The future of democracy
Whatever the predictions for the future of political parties, it is a fact that democracy is here to stay. Political parties will survive the losses or gains only if the democratic process will prevail
Pakistan is the fifth largest democracy of the world and second largest Muslim democracy after Indonesia. However, the country and its people have struggled in sustaining democracy; of the 65 years of Pakistan’s existence, only 19 years have been under true democratic regimes. The outgoing PPP government was the first democratically elected government in the history of Pakistan that finished its constitutional duration; it held transparent elections that resulted in a peaceful transition of power.
In the 21st century, Pakistan is facing numerous problems including: economic crises, lack of infrastructure, lack of basic necessities required for development, monitory and moral corruption. A dark cloud of fear and uncertainty looms over the people. Today the largest threat to the country’s existence is religious and ethnic terrorism. This force of terror took birth under the dictatorial regime of General Zia and became more powerful under General Musharraf’s dictatorial regime. The puritan reign of terror has now become a part of life for Pakistani citizens. Even the recently concluded general elections were held under constant threats and attacks by the extremist groups. Many lives were lost as a result of deadly assaults in Kohat, Peshawar, Charsadda, and Karachi. On May 9th, Ali Haider Gilani (a National Assembly contester and the son of the former prime minister) was abducted in broad day light. Despite the violence and threats of terror, the people of Pakistan turned up to vote and showed the tyrants that Pakistan is going to stay on the map of the world as a democracy.
Election of 2013 is a silver lining in the dark cloud of tyranny and terror that has held the people of Pakistan hostage for more than three decades. It shows that people are realizing the power of their vote. Yes, there are many flaws in the system, and all the problems that face Pakistan are not going to go away in the decades to come, but the hope of change remains there. This is what happens in democracies where people always have the choice to change the government by the power of their vote. This is a new concept that the people of Pakistan are contending with during these changing times. In 2008 started the process where the sitting governmental party lost the election and a new era began. The PPP government had many challenges facing it including the fact that it did not even have a simple majority which led to many deadlocks and changes in coalition. These changes in turn created turmoil and brought on a weak government. Nonetheless, the PPP-led government was able to achieve restoration of the constitution of Pakistan to its original form.
We have to accept the peoples’ choice and see what the next five years will bring. A step towards progress is to hold elections on time and accept the people’s decision. The country where majority of the population has been living below the line of poverty for most of the country’s existence; the idea of democracy is novel and one may even say why should people care about voting? With the new electronic communication and social media, people have realized that the answer lies in democracy and that the elected leaders are accountable to their constituents. May 11’s elections showed us that people of Pakistan took this process seriously. Whatever the result, we have to respect the choice.
Challenges faced by the next government remain daunting, and all eyes and ears are curious to see what will happen about the energy crisis, and negotiations with the Taliban. However, the people are now savvy enough to know that the rhetoric and empty promises will result in rejection of the leaders in the next election. The vote of the people brought Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) on the political map of Pakistan. Though PTI did not bring the promised Tsunami sweep yet it is now a major decision maker in KPK, and in the National Assembly with its 35 seats. This is a far cry from dictatorial regimes of the past where the people had no voice.
Democracy and elections determine that national interest be defined by the people through the power of their vote. As clichéd as it sounds, it is the reality of the times. When armies exercise their power through coups and dictators, national interest is never in the hands of the people.
Democracy may not be able to eradicate corruption or terrorism, but through the process of election the will of the people can be asserted towards betterment of the society. As Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto said “A sophisticated and balanced society is the one that reaches a compromise between the Past and Present; Religion and Science; modernism and Sufism; and materialism and spirituality; such a society is free of chaos and rich with culture.” We are a far cry from being such a society, but definitely have the potential to be one, and the path leading there is the path of democracy.
Whatever the predictions for the future of political parties, it is a fact that democracy is here to stay. Political parties will survive the losses or gains only if the democratic process will prevail. One can only hope that Pakistan will never again face any tyrannical dictatorial regimes. Institutions like military, bureaucracy, and judiciary should remain in their constitutionally defined limits. In Pakistan, these institutions have interfered time and again in the democratic process. The assurance of sustenance of democracy can only come from the people when they realize their power.