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What has democracy done for you?
Published: October 30, 2011
Faisal Qureshi
I dont want to get philosophical or academic, but there are multiple aspects of democracy. Democracy starts with an election, but doesnt end there. In Pakistan, we have been made to believe that democracy is a method of electing a government. In reality, democracy is a way of thinking; a way of life.
In democracies, politicians go door to door convincing voters to consider electing them, so they may serve the community for its development. In Pakistan, however, politicians intimidate voters with guns and threaten to kidnap their daughters, or burn their houses, if the poor peasants dont vote in favour of their landlords. Or maybe even have the lords dogs set loose to feast on their frail bodies.
In a democracy, the elected representatives are humble servants of the nation. In Pakistan, they run about like mafia dons, surrounded by police and private guards, crushing civilians under their cars. In most struggling countries, people go to election where they get to choose the least of the evils, only to be ruled by the worst of tyrants and oppressors. Term after term.
A democracy is not just built on an election of government, but also by an ongoing process of democratic involvement of the electorate. A day-to-day accountability of the peoples representatives is not just a right of the people, but also their duty. However, in Pakistan even the Constitution exonerates the President from all accusation and accountability. Not just the President, but all elected representatives, their relatives, secretaries, cooks, and even relatives of their servants, are above every law and system. The President uses the Constitution to avoid prosecution for widely proclaimed allegations and accusations; even the servants of members of Parliament and Senate, simply have to say how they are connected to the Cosa Nostra, aka political representative whose circle they are part of, and they can do anything to anyone.
All the flavours of government that we have tried in the past 60 odd years have done nothing, but damage to the people of Pakistan. However, the current one takes the cake. Regime after regime Pakistans resources have been swindled and potential clamped, to the point where we stand today.
The common man has no means of respectable transport, even in the mega city of Karachi. Education quality and availability keeps getting worse every day. Health services are as good as non-existent. Law and order has fallen into the dark depths of anarchy. The country is occupied by land grabbers, extortionists, kidnappers, car thieves, and phone snatchers.
Where Pakistan stands today, could very well be the plot of a fantasy epic where the dark forces have taken over and the realm has plunged into 100 years of darkness and evil. The only difference is that a saviour eventually arrives, fights the evil witch, and breaks her spell of death and mayhem. No such apparent luck here.
If democracy is what weve seen in the past few months, then democracy has surely been delivered to the people of Pakistan. It all started with democratic forces killing hundreds of people on the streets of Karachi, for reasons still unknown to the common man. Followed by Mr Zulfiqar Mirzas hurling insults and allegations of treason at just about every champion of democracy. If that wasnt enough PML-N and PPP decided to go head on with the loudest ruckus of this democratic season. With Shahbaz Sharif, Babar Awan, etc screaming some pretty vile obscenities at each other, democracy is beginning to sound like a third-rate dirty movie.
And then someone decided to add Imran Khan for good measure. By the time this goes to the press, we will be expecting a rally by MQM, in Karachi, to protest Shahbaz Sharifs insulting words against Asif Zardari, who incidentally was MQMs arch enemy not so long ago. Imran Khans supporters would be gathering for a jalsa for the rights of the people. PPP representatives, too special to name here, would be shouting obscenities against the Sharif Brothers.
Its a Mexican standoff where every political party has a gun pointed at the other. Unfortunately, in this drop scene the innocent people of Pakistan are standing in the middle and there are guns going off all around them. Guns of poverty, joblessness, hopelessness, killings, and general chaos.
If democracy means misery for the people, absence of food, non-existent opportunities, rampant corruption, senseless ministers making ridiculous statements, and an endless list of absent governance, then democracy has surely been a great success in Pakistan.
If democracy means railways shut down, airline grounded, corporations bankrupt, institutions headed by the corrupt, and lawmakers, who even lied about their education, then democracy is a sure winner in Pakistan.
But I must admit that the democratic forces have played it well. Pakistan is a nation of 180 million people with great capabilities and potential, yet a handful of despots have managed to hold them hostage in the name of sacrifices and favours. My question is that if these self-proclaimed leaders and saviours were even remotely capable or loyal, this country would be doing a million times better. Pakistan has such immense potential that its democratic leaders are actually having to work real hard to keep it in such dire straits.
On a side note, today, October 30, 2011, will be a decisive day for Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) sand Imran Khans politics. Lately, they have been claiming to be riding a wave of change. Imran feels he is about to sweep the nation off its feet, even if only because of the failures of other parties, and not necessarily because hes such a great leader. If today PTI cant gather a crowd at least five times what PML-N managed last Thursday, then its claims would be nothing more than elusive dreams.
As one leader put it quite aptly, democracy is the best revenge. Sadly, the people are its victim.
