Should there be democracy in Pakistan?
Democracy is a form of governance that allots power to "the people" so as to involve them in decision making processes that directly or indirectly affect their lives, property etc (depending on the limit to which a particular government allows their participation). Elections are carried out so the people can choose that government that best represents their needs.
Pakistan at this moment is the largest non-liberal democracy in the world - an oligarchy of sorts disguised as a democracy. Parties are not elected on the basis of merit, rather voting is based on where one's loyalty lies or whom one is indebted to. In order to achieve the outcome a truly democratic system guarantees, it is essential for elections to be free and fair. However, this is not the case in our country. Rigging, use of force and manipulation to secure votes, buying etc are common factors encountered in every election. As citizens of a democratic state, the people have the right to freely choose and this right is infringed upon time and time again. The questions being posed here are, what then is the benefit of democracy in Pakistan and should there be democracy in Pakistan or would another form of governance be more fitting?
1 comment:
The state of Pakistan is still struggling to achieve its democracy. While the voting system may be imperfect, at the very least, at least there is a system of competitive struggle for popular vote. Moreover, the voting behaviour of the people is not always explained by disruptions in the democratic process, people in Pakistan vote for many reasons e.g patronage, biradri.
That being said, Pakistan is in no way an ideal democratic state but I believe that Pakistan does benefit from the democratic elements that it does have. There has to be a lot more work done to make Pakistan a liberal democracy but so far, it seems like the best option.
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