A serious question that continues to boggle the minds of the people after six and a half decades of the country’s existence is, is there democracy in Pakistan? The country has been under military rule for a little over three decades and almost three and a half decades of civilian rule. To clearly understand what ‘Democracy’ is all about one would have to know its definition. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as ‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people’.
If we were to go by this definition, in literal terms, then, to some extent, yes we did have democracy in the country for three decades. Those who had come to power through ballot always claimed that they were elected to power by the people of this country. Naturally, therefore, the governments they formed, after being elected, were governments of the people. But the third part of the definition ‘for the people’ is the ‘grey area’ that leaves much to be desired. This, in fact, is the most important area where none of the so-called democratically elected governments have been able to make any significant contribution.
History stands testimony to the fact that successive democratically elected governments, which came to power in this country, always made tall claims of serving the masses but the reality has been far from it. They have only served their personal interests and their parties. They did everything for themselves but nothing for the people who elected and placed them in positions of authority. The so-called public representatives of this country became opulent by and amassed massive wealth, during their respective tenures, at the cost of the poverty-stricken masses of Pakistan.
Access of the poor of this country to even the basic amenities of life such as food, shelter, education and health, as guaranteed by the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, have been blatantly usurped by the rulers. They have been left to the mercy of Allah. It has become immensely difficult for them to even to have three square meals a day, what to speak of other basic needs of life.
Time has come for the people of Pakistan to realize quickly that they have always been exploited by those in whom they blindly vested their trust were the ones to take them for a ride. They must also realise that it is they who have the power to elect people to govern the country. Heavy responsibilities lies on their shoulders to elect the right people this time around. Elections are round the corner and this is the time when people should exercise their power to elect representatives judiciously and make conscious efforts not to repeat the past mistakes. If they do, I am afraid, they will be doomed forever.
M. FAZAL ELAHI,
Islamabad, January 7.