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Opinion The end of a misrule
Huzaima Bukhari & Dr Ikramul Haq
Saturday, March 16, 2013
At the end of full five years of civilian democratic rule, the country is in the grip of despair and disillusionment – the endless killing of innocent people and the economic collapse are posing serious threats to the survival of the state. The elected representatives have failed to undo the legacy of dictators and bring about fundamental changes in institutions: for example, establishing local governments empowering people at the grass-roots level.
The armed forces, the principal target of home-grown militant groups, appear totally perplexed, admitting that protecting the groups and promoting them in the past was a grave mistake. For the first time, the military leadership has accepted internal security threats as a major challenge.
After March 16, 2009, everyone was taking credit for the success of the two-year long struggle for restitution of the judges – political parties, the media, the legal fraternity and civil society. The ministers, who a few days before the restitution of the judges were mouthing nothing less than abuse for the pre-emergency judiciary, suddenly became self-acclaimed champions of their cause.
As soon as the masses joined the movement, the military chief snatched the entire credit for the restitution of judges. A call from him was confirmed by Aitzaz Ahsan. Nawaz Sharif, who suddenly posed as a hero of the movement, secured every decision in his favour after restitution. Lawyers, the forerunners of the campaign, also started asking favours for personal gains.
This shattered the dream of a new Pakistan that had captured the nation’s imagination on March 16, 2009. People started viewing it as yet another illusory ‘achievement’. The ruling elites – the military-civil-complex, politicians and businessmen – convinced the masses that the judiciary could not implement its decisions regarding law and order in Karachi, the Balochistan government, oil and sugar prices and rental-power cases. They reminded the citizens that they were the ‘real’ masters and the judiciary was just a subordinate body.
The judiciary came under fire from Zardari, who accused it of hatching a conspiracy of the “pen.” The apex court was accused of selective accountability. The men in power, especially with guns, were not obliging at all. Nothing practical happened in the wake of the Asghar Khan case or in the missing persons’ matter.
The rich and mighty who controlled the state apparatus resisted every move that could empower the general masses. In five years, no effort was made to establish local governments to provide education, health, housing and transport at the grass-roots level. On March 16, 2009, any flicker of hope that appeared in the eyes of the youth soon got extinguished. They are now as disillusioned as they were under the Musharraf-Shaukat Aziz era. They have lost all hopes about their future prospects, finding that merit is not the criterion in the Land of Pure where one needs connections, money and political power to be ‘successful’.
People thought that with elections in 2008, there will be stability and economic and social justice, but things have changed for the worse in the five years. The majority is living below the poverty line. The word ‘prosperity’ has lost its meaning for the middle class. The poor are getting poorer while the rich are enjoying all the luxuries. Colossal wastage and plundering of public funds, borrowed money and taxes collected from the poor are playing havoc with the economy, as well as tearing apart the socio-economic fabric of the society. Behind the present chaotic socio-economic and political situation in Pakistan, among other factors, is an ever-increasing gulf between the rich and the poor.
The mighty and rich are unwilling to pay taxes and whatever is collected from the poor is spent on the luxuries of those who matter in the land. It is shocking that with every passing day more and more people are being pushed below the poverty line. Their total number is now not less than 60 million in a country where rulers unashamedly squander billions of rupees on their personal comfort and so-called security. (Amazing how elected representatives fear their own electorate!).
The worsening plight of the poor is not because of shortage of resources – as unashamedly propagated by the rulers, but is entirely due to wasteful expenses, monopolisation of national assets and non-exploitation of enormous available resources.
In the wake of March 16, 2009, the nation was very enthusiastic that from now on administration and dispensation of justice would be the topmost priority. They were expecting the establishment of representative democracy and effective dispensation of justice, but instead they witnessed mounting tension amongst different organs of the state. Administration and dispensation of justice in Pakistan till today is a distant dream. In the wake of the decisions in Chief Justice of Pakistan Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry v President of Pakistan PLD 2010 SC 61 and Dr Mubashir Hassan & Others v Federation of Pakistan & Others PLD 2010 SC 1, the hope for rule of law, social justice and economic equality did temporarily emerge, but was ruthlessly throttled by the ruling elites, including the judiciary.
The country is now in the grip of multiple crises, including heinous attacks on minorities, the fast deteriorating law and order situation, economic collapse etc. Instead of advocating and working for the enforcement of fundamental rights enshrined in Articles 8 to 28 of the constitution and paying attention to achieving the goals mentioned in Articles 29 to 38.
Federal and provincial governments, and the political parties are feverishly engaged in petty mud-slinging. They have no plans or agenda for the bright future of Pakistan as they are merely interested in winning the forthcoming elections, not by proposing solutions to problems but by luring people through favours and gains on the basis of their money and power.
We could have avoided the post-March 16, 2009 disillusionments if the people who waged the two-year successful struggle had been given their due rights under the constitution. Even the constitutional command of establishing local governments under Article 140A was ignored by all the governments. By praising Nawaz and Kayani for the success of democracy, even the media is depriving the people of a sense of participation in governance. People pay taxes and get nothing in return. Even essential services like health, education and transport facilities are given to them more as charity than as rights.
The common people are rightly disillusioned. Responsible government and sustainable democracy cannot be established unless the masses are empowered through local governments as provided in Article 140A of the constitution. The ruling elite and intelligentsia are completely alienated from the masses. The elites exploit them financially, and the so-called intellectuals use the ‘myth of people power’ for their catharsis. Political parties need them only for electioneering to grab power.
Nobody has any concrete agenda for the people’s rule and prosperity for all. Unless such an agenda is prepared and implemented, the present chaotic situation will continue to persist.
The writers are visiting faculty at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS).
Email:
huzaima@huzaimaikram.com and
ikram@huzaimaikram.com
