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Pakistan: A form of country-strengthening democracy

 

President Dr. Arif Alvi has presented some suggestions to bring stability in the country while addressing a function in University of Karachi. These suggestions have been considered important by serious thinkers. President Alvi said that the country can become strong with democracy. The second suggestion of the President is that all politicians should unite for the sake of national interest. His third suggestion is to decide on general elections in the country.

The President has tried several times in his personal capacity in the last 10 months to prevent political conflict and chaos. President Arif Alvi has repeatedly offered to play a role in negotiations between PDM, Tehreek-e-Insaf and the main forces, which was ignored by the political forces willing to clash. A second order to stop the clash could have been issued by the Supreme Court. The stubborn situation of the political forces is that the highest court of the country directs the elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but the government and related institutions put obstacles in it. Pakistan has weakened not only politically but also economically and socially. Political parties are primarily social organizations. Political parties place the concept of sovereignty in their manifestos. As the needs and thinking of the society change, the political parties adapt themselves to this new concern.

 Democracy is popular as a beneficial system in societies where political parties are flexible. Repeated dictatorship in Pakistan did not allow democracy to flourish. Thus, the relationship between the society and the government could not be strengthened. Then the parties that came to power in the name of democracy added dynastic dictatorship to their internal structure. Due to this, the collective concern of the society became a hostage of a few families. The democracy by which the countries are stable is not the form that we are facing. Democracy has not strengthened in the dear country. The reason for this is the undemocratic behavior of individuals and institutions associated with the democratic process. Democratic behavior is the name of meeting with each other, communication and dialogue. The democratic behavior of politicians is that they do not bring personal animosity into the middle of any issue. The focus of their activities and thinking is state interest.

The situation here is that when the PDM came to power, the first thing it did was to dispose of the cases of its leaders. When it was seen that there could be punishment in the cases under trial in the courts, then the rules of NAB were changed. This behavior is not political and democratic but selfish. Similarly, in recent days, the record of Toshakhana from 2002 to 2023 was presented. Observers believe that this is not a complete record. However, the details that have come out show that the ruling elite lacks even the basic attribute of trustworthiness. Detachment from the collective thinking of the society and greed of the rulers has led to the weakening of democracy. Democracy strengthens the country when each party recognizes the right of the other to rule. Politicians in America, Britain and India have mutual battles.

Sometimes this criticism reaches intolerable levels, but it has never happened that the right of the party that gets the majority of votes is not recognized. The voters of Pakistan had given the right to rule to the PTI by giving them a majority. The PDM parties turned the majority into a minority through political and administrative tactics and forced the country's most popular party to resign from Parliament. The result of denying his right to rule is that people are coming out in opposition to the entire system. If the situation continues like this for some time, there is a fear of changing the face of democracy. Democracy is a system of peaceful transfer of power and social participation. King, military dictator or hereditary rule is the power of certain classes, the common man does not participate in it. People who are part of the political process need to analyze what role they want to play in politics. The answer to their question will determine whether Pakistan's system is capable of recovering from the dysfunction or not. There is no doubt that the best way to bridge serious differences is for politicians to agree on a single national agenda. Pakistan needs social harmony and peace. There is a need to restore the investment climate. Public participation in power has to be found. Simplicity and frugality should be practiced at the government and public level. The true values and traditions of democracy should be given a chance to flourish. The rest of the national interests can reach the stage of fulfillment in this atmosphere. It has become necessary to give a fresh start to all political forces by holding general elections.


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