Pakistan? Who is the most popular leader of Pakistan to win the next election? The classroom sounds deafening silence.

(Dr. Mahboob A. Khawaja specializes in global security, peace and conflict resolution with keen interests in Islamic-Western comparative cultures and civilizations)

http://www.thefrontierpost.com/article/213597/

By:Shakeel Haider Sayyed
Democratic values are taking roots in Pakistan as it is evident from the successful completion of a democratic government and by the role of media, judiciary and civil society in the past few years that have consistently kept an eye on issues of transparency and accountability and helped save democratic process from derailing. A number of values vital for survival of democracy in true spirit have started to set in. Transparency and accountability of public representatives is an essential ingredient of western style of democracy that we follow. True to this spirit, one very positive development towards this direction is Election Commission’s stance for adopting new kind of nomination forms chalked out in the light of Articles 62 and 63 of the Constitution of Pakistan. The new nomination forms would be helpful in sifting lawmakers from lawbreakers at the very first step of entry into political contest. By questioning integrity of candidates through information about such things as academic qualifications, tax returns, loan default etc, it would indeed be helpful in sensitising all the political parties including those who appear to oppose it, to the significance of transparency in establishing credibility of candidates and parties themselves, and would have long term effects on strengthening the role of lawmakers.

Accountability of lawmakers is considered a cornerstone which serves to provide firm basis to democracy to sustain and survive, because the laws that they make for the public have to be respected by themselves first. As the dictum goes “leaders lead by example”, it is more relevant in the case of democracy. Until and unless people’s representative will set examples of clean records, they would not be able to pursue the people they represent to abide by the laws they make. As we follow paradigm similar to Westminster style of democracy we also need to follow the process of accountability of public representatives. In Britain , there are numerous examples of holding parliamentarians, cabinet members and even the prime minister accountable, sometimes on very small issues which in Pakistan might be seen so little as to easily get away with.

The tradition and practice of accountability has to start with the first step of fielding the right candidates and not merely electables, and sifting at the time of filing of nomination papers is an important step in this direction. You cannot have clean water if the source is not clean, so the Election Commission has taken the first step of cleansing at the source. Political parties have all the reasons to rejoice as they can now field candidates with cleaner background and it will be easier for them to shun the responsibility of many of the loan defaulters and non-tax paying party members whom it was otherwise hard to sift due to party loyalties or other obligations. Now the answer is simple if they don’t fulfill the criteria set by Election Commission, political parties may look for alternative candidates.

Taxation constitutes an essential part of national income which in turn is used for providing services and facilities to the public. Everyone with taxable income is required to pay the taxes. Whereas, unfortunately in Pakistan, recent studies showed that 70 percent of lawmakers did not file their tax returns. Most of the time when our parliamentarians are questioned by media about filing tax returns, a very common reply is that “our taxes are deducted from the salaries at the source”, whereas even for a salaried person filing tax return is mandatory by law, regardless of deductions at the source.

To be an active politician you simply can’t thrive on salaries; you have got to have a substantial source of income. Majority of our politicians come from agricultural or industrialist backgrounds. Those with agricultural income try to get away by saying that agriculture income does not fall in the tax net. I am afraid that’s not the case, most of them give their lands on lease, called ‘theka’, to other people who cultivate the land and pay a fix amount on yearly basis. Now the FBR needs to clarify whether ‘theka’ is categorised as agricultural income or rental income as big landlords usually also rent out equipment like thrashers, tractors, tube wells etc to the cultivators who could not afford to buy them. When a person earns a certain amount of income, the income tax laws require him or her to submit a statement of wealth in which one has to show all the movable and immovable wealth with reference to the previous year to explain the sources and also reasons for gain or loss.

Parliamentarians may be thankful to former Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz as during his tenure they were successful in abolishing wealth tax which was mandatory to people having more than one million rupees worth of movable and immovable wealth after excluding one residential property regardless of its cost. It was a tax that targeted all wealthy people who were not paying any income tax because of exemption of agricultural income.

Our politicians usually complain that media grills only the politicians and never asks these questions from civil and military bureaucrats and big media magnates. This is no logic as to why politicians should not be questioned or held accountable. In fact everyone should be held accountable. But again the drive has to come from the leaders, more so from the lawmakers. People elect their representatives to protect their rights, not to set examples of anyone above the law in any respect. Lawmakers can hope to implement laws only if they abide by them.

http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2013...r-lawbreakers/

Nasim Ahmed


This is the first time in the history of Pakistan that a democratic government has completed its full five-year term and stepped down to clear the way for holding the next election. This is a rare event and must be celebrated.
Pakistan's chequered political history has seen wild swings between democracy and dictatorship. Brief democratic interregnums were followed by long years of martial law, and the game went on endlessly.