The writer is a well-known TV anchor. He can be contacted via email (fq@faisalqureshi.com), through Twitter (@FaisalQureshi) and Facebook (Faisal Qureshi | Facebook)
Published: October 30, 2011
Faisal Qureshi
I dont want to get philosophical or academic, but there are multiple aspects of democracy. Democracy starts with an election, but doesnt end there. In Pakistan, we have been made to believe that democracy is a method of electing a government. In reality, democracy is a way of thinking; a way of life.
In democracies, politicians go door to door convincing voters to consider electing them, so they may serve the community for its development. In Pakistan, however, politicians intimidate voters with guns and threaten to kidnap their daughters, or burn their houses, if the poor peasants dont vote in favour of their landlords. Or maybe even have the lords dogs set loose to feast on their frail bodies.
In a democracy, the elected representatives are humble servants of the nation. In Pakistan, they run about like mafia dons, surrounded by police and private guards, crushing civilians under their cars. In most struggling countries, people go to election where they get to choose the least of the evils, only to be ruled by the worst of tyrants and oppressors. Term after term.
A democracy is not just built on an election of government, but also by an ongoing process of democratic involvement of the electorate. A day-to-day accountability of the peoples representatives is not just a right of the people, but also their duty. However, in Pakistan even the Constitution exonerates the President from all accusation and accountability. Not just the President, but all elected representatives, their relatives, secretaries, cooks, and even relatives of their servants, are above every law and system. The President uses the Constitution to avoid prosecution for widely proclaimed allegations and accusations; even the servants of members of Parliament and Senate, simply have to say how they are connected to the Cosa Nostra, aka political representative whose circle they are part of, and they can do anything to anyone.
All the flavours of government that we have tried in the past 60 odd years have done nothing, but damage to the people of Pakistan. However, the current one takes the cake. Regime after regime Pakistans resources have been swindled and potential clamped, to the point where we stand today.
The common man has no means of respectable transport, even in the mega city of Karachi. Education quality and availability keeps getting worse every day. Health services are as good as non-existent. Law and order has fallen into the dark depths of anarchy. The country is occupied by land grabbers, extortionists, kidnappers, car thieves, and phone snatchers.
Where Pakistan stands today, could very well be the plot of a fantasy epic where the dark forces have taken over and the realm has plunged into 100 years of darkness and evil. The only difference is that a saviour eventually arrives, fights the evil witch, and breaks her spell of death and mayhem. No such apparent luck here.
If democracy is what weve seen in the past few months, then democracy has surely been delivered to the people of Pakistan. It all started with democratic forces killing hundreds of people on the streets of Karachi, for reasons still unknown to the common man. Followed by Mr Zulfiqar Mirzas hurling insults and allegations of treason at just about every champion of democracy. If that wasnt enough PML-N and PPP decided to go head on with the loudest ruckus of this democratic season. With Shahbaz Sharif, Babar Awan, etc screaming some pretty vile obscenities at each other, democracy is beginning to sound like a third-rate dirty movie.
And then someone decided to add Imran Khan for good measure. By the time this goes to the press, we will be expecting a rally by MQM, in Karachi, to protest Shahbaz Sharifs insulting words against Asif Zardari, who incidentally was MQMs arch enemy not so long ago. Imran Khans supporters would be gathering for a jalsa for the rights of the people. PPP representatives, too special to name here, would be shouting obscenities against the Sharif Brothers.
Its a Mexican standoff where every political party has a gun pointed at the other. Unfortunately, in this drop scene the innocent people of Pakistan are standing in the middle and there are guns going off all around them. Guns of poverty, joblessness, hopelessness, killings, and general chaos.
If democracy means misery for the people, absence of food, non-existent opportunities, rampant corruption, senseless ministers making ridiculous statements, and an endless list of absent governance, then democracy has surely been a great success in Pakistan.
If democracy means railways shut down, airline grounded, corporations bankrupt, institutions headed by the corrupt, and lawmakers, who even lied about their education, then democracy is a sure winner in Pakistan.
But I must admit that the democratic forces have played it well. Pakistan is a nation of 180 million people with great capabilities and potential, yet a handful of despots have managed to hold them hostage in the name of sacrifices and favours. My question is that if these self-proclaimed leaders and saviours were even remotely capable or loyal, this country would be doing a million times better. Pakistan has such immense potential that its democratic leaders are actually having to work real hard to keep it in such dire straits.
On a side note, today, October 30, 2011, will be a decisive day for Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) sand Imran Khans politics. Lately, they have been claiming to be riding a wave of change. Imran feels he is about to sweep the nation off its feet, even if only because of the failures of other parties, and not necessarily because hes such a great leader. If today PTI cant gather a crowd at least five times what PML-N managed last Thursday, then its claims would be nothing more than elusive dreams.
As one leader put it quite aptly, democracy is the best revenge. Sadly, the people are its victim.
The writer is a well-known TV anchor. He can be contacted via email (fq@faisalqureshi.com), through Twitter (@FaisalQureshi) and Facebook (Faisal Qureshi | Facebook)
