Assembly is a distinct brand of government whose prime
function is to act as a law making body. Generally speaking, functions of
assemblies include shaping and editing the legislation
and constitution of the nation by representing
the needs and people who elected them. While the legislative and representative
roles of assemblies have declined in significance, greater emphasis has been
placed on the ability of assemblies to constrain and check the executive power.
Assemblies are the places from which leaders, ministers and prime misters are
recruited.
Considering condition of Assemblies in Pakistan, due to the
large class differences between the public and their representatives, the
legislators fail to reflect the demands and needs of the general public. When
the representatives do not understand the grievances of the people who elected
them, no change can be brought at ground level.
Secondly before legislators could scrutinize the executives
of the country, they themselves first need accountability. For example when the
degrees of the assembly members were checked, most of them had false degrees.
How can such defaulters be expected to rectify and check and balance the
executives.
In developing countries such as Pakistan where the literacy
rate is very less, parochial culture exists.
For example in our exercise in the class, janitors informed us that they
voted for PML-N just because they paid them 5000, then the elected people will
not be true representation of the people of Pakistan.
Functions of assemblies may be very useful for government in
theories but practically speaking, the role of assemblies in Pakistan is awfully
debatable.
1 comment:
I agree with your first point regarding a lack of representation. Not only is it a result of class difference which ensures that popular opinion is the opinion of the elite class, the voice of which dominates that of all other classes despite that it is the smallest in percentage of population, but also the fact that these so-called representatives pay minimal attention to the opinions and concerns of the lower classes and maximum attention to those of the elite classes (usually to which they themselves belong). It results in a rat race in which the fittest survive (the fittest being those with wealth and status).
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