No democratic government in the last 60 years completed, or was allowed to complete, its normal constitutional term. The early fifties saw frequent governmental changes followed by the Ayub dictatorship. which spanned almost the entire decade of the sixties. Democracy was restored in the early seventies but the Z. A. Bhutto government could not complete its term. Next came marching in General Zia-ul-Haq whose eleven-year rule severely disfigured Pakistan's democratic culture and traditions.

None of the four democratic regimes of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif that followed the Zia regime in the late eighties and nineties could complete their five-year term for reasons that are now part of history. Then followed eight years of Musharraf's military rule which finally ended with the restoration of a new democratic dispensation in 2008.

Against this background, the PPP government completing its five-year tenure is clearly an achievement. But that is about all it can claim - and nothing else. It has not left a political legacy that the nation can be proud of, nor has it set a governance record that people will remember it for. On the contrary, it did everything to give democracy a bad name and so grossly mismanaged the economy that it will take years to put it back on an even keel.

The PPP leaders have made much of the fact that they successfully kept the ship of democracy afloat during the last five years. The fact is that if the system has survived, it is not because of any great feat performed by the government. In the given circumstances, the system survived by default. The government set new records of misrule, corruption, loot and plunder.

In the past governments were sent packing for much less. But this time around, in the presence of an assertive judiciary, a watchful media and a vibrant civil society, a return to army rule was not an option. The opposition led by the PML-N also made sure that the applecart of democracy was not upset. It criticized and attacked the government but refrained from launching any system-shaking movement. On its part, the Supreme Court repeatedly said that it would not put up with any deviation from the constitutional path. The fear of an adverse reaction from world powers also kept the extra-constitutional forces at bay. So the system kept creaking on for five years.

Wittingly or unwittingly, the PPP government gave democracy a bad name. But, thank God, it was not hanged. Poor governance was the defining feature of the five years of the PPP rule. The government signally failed to bring about any improvement in the lot of the common people. The poor became poorer and a few - those in the corridors of power and their hangers-on - thrived through ruthless abuse of power and callous exploitation of national resources.

The government formulated no long-term policies to empower the people politically and economically. Local government elections were not held which would have strengthened grass-root democracy. On the other hand, gross economic mismanagement further impoverished the poor people. There was no conscious effort to establish and promote a regime of social and economic justice. The rich became richer and the poor became poorer. More people - 70 million according to an estimate - slipped below the poverty line. The prices of all articles of daily use - wheat, sugar, pulses, cooking oil, etc. - went through the roof. Electricity and petrol rates went beyond the reach of the common man. The free fall in the value of the rupee against the dollar made sure that the rates of all daily necessaries kept inching up continuously.

The standard of public services deteriorated steeply as no steps were taken to strengthen and expand education, health, housing and transport facilities. Employment opportunities for the common run of people further shrank because load-shedding led to the closure of thousands of industrial units across the land. Additionally, overriding all considerations of merit, illegal appointments were made and all available jobs were handed out only to party loyalists.

The stink of corruption rose to the high heavens. The loot and plunder of national resources was underlined by an endless series of corruption cases - the Swiss money laundering case, the rental power plant scam, NICL, Haj and ephedrene scandals - which cast a shadow over the entire government apparatus, including the highest in the land.

Karachi continued to bleed profusely where more than 4,000 people fell victim to target killing. Despite the apex court's repeated reminders, the coalition government completely failed to stop the gang war between their militant wings. Sectarian attacks and bombings also went on without any check, making a mockery of Rehman Malik's claim about the law and order situation in the country.

Without keeping this perspective in view, we cannot make a real assessment of the value and importance of democratic survival during the last five years.

http://www.weeklycuttingedge.com/

Tahira Mansoor

While the PPP celebrated completion of its five years tenure, the nation rejoiced that they at last got rid of the most inept government of our history that increased the government debt from Rs. 6 trillion to Rs. 14 trillion in five years.

