Daily Times

In a democratic dispensation, the ruling party and the opposition are considered to be the two sides of the same coin. While the government runs the show on the basis of the given mandate, the opposition makes sure that it remains within the parameters and contours of governance prescribed by the constitution and law, established democratic norms and popular franchise. The purpose of both the entities is to promote the well-being of the masses through strengthening of state institutions and democracy itself.

Governments all over the world have the disadvantage of incumbency and their conduct and style of governance is continuously under incisive scrutiny of the opposition. However, in civilised societies, the opprobrium directed at the government has a constructive purpose and is based on concrete and valid reasons rather than being merely an impulsive and essentially hostile exercise by the opposition to justify its existence, as is the case in Pakistan. Judged in the backdrop of this standard for the opposition in democratic countries, the rumpus created by the opposition in the joint session of parliament addressed by the president has certainly lowered our prestige as a democratic polity among the comity of nations, besides portraying the opposition itself in dismal colours. It was a painful reminder of the crass politics of the nineties.

Nobody can take away the right of the opposition to grill the government and its policies on merit and trigger an informed debate on the issues of national concern in conformity with democratic practices and principles. But pre-judging something and trying to obstruct the proceedings of the house through despicable behaviour unbecoming of a democratic opposition can hardly be condoned. The cause of democracy would have been better served had the opposition given a patient hearing to what the president had to say and given their reaction to the contents of the speech at an appropriate time either in the assembly or through the media.

Our politicians, to the chagrin of the hapless masses, have failed to learn from history. They are seen crying hoarse from every convenient rooftop to espouse the cause of democracy but their conduct has been just the opposite. They are the ones who through their reckless politics have been creating conditions for takeovers by the army and encouraging them to encroach upon civilian territory. Regrettably, this civil-military imbalance continues to vitiate democracy, the rule of law, across-the-board accountability and security of the citizens. There is an urgent need to correct that imbalance, which is only possible through more and more democracy, strengthening state institutions and protecting the nascent democracy through an impregnable unity among the political entities. To be able to do that the politicians will have to rely on the judgment of the people and show respect to their mandate. Trying to destabilise or change governments before their mandated period has hurt us grievously in the past. Until and unless the politicians shun this archaic mode of politics, the country cannot be winched out of the morass it has been pushed into through the criminal indiscretions by the politicians and the army.

As far as the president’s address to the parliament is concerned, I honestly feel that it is very hard to take issue with his assertion that democracy is flourishing in Pakistan. Seen in the backdrop of the machinations of the anti-democratic forces to destabilise the country and see the back of the PPP government through undemocratic means and the resilience shown by the government in warding off these threats, provides a testimony to his claim. Since the nineties, none of the elected governments were allowed to complete their tenure. The politicians axed their own feet besides damaging democracy. Now it is for the first time that an elected government is poised to complete its mandated tenure and a smooth transition of power through the ballot is on the cards. That in itself is a great achievement. People can have different views about the performance of the government in other spheres of national life but as far as democracy is concerned, no political party in the country can match the contribution that the PPP has made for its restoration by fighting against the military dictators. Its leaders nurtured the sapling of democracy with their blood. The party gave the country a consensus constitution and has led the endeavours to restore the true spirit of the constitution by removing the aberrations introduced by the dictators. It has resolved a festering issue of distribution of resources through the NFC Award besides strengthening provincial autonomy, which had remained an elusive dream for a long time. Its efforts for empowerment and emancipation of women know no parallel. These contributions need to be honestly acknowledged. I am not a great admirer of the brand of politics practiced by the PPP but my conscience does not allow me to belittle the significance of the radical and epoch-making steps that the PPP regimes have taken whenever the people voted them into power.

It is said that the worst form of democracy is better than the most benign dictatorship. Our future is inextricably linked to the continuation of democracy and allowing it to correct the maladies afflicting the body politic, itself. The politicians must prove their democratic credentials not by paying only lip service to democracy but practically demonstrating their faith in it and their collective efforts to reinforce the democratic process. That is only possible when they earnestly acknowledge the ascendancy of the masses and learn to respect their mandate given to a party of their own choice. The Quaid must be turning in his grave to see what we have done to his Pakistan. We all need to make earnest efforts to let him rest in peace.

The writer is a freelance columnist