Democracy is the best revenge. I am sure, when the late Benazir Bhutto made this statement, she had not meant it literally. Her connotation must have been that for all autocrats who want to hoard power and destroy a democratic system where power is shared is the ultimate political demise. However, it looks as if the interpretation of this sentence by nearly all parties in power has been restricted to the letter and not to the spirit. Democracy has been given a new definition, a new interpretation and a new encasing. What we see in the country raises two questions: firstly, is democracy the best system for all situations and secondly, can democracy be used to further interests of any other than the public at large?
As far as Pakistan goes, the first question of democracy being the best system or not is raised due to the continuous failure of various democratic governments in our history. The historical trend shows that traditionally, democracy has resulted in a descent into economic chaos and a disastrous political commotion that more often than not results in government becoming dysfunctional, resulting in an army takeover for restoration of order. The continuous short-circuiting of democratic rule has given rise to the question of whether the country would ever truly be ready for a democratic system. Many have propagated that since democracy is for the people and by the people, it requires a certain level of maturity and a certain level of literacy among the masses for them to bear the responsibility of selecting the right leaders. Since many in Pakistan, unfortunately, do not possess those required levels, democracy feels premature here. Combine this with the contrasting economic betterment experienced in times of autocratic rule, and we see the supporters of this argument increasing.
In the answer to the second question lies the response to the first question as well. In the long run, democracy is the best system as has been proved by the progress of countries that adopted different systems in the world. The current example of North and South Korea and their differing fortunes is self-explanatory as to which system bears more fruit. However, the word long-term has to be respected. Any system, especially one that requires not only a substantial change in laws and regulations, but a major change in the mindset and values of the people, adopting and accepting that system will take time to come into full and real shape. That is where the challenge lies. The fact of the matter is that we may make the best constitution in the world, worded with the best of knowledge, but if people responsible for adhering to the constitution have a different frame of mind, the system is vulnerable to derailment. That is exactly the state of affairs in Pakistan.
The people in power have an autocratic mindset and thus their behaviour and actions are nothing but a show of ‘for myself, by myself and with myself’. Take the example of the president of the country. Only people who are near and dear to him have any chance of getting anywhere politically. The prime example is Rehman Malik. Despite a proven record of failure to control law and order in any part of the country, despite making the most atrociously embarrassing statements about the cause and effect of unrest, and despite having a corruption case hanging over his head, he is blessed by the president’s power, condoning him of all crimes. Recently, when he was disqualified from his ministry due to a dual nationality issue, the president made him an advisor to the same. First, the business of fake degrees for qualifying for parliament flourished and then, on the president’s order, the PhD degree was tragically turned into trash when Rehman Malik was awarded one by Karachi University at the behest of the governor of Sindh. If this was not enough, he has been bestowed with the ‘honour’ of the civilian award of Hilal-e-Imtiaz for his services in fighting terrorism in the country. Mr Gilani, for his ‘blind following’, has ended up not only with all benefits fit for a prime minister, but is also blessed with the honour of being a house guest in the presidency. The new prime minister, Raja Pervez Ashraf, has pleased the ‘king’ enough by his ‘only for thou’ behaviour to earn the second-in-command power seat. Birds of the same feather flock together. People who have given up their mental and spiritual freedom for perks and power in turn employ those who only exist to please their lords with complete acquiescence to every command. This starts the circle of destruction from top to bottom, with each layer becoming more and more an echo of what people at the top practice. In such a crushing and staid environment, any type of innovation or creation is almost impossible, resulting in a typical emphasis on many pointless meetings taking place that are really just slave congregations, with complete apathy towards results.
The same goes for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif seems to be a power hoarder, who likes to have control over a dozen ministries simultaneously, and is an expert on hiring and firing as per his mood. Every project is approved by him or his son or their respective favourites. The Muttahida Qaumi Movememt is a one-man show, where Altaf Hussain is the overpowering decision maker who choreographs every single political move of the party. Maulana Fazlur Rehman is the only person we remember in the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, not because there is no other, but his own obsession to be the be all and end all of every decision, of whether to live with or without the government, makes the others seem non-existent.
Democracy without a change in not only faces but also the mindset and behaviour of people who lead is like fake degrees that people buy to remain eligible to contest an election. However, the philosophy of our leaders that a degree is a degree, whether fake or original, is also applicable in their attitude towards democracy where they believe democracy is democracy, whether real or in name only.
The writer is an analyst, consultant and a coach and can be reached at [email protected]