Yes, these are official figures, that the entire foreign and domestic debt of Pakistan was Rs. 6 trillion in 2008, after 61 years of our independence. This government took more debt in the last five years than all the previous governments accumulated in the previous 61 years. When this government assumed power in 2008, the debt servicing was around Rs. 350 billion a year which has now increased to Rs. 1,000 billion or Rs. one trillion. We spend 50 per cent of our tax revenue on debt servicing alone. Add to it the defense expenditure of Rs. 600 billion and public sector enterprises losses of Rs. 500 billion we end up with a negative balance of Rs. 100 billion which is above our total tax revenue.

The budget deficit last fiscal was Rs. 1.8 billion according to Abdullah Yusuf, the former chairman Federal Board of Revenue (FBR). The budget deficit gap was bridged by borrowing an equivalent amount from the commercial banks and the Central Bank. This amount was higher than the entire budget of the country in 2008. Despite this heavy borrowing the federal government could not spare adequate resources for development. Most of the amount was spent on non-development expenditure.

The National Assembly budget increased five times from its 2008 level. During the past five years the amount spent on National Assembly members and its secretariat exceeded Rs. 6 billion. Tainted members of the assembly enjoyed high posts in the government. Raja Pervaiz Ashraf was the main character in the Rental Power scandal, so much so that he is still called Raja Rental though he was the prime minister of the country. The looted money of the NICL scam was found in Makhdom Amin Fahim's bank account which he was forced to return to the exchequer; still he continued to enjoy the status of Federal Minister for Commerce. Federal Advisor on the Interior Rehman Malik was sentenced by the courts but the president granted him amnesty and he continued to enjoy official status and perks. Makhdoom Shahabudin continues to remain the Minister for Textiles and is on bail in the ephedrine scandal. Transparency International has time and again pointed towards the thousands of billions of corruption during the tenure of this regime.

It was during the tenure of the PPP-led coalition that the Railways came to standstill in Pakistan. The Railways still has the most solid infrastructure capable of carrying more than 80 per cent of total goods transported within the country but its current share in goods is less than 5 per cent. It simply lacks engines to carry the bogies on the railway track. Transportation by railway is four times cheaper than through road transport. The high cost through roads is eroding the competitiveness of Pakistan's industry. It is more costly to send a 40 feet container from Karachi to Lahore then the cost that one incurs on sending the same container from Karachi to China. Most of the passenger trains operated by Pakistan Railways have been discontinued while those still operating are delayed for days because of the inability of the authorities to arrange diesel needed for the railway engines.

Pakistan International Airlines, once the pride of the nation, has become a shame for the country. Its ill maintained aircrafts are periodically banned to land in Europe and other developed economies because they do not comply with the safety standards of those countries. Many of its aircrafts are grounded because of lack of spares. The airlines losses have increased with every passing year during the tenure of the last regime. The government had to bail out the national carrier time and again without any chance of improvement. Foreign airlines have stopped touching Pakistani airports and the few that come go back loaded with passengers. Most of the eight million Pakistanis living abroad visit Pakistan through foreign airlines.

Pakistan Steel Mills was in profit when the PPP government assumed power in 2008. Today, the giant steel producer is fighting for survival. It is pulling on through periodic injection of money by the government. The over staffed mill was burdened with more employees at the behest of the government to accommodate the political appointees. The appointments at the key posts in public sector enterprises were without merit in all public sector entities during the last five years.

So much has been written on the power sector and PEPCO that even a common Pakistani is convinced that the power crisis was engineered and its woes are more due to bad governance than the ability of the system to produce power. Both gas distribution companies of the country were posting hefty profits until 2008. Now both the companies are in trouble although the gas tariff in last five years has more than doubled. The gas theft, given the technical name of unfound gas, has increased beyond reasonable limits. The gas distribution companies UFG has crossed 10 per cent and is increasing gradually.

As far as the general public is concerned they have been hit by double digit inflation throughout the last five years. The rates of edibles have multiplied. Mutton rates increased from Rs. 250 per kg to Rs. 650 per kg. Atta is the staple food of the country; its rates increased from Rs. 14 per kg in 2008 to Rs. 35 per kg in 2013. During the same period the price of edible oil doubled to Rs. 200 per litre. Sugar prices increased from Rs. 30 per kg to Rs. 50 per kg. The prices of petrol almost doubled while that of diesel tripled during this period. Electricity rates more than doubled. Transport fares reached new heights. City commuters that used to pay Rs. 3 for a travel of up to three kilometers now are required to pay Rs. 12 for the same distance. Tuition fees of all schools and colleges have multiplied during last five years. House rent increased beyond the affordability of the families that are now forced to live in slums at higher rents than what they used to pay for a decent accommodation in middle class localities.

