Sorry
state of Pakistan
Sir,
In a
unique democratic exercise, the people of
India have elected a new Government
through democratic process in a peaceful
manner. The smooth transition of the
Government showed the world, how the
largest democracy in the world is
functioning and performing its entire
democratic obligation enshrined in the
constitution.
In India,
the people reign supreme. The principle
of sovereignty of the people has
prevailed unchallenged in the country.
The secret of success of democracy lies
in a functioning democracy, a
constitution based on consensus, a strong
and independent judiciary, civilian
supremacy and non-interference by the
armed forces in politics.
In
contract Pakistan has a dysfunctional;
hybrid political system composed of
incongruous elements -a non-sovereign
Parliament, a powerful President in
uniform and a weak and ineffective Prime
Minister.
Democracy
is in limbo; Parliament is paralysed. The
opposition languishes in torpid
impotence. Although national and
provincial assemblies, political parties,
elected Government, and other democratic
norms exists in Pakistan but play no role
in determining major policy decisions and
have, for all practical purposes, become
irrelevant. The shadow military state is
lurking behind a civilian facade.
In the
absence of an agreed constitution, the
federation is united only by a ''rope of
sand''. A plethora of amendments carried
our by successive military rulers has
mutilated the 1973 constitution, altering
it almost beyond recognition.
General
Musharraf has appointed himself as the
President of Pakistan on the basis of a
fradulent referendum. The people, the
ultimate sovereign, have been denied the
right to elect their president in
accordance with the uncharged 1973
constitution.
At the end
of three years of military rule, the
people had looked forward to a fresh
beginning and a better future for
themselves and their children in a
democratic Pakistan.
Instead of
holding absolutely free, fair and
impartial elections and allowing the
people to choose their representative,
the elections were rigged, the ballot
papers were tampered with the results
manipulated in many cases. Elections have
thrown up, not the best, not the most
deserving, but the most unprincipled
politicians amongst us.
If
Pakistan is to survive, the army must be
placed outside the turbulent arena of
political conflict. The East Pakistan
debacle has made it abundantly clear that
the federation cannot survive except as a
democratic state based on the principle
of sovereignty of the people and the
supremacy of civilian rule.
Pakistan
can regain its glory if it rediscovers
its core value-sovereignty of the people,
inviolability of the constitution;
supremacy of civilian rule, a fiercely
independent, judiciary, an independent,
Chief Election Commissioner, and a
non-politicized civil service.
Yours
etc...
Ashraf Sher Khan
27 Bogal B
New Delhi
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