Democracy vs Dictatorship: Right system for Pakistan
Politicians always portray as if democracy is the best system. In order to check plus and minus of any system one has to look both way. The best thing about democracy is that in democracy people choose their leadership themselves. If leadership doesn’t perform well they can change it themselves and bring new leadership.
Unfortunately in Pakistan social fabric is divided on many basis like language, ethnicity, cast, sect, tribe etc and illiteracy rate is very high. People willingly or unwillingly don’t become able to elect freely and brings same leaders again and again. So nation has to face only minus points of the system instead of plus points.
If plus points of the system become eroded then minus points of the system become magnified. The minus point of a democratic system is that decisions are taken not on merit but to make people happy. If we analyze current four provincial democratically elected governments. Performance wise Punjab government is best. But one can judge how major economic decisions are taken on political basis. In this ailing economy where people lack basic facilities like food, water, shelter, health, security and education, Punjab government is spending billions on roads, bridges and laptops. One can image what would be happening in other four provinces where provincial governments are much more incompetent and corrupt.
If we compare dictatorship with democracy, economy functions much better in dictatorship. Decisions are taken much faster and not only on basis to make people happy. Work flows become shorter and much quicker. Despite these plus points the weakest point in dictatorship is lack of moral and legal authority of the dictator. Other weak point is no appropriate mechanism to change leadership. Change of leadership is must for any system as it brings in fresh vision and ideas. Unfortunately in Pakistan the weak points of dictatorship always played in, dictators never tried to make a legal system and dreamed of sticking to power for their whole lives.
Looking at past history of Pakistan the right system is somewhere in between of democracy and dictatorship. We need democracy with some forceful restrictions on people who manipulate the system for their benefit.
- Restriction on leaders who are corrupt and have many cases pending in courts. If allowed they will buy votes or candidates with their black money.
- Restriction on leaders who are feudal of their area. They get elected unopposed from any party they stand. People don’t become able to vote freely as they are kings of their area.
- Restriction on becoming a PM or President again. As in good democracies nobody become a candidate for PM or president again and again. But in Pakistan we know that leaders become kings of their parties for their whole lives.
- Restriction on family politics, not more than two leaders with blood relations should be allowed in a party. Unfortunately in Pakistan whole families become involved in politics like Bhuttos, Shareefs, Lagharis, Khosas, Gillanis etc. If all party leaders fill their parties with their relatives how ordinary people will get a chance to come in politics.
- Restriction on leaders who do politics of hate on terms of language, ethnicity, sect etc. If allowed they will persuade people by creating more hate against each other as its happening in Pakistan generally and in Karachi specifically.
- Restriction on illiterate candidates. How can a person write law for others when he can't even read or write. An MNA or MPA has to do legislation. In developed countries they have 95% plus literacy rate so they don’t need any law like this.
- Restriction on use of extra money in constituencies before elections. If checked properly even as per current law, middle class candidates who can’t spend much will also get some chance to win in elections.
- We need to make police neutral like Judiciary and Army. How can they arrest the people of a ruling party for any malpractice? Police don’t have any legal cover, they get bashed for taking right decisions that are against ruling party.
- Power from provinces should be transferred to lower levels like districts and union councils via local government system. All current ruling parties gather power around them but hesitate to shift it further downward.
Without modifying democracy as per above stated requirements, only civilian dictatorship will come in one form or other and name of democracy will be misused again and again.
Politicians always portray as if democracy is the best system. In order to check plus and minus of any system one has to look both way. The best thing about democracy is that in democracy people choose their leadership themselves. If leadership doesn’t perform well they can change it themselves and bring new leadership.
Unfortunately in Pakistan social fabric is divided on many basis like language, ethnicity, cast, sect, tribe etc and illiteracy rate is very high. People willingly or unwillingly don’t become able to elect freely and brings same leaders again and again. So nation has to face only minus points of the system instead of plus points.
If plus points of the system become eroded then minus points of the system become magnified. The minus point of a democratic system is that decisions are taken not on merit but to make people happy. If we analyze current four provincial democratically elected governments. Performance wise Punjab government is best. But one can judge how major economic decisions are taken on political basis. In this ailing economy where people lack basic facilities like food, water, shelter, health, security and education, Punjab government is spending billions on roads, bridges and laptops. One can image what would be happening in other four provinces where provincial governments are much more incompetent and corrupt.
If we compare dictatorship with democracy, economy functions much better in dictatorship. Decisions are taken much faster and not only on basis to make people happy. Work flows become shorter and much quicker. Despite these plus points the weakest point in dictatorship is lack of moral and legal authority of the dictator. Other weak point is no appropriate mechanism to change leadership. Change of leadership is must for any system as it brings in fresh vision and ideas. Unfortunately in Pakistan the weak points of dictatorship always played in, dictators never tried to make a legal system and dreamed of sticking to power for their whole lives.
Looking at past history of Pakistan the right system is somewhere in between of democracy and dictatorship. We need democracy with some forceful restrictions on people who manipulate the system for their benefit.
- Restriction on leaders who are corrupt and have many cases pending in courts. If allowed they will buy votes or candidates with their black money.
- Restriction on leaders who are feudal of their area. They get elected unopposed from any party they stand. People don’t become able to vote freely as they are kings of their area.
- Restriction on becoming a PM or President again. As in good democracies nobody become a candidate for PM or president again and again. But in Pakistan we know that leaders become kings of their parties for their whole lives.
- Restriction on family politics, not more than two leaders with blood relations should be allowed in a party. Unfortunately in Pakistan whole families become involved in politics like Bhuttos, Shareefs, Lagharis, Khosas, Gillanis etc. If all party leaders fill their parties with their relatives how ordinary people will get a chance to come in politics.
- Restriction on leaders who do politics of hate on terms of language, ethnicity, sect etc. If allowed they will persuade people by creating more hate against each other as its happening in Pakistan generally and in Karachi specifically.
- Restriction on illiterate candidates. How can a person write law for others when he can't even read or write. An MNA or MPA has to do legislation. In developed countries they have 95% plus literacy rate so they don’t need any law like this.
- Restriction on use of extra money in constituencies before elections. If checked properly even as per current law, middle class candidates who can’t spend much will also get some chance to win in elections.
- We need to make police neutral like Judiciary and Army. How can they arrest the people of a ruling party for any malpractice? Police don’t have any legal cover, they get bashed for taking right decisions that are against ruling party.
- Power from provinces should be transferred to lower levels like districts and union councils via local government system. All current ruling parties gather power around them but hesitate to shift it further downward.
Without modifying democracy as per above stated requirements, only civilian dictatorship will come in one form or other and name of democracy will be misused again and again.
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