The common man is worried about the future. The uncertainty is coupled with fear that the next government would have to take more harsh measure to correct the wrongs done in the last five years. The poor will bear the brunt of those measures. Experts, however, say that a prudent government with nerves of steel could achieve an economic turnaround without penalizing the poor. It will have to muster the political courage to bring all sectors of the economy in the tax net. It will have to take harsh measures to curb corruption, nepotism, favoritism and make appointments and postings on merit. These measures will bring in enough resources without further taxation.

The tax evaders, under-filers, the smugglers, the under-invoicers if apprehended could fill the coffers of the government without putting further burden on the poor.

http://www.weeklycuttingedge.com

Nasim Ahmed

Back in the seventies, the slogan of 'roti, kapra aur makan' proved such a catchy vote-getter that it not only catapulted the PPP to the pinnacle of power but it has kept the hope of better days burning in the hearts of the common man ever since despite the party's poor performance in office more than once.

Keeping up the tradition, Pakistan People's Party Parliamentarians (PPPP) on March 14 unveiled its election manifesto, once again promising to provide bread, clothing and housing to the poor. The manifesto also promises a minimum wage of Rs. 18‚000 per month by the year 2018, and representation of the labour class in parliament. President PPPP Makhdoom Amin Fahim presented the manifesto at a news conference which was also symbolically attended by former Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani.

This time the PPP has come up with a new theme which expands on the original slogan to make it more comprehensive. The new slogan is "Roti, Kapra Aur Makan, Ilm, Sehat, Sab Ko Kam, Dehshat Sai Mehfooz Awam, Ooncha Ho Jamhoor Ka Naam."
It means bread, clothing and housing, education, healthcare, employment for all, protection of masses from terrorism and primacy to democracy.

Explaining various points of the manifesto, Amin Fahim said: "In our manifesto, we propose seven core priorities that will protect and empower the people of Pakistan and we will initiate key programmes in the first 100 days at the federal and provincial levels to implement these core priorities." The core priorities, according to him are: meeting the basic needs of the people, employment for all, equitable and inclusive growth, infrastructure for the future, a new social contract, protection of people and the country's engagement with the world.

The manifesto, as usual, contains pledges and promises galore. Among other things, it envisages the creation of a new province in South Punjab through necessary constitutional measures. Under the new NFC Award‚ Sindh will get a special grant for Karachi which is the mega port and economic hub of the country. This is clearly meant to assuage the feelings of the MQM which recently walked out of the coalition government in Sindh in protest against the annulment of the local bodies law.

Reinforcing its claim of being the party of the poor, the manifesto pledges to meet the basic needs of the socially and economically disadvantaged people. PPP's record, though, shows that whenever it has wielded power, its policies have made life more miserable for the general people, while bestowing some special benefits on the party workers. As per constitutional requirements‚ the manifesto promises universal primary enrolment by 2018 and 10‚000 higher education and technical vocation scholarships for FATA and Balochistan. As for the housing part of the famous slogan, there will be a renewed focus on housing and the poor will be given priority in the low cost housing schemes to be launched through the public-private partnership. Incidentally, the same promise has been made by the PML-N in its election manifesto.

The PPP manifesto also pledges empowerment of all citizens, especially women‚ minorities and the dispossessed. Labour representatives will get four seats in the National Assembly and two in each provincial assembly through legislation. The National Commission on Minorities will be given statutory status and religious properties would be given full protection. In accordance with the Charter of Democracy (CoD) and to strengthen the federation, a constitutional court will be established with equal representation from all the federating units and the inclusion of other areas administered by the state.
Rampant unemployment, coupled with a rapidly declining economy, has been the bane of the PPP government during its five-year tenure. Keeping this factor in view the party proposes to launch a youth employment initiative called 'People's Employment Programme'. Under this programme special schemes will be made to engage the educated youth in gainful employment.
In the agricultural sector the farmers will be supported by charging a flat rate for electricity for tube-wells and providing cheaper inputs. Special Economic Zones would be established to promote industrialization and create job opportunities. The tax net would be widened and the tax-to-GDP ratio would be increased to 15 per cent by 2018. Incidentally, the government signally failed to achieve these targets in the last five years.

The energy crisis is a sensitive issue for the PPP. In view of its poor showing in the sector in the last five years, the manifesto pledges an addition of 12‚000 MW of power by way of hydel‚ coal‚ gas and renewable energy by the end of the next term of the government. But it does not make it clear from where the necessary resources would come to generate the additional amount of electricity.

Matching the PML-N manifesto's pledge to make the parliamentary scrutiny and approval of the defence budget compulsory, the PPP has also proposed to make the military budget accountable to the National Assembly and institutionalize a better oversight of defense expenditure.

The PPP manifesto is silent on many fundamental issues. For instance, it does not say anything about how the economy, which suffered serious setbacks in the last 5 years, will be turned around or how inflation and prices will be contained to bring relief to the common man who has been a victim of the double whammy of price inflation and rising shortages. It is also silent about how to reduce the mountain of domestic and foreign debt which constitutes a crushing burden for the economy.

The PPP knows that in view of the dismal performance of its government in the last five years, very few people will take its election promises seriously. That is the reason why the manifesto is not only lackluster both in content and presentation but it also avoids setting specific targets for achievement in various sectors. The PPP promised more than 50 years ago that it would provide roti, kapra aur makan to the people. On the basis of this slogan the common people of Pakistan voted it to power four times. But the promise was never fulfilled. Each time the party assumed office it left the economy in a worse shape. On top of it all, corruption has been the defining feature of all PPP regimes. Its latest stint in power has proved to be the worst of all. While the party stalwarts have got richer, and some crumbs have been thrown the way of the lowly hardcore party loyalists, the common people have suffered miserably from high prices, energy shortages and shrinking job opportunities. In the face of these hard realities, there will be few takers in the country for its manifesto promises.

http://www.weeklycuttingedge.com/national02.htm

Muhammad Hassan


The democratic government has completed its five-year term despite many hiccups and politicians are taking credit for it but the masses feel let down as issues have compounded after the 2008 election.

Today, the law and order situation, the national economy, rising prices and energy crisis are major problems which the elected government failed to resolve in its tenure.

People had pinned high hopes of a democratic government after a dictator was dislodged after the 2008 elections. Almost all political parties, except the Jamaat-i-Islami and the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf of Immran Khan, were in power in the Centre or in provinces, but they failed to make people realise that they were serious about resolving their issues. People are disgruntled and perceive it a failure of democracy. It looked politicians were inept or lacked the will to address national issues. However, the failure and inaptness of politicians should not be construed as the breakdown of democracy.

Critics of the PPP say except few achievements, its five-year rule was a complete failure which brought the country to the brink of financial and administrative collapse. They blamed the PPP government for mismanagement, widespread corruption and criminal negligence on issues of national importance and focusing only on its survival and completion of term. Over the years, the PPP leadership's main issue was to keep its rule intact for which it had to meet demands of its coalition partners, the MQM, the ANP and the PML-Q, and other pressure groups from time to time. Undoubtedly, the biggest negative point of the PPP rule was the shortage of energy which hit the masses hard. Outages of power and gas led to closure of hundreds of industrial units and millions of workers jobless across the country. Though allegations of corruption and mismanagement tarnished the image of the PPP government in its five-year rule, yet high prices of daily use items and the energy crisis could be the main reason if it loses the next election. PPP ministers contended that it was a legacy of the Musharraf era. People bought it for few years but now they are not willing to accept any apology after the culmination of their mandated constitutional term.

The issue is aggravated as people could not find any serious effort on part of the ruling alliance to address the energy issue. The government came up with rental power projects but they were shut down on the order of the Supreme Court of Pakistan after allegations of massive corruption and kickbacks in agreements with national and international companies. On the other hand, the PPP loyalists say it was an attempt to defame the PPP as the rental power agreements were signed by the Musharraf government in 2007 and the PPP government only advanced the projects but all the blame was squarely put on the PPP government. Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf also requested the Supreme Court of Pakistan to form a fact-finding commission to fix responsibility and clear his name. However, critics say the measures taken by the government to overcome the problem were ill-planned or tainted with corruption and the court had no option but to scrap them.

Now the situation has worsened to an extent that the whole nation faced an acute shortage of electricity even in the winter when electricity demand-gap usually remains zero and there are no power outages in the country for few months. The issue was also blown up by the PML-N government in the Punjab, even though it could not launch a single power generation project after the passage of the 18th amendment. It launched multibillion projects, like the metro bus project and the laptop schemes, without seeking approval of the federal government but said it could not start energy projects as it needed the nod of the Centre in projects involving billions of rupees.

The PPP government also faced harsh criticism for the mishandling of state institutions and autonomous corporations, like PIA, Steel Mills and Pakistan Railways, which added to financial worries of the country. It was accused of appointing favourites to head big corporations and institutions which ruined the entities and resulted in a loss of huge public money. Critics say the government turned a blind eye to rampant corruption in corporations and departments and neither improved the National Accountability Bureau nor brought about new accountability laws. They also criticise ill-planned devolution of power to the provinces which created serious problems in education, health and agriculture sectors. They cite statistics of the World Bank and the IMF which say poverty has increased in the country and millions of middle and lower middle class people slipped down the poverty line. They point out the government received record loans from local banks and overall debt of the country doubled in just four and a half years rule of the PPP.

On the other hand, the PPP prides itself for constitutional reforms.
Its outstanding achievement was the removal of anomalies in the 1973 Constitution and restoration to its original shape. Under the 18th amendment, the government granted autonomy to the provinces by abolishing the concurrent list from the constitution which had been a longstanding demand of the provinces. Another PPP success was the unanimous passage of the 7th National Finance Commission Award which strengthened the federation. The policy of reconciliation not only helped the PPP to stay in power despite being without even simple majority in the National Assembly, but also left it with outside chances to form the next government as no single party can sweep the election. At times, the government was on the verge of collapse, but the PPP not only managed to complete its tenure, but also passed a considerable number of pieces of legislation with consensus. Moreover, the PPP's claim that it started a healthy tradition by shunning the politics of victimisation and vendetta is also true as no case against political opponents was registered during its term. It is to its credit that it improved the national economy as Pakistan was facing huge financial crisis and feared to be declared bankrupt when it came to power in 2008. It improved the national economy by its benefits could not reach the masses.

The PPP will mainly bank on its constitutional amendments and mixed financial success to lure votes in the next election. It also rehabilitated people after the floods in 2010 and massive rains in 2011, which had inundated most parts of Punjab and Sindh. It launched programmes for the poor, like Benazir Income Support Programme and the Pakistan Baitul Maal. The Swat operation was also a success story.

However, high prices of daily-use items, power and gas outages and rising unemployment may haunt it in the polls.

http://www.weeklycuttingedge.com/national04.htm

Augustine Anthony & Khurrum Anis


Pakistan's government became the first democratically elected administration in the nation's 65 years of independence to serve a full five-year term, a landmark marred by a struggling economy and rising sectarian violence.
Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf said the Pakistan Peoples Party-led government had overcome all threats, drawing a line under a past punctured by military coups. Ashraf remains in office until a caretaker premier is appointed to govern in the run-up to a general election scheduled for May.

"It is true that we have not been able to turn Pakistan into a land of all honey and milk in the past five years," Ashraf said in a televised speech to the nation late on Saturday. "But we have lessened the inherited problems and strengthened democracy so much that no one will be able to derail it in future."

The weekend milestone for Pakistani democracy may not help the Peoples Party, which is headed by President Asif Ali Zardari. The party got less than half the support of its main challenger, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, in an opinion poll released March 4. Its popularity has shrunk amid the nation's worst energy crisis, inflation above 7 percent, a Taliban insurgency in the northwest and growing insecurity.

While Zardari and his government worked to entrench democracy and appease opponents with decisions in 2010 to give greater autonomy to the country's provinces and strip the presidency of the power to dissolve Parliament, prices rose and factories were shuttered by rolling electricity cuts.

"Zardari found the instinct of survival," said Rashid Ahmed Khan, a professor of politics and international relations at the University of Sargodha in central Pakistan. The ruling party managed its coalition well and improved ties with rival India, "but failed to address the economic challenges faced by the people," Khan said.

After being carved out of British-run India in 1947, Pakistan has been ruled for half its history by the army, with civilian governments ousted by generals following allegations of corruption and misrule.

Whichever party wins in May will have to boost the $ 210 billion economy which has grown at an average 3 percent since 2007, less than half the annual pace of the previous five years and too slow to reduce poverty in the world's sixth-most populous country. The US is seeking help from Pakistan's civilian and military leaders to stabilize Afghanistan as American combat troops withdraw from an 11-year war with Taliban guerrillas by the end of 2014.
The Peoples Party was preferred by 16 percent of respondents, according to the March analysis by Gallup Pakistan of two national polls carried out in November and February. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML stood at 37 percent, with ex-cricket star Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf on 16 percent. The February survey of 9,660 voters had a margin of error of 2 percent to 3 percent.

Talks between the parties of Zardari and Sharif on the make-up of the interim administration are set to continue, and if no agreement is reached by the beginning of next week, a premier may be appointed by the country's Election Commission.

Former Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Shaikh, who resigned last month, and an ex-governor of the central bank, Ishrat Husain, are among the candidates. Zardari's term expires in September. Pakistan's president is elected by members of the national and regional assemblies.

Pakistan is grappling with a slide in foreign reserves and an almost 8 percent plunge in the value of the rupee against the dollar in the last year, increasing the odds it will need a further bailout by the International Monetary Fund. Foreign investment has slumped 85 percent since 2008. The benchmark Karachi Stock Exchange 100 Index has climbed 33 percent in the period, helped by increases in corporate profits.

Ashraf's speech, after which Parliament was dissolved, marked the end of a tumultuous five years for the government.

The Peoples Party emerged as the largest in the National Assembly following elections in 2008, two months after its leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated at an election rally in Rawalpindi, just outside Islamabad. Zardari, Bhutto's widower, took over party's reins, forging a short-lived alliance with Sharif.

The army extended its campaign against Taleban insurgents in the northwest, sending 28,000 troops into South Waziristan in October 2009 and triggering a nationwide wave of retaliatory attacks by militants. A year later, the country's worst ever floods displaced 20 million people.

The American special forces raid that killed Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in a Pakistan army town in 2011 escalated a downturn in ties with the US, Pakistan's largest aid donor. It also led to a prolonged confrontation between Zardari and Pakistani generals, who were subject to rare criticism over the military's failure to detect the airborne operation.

Even before bin Laden's killing, Pakistan's relationship with the US - and President Hamid Karzai in neighboring Afghanistan - had been plagued by distrust.

Karzai and officials in Washington had long accused Pakistan of assisting Taleban guerrillas in a bid to derail Kabul's closer ties with India and retain its traditional influence over Afghanistan's majority Pakhtoon community.

In 2012, Pakistan's Supreme Court ousted Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani after he cited the president's immunity as a barrier to seeking the reopening of corruption cases against Zardari in Swiss courts.

Top judges, who were accused in the media of unfairly targeting Zardari, in January ordered the arrest of the replacement premier Ashraf for alleged graft in rental power projects when he was power minister. The head of the country's main anti-corruption agency later told judges there wasn't enough evidence to proceed.

That challenge came as a popular cleric led some of the country's biggest ever political rallies in central Islamabad demanding the government step aside and, controversially, that the army help run the country ahead of elections.
Ties with neighbor India improved after talks resumed in 2011 following a more than two-year hiatus triggered by the terrorist attack on Mumbai by Pakistani guerrillas. Deadly border clashes in disputed Kashmir in January have since cast a shadow on efforts to repair the relationship.

At home, bomb attacks targeting the Shiite minority have killed 200 hundred people this year forcing the government to announce a belated attempt to curb some Sunni extremists. In Karachi, the country's financial capital, almost daily gun battles claimed 2,000 lives in 2012.

"Zardari silenced detractors who thought the government was going home in six months," Khan of the University of Sargodha said. "His government wasn't good, but it wasn't the worst" Pakistan has had.

http://www.weeklycuttingedge.com/national05.htm

March 26, 2013
Ahtesham Katikhel

So, the previous parliament of Pakistan is the first-ever parliament of the country to have completed its full term. Indeed, it is a long-awaited and one of the most desired events in the turbulent political history of Pakistan. It can safely be regarded as an encouraging indicator of the transition to democracy in the country.

Since its inception, Pakistan has been struggling very hard to install democracy within its boundaries in real sense. Its difficulties and hurdles in this regard could be well depicted by taking a single instance from its early history: the delayed framing of it first constitution. Pakistan took nine long years to frame its first constitution while India, with somehow similar political circumstances, made its first constitution within two years. Besides, the overthrow of Nazimudin government, dismissal of First Constituent Assembly, inability of stakeholders to address the political, linguistic, and social grievances of Bengalis, nepotism, bad governance, creation of One Unit etc served as severe blows to democracy in the country. Though 1956 Constitution of Pakistan envisaged an effective and delivering democratic setup in the country, but unfortunately, it became the victim of vested interests and political intrigues and died prematurely, leaving the country in deep uncertainty and chaos.

Presidential system of government, on the pattern of American political system, was introduced in Pakistan in 1962. But, ironically, the two most important principles of American Political system viz. ‘Checks and Balances’, and ‘Separation of Powers’ were not observed in Pakistani setup.
Consequently, the system miserably failed to deliver and demo racy remained elusive in the country. EBDO, Basic Democracies, and indirect elections were the most controversial innovations of General Ayub’s era which caused untold resentment in the whole country. In this way presidential system, too, could not bring true democracy in the country.

The first general elections in Pakistan were held in 1970. Pakistanis participated very enthusiastically in election process in the hope of changing their lot. These elections were viewed as a herald of new politically secure era in the country.

But to their utmost disappointment, the political deadlock after the elections resulted in the greatest loss to Pakistan since its birth: the debacle of East Pakistan. Mutual mistrust suspicion, and misunderstanding between the two parts of Pakistan were behind its break-up. From here, both parts of Pakistan began to write their own independent history.

The duly framed 1973 Constitution, by all intents and purposes, was the best constitution of Pakistan. It laid the foundation of a democratic government in Pakistan. The bicameral legislature, a viable federal structure with 3 lists of subjects, an independent judiciary, and fundamental rights to the citizens etc were some of the shining characteristics of the Constitution.

These principles are the essentials for an effective democratic political system of a country.

But despite of all these noble characters, people of Pakistan were unable to see democracy to flourish in their homeland.

General Zia’s Martial Law in 1977 was the third Martial Law in Pakistan--after the Martial Laws of 1958 and 1969. Zia totally transformed the character of the original Constitution of 1973. His most important innovation was the 8th Amendment to the Constitution in 1985.

This amendment made the President of the country at par with the Prime Minister from its position of a titular head of the state. Zia created the most lethal anti-democratic weapon in the shape of insertion of Article 58-2(b) in the Constitution. This provision later caused the ouster of a number of democratically elected governments. The same article was used to overthrow the governments of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif in 1980s and 1990s.
The so-called Decade of Democracy, too, was marred with the allegation of corruption and bad-governance on the part of the successive governments. Various steps were taken to curb corruption and to ensure transparency in the country. But these were taken half-heartedly and used for personal and political scores. One of the most noteworthy events of that decade was the restoration of original Constitution in 1997 by the mutual efforts by Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. But, sadly, the decade ended by yet another military coup.

General Musharraf’s nine-year rule brought about many dramatic changes in the political scene of the country. Pakistan’s involvement in the war on terror and its role as a front-line ally of the US had their own challenges which had adverse effects on democracy. The rise of extremism and militancy, the 17th Amendment to the constitution in 2003, imposition of emergency, deposition of judges and NRO were the dark events of his rule that caused hurdles in democratic process. But despite of all these negative developments, there were some positive happenings too, such as, the flow of information got impetus with the inception of a large number of private TV channels.

And now, the previous civilian government, despite massive allegations of corruption and bad governance, has been successful in completing its tenure. During its term, much legislative work was undertaken ranging from social issues to women’s rights. But among all legislative enactments, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan tops the list.

This amendment did much to ensure the smooth working of democratic political system in Pakistan. It restored the original Constitution of 1973. It strengthened the relationship between the Centre and federating units by abolishing the Concurrent List.

Also it made the President, again, a titular head of the State by curbing his dictatorial powers, especially given under Article 58-2(b), that are alien to a parliamentary system of government. Though government’s term was marred by some unpleasant events such as the dismissal of a duly elected Prime Minister, the completion of its tenure is, definitely, a welcome step towards achieving an effective parliamentary system of government.

The role of judiciary in Pakistan’s history has been dismal to a great extent when it comes to the history of establishment of true democracy in the country. The Maulvi Tameezudin case, the Dosso case, and Asma Jillani case etc set bad precedents.

The verdicts in these cases strengthened the hands of un-democratic forces at the expense of true democracy. The Supreme Court of Pakistan, being the custodian of the Constitution and fundamental rights of citizens, has more responsible role to play. Currently it has assumed a very prominent position of power among state institutions. It should focus on its constructive role for the nation and refrain from, as some allege, encroaching upon the spheres of other institutions so that the principle of tracheotomy of powers must not violated.

At present, the future of democracy in Pakistan seems much bright. As mentioned earlier, the previous government has completed unprecedented full term.

This is a positive sign. Today, Pakistan has an emerging middle class, a vibrant media, an awakened civil society, a proactive judiciary, and en-lighted citizens.

All these are the pre-requisite of a true democratic setup. So, in Pakistan the transition to democracy has begun now!

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