What comes to your mind when you think of the word Democracy?  Rule of the people, Equal rights of all citizens, Freedom, but if you’re a Pakistani, this may not be the case. I, for some reason, fail to understand or connect to the present form of democracy in Pakistan. When I, as a Pakistani, think of democracy, equal rights and freedom does not come to mind but political dynasties, monarchy nepotism and the rule of the elite is the picture that I see.

Democracy in Pakistan is not the power of the people, it’s actually their weakness. It’s being used by the rich to exploit the poor.  Yes, it is freedom but freedom of corruption, freedom of looting, freedom of fooling and freedom of exploiting; the irony of extremely rich ruling the extremely poor. How do you suppose a man who spends millions on shopping, lives in mansions, wears nothing less than the most expensive brands, travels in posh cars, can feel the pain of a poor masses living below the poverty line? People are being killed everyday.. Quetta, Karachi,Peshawar, you name it.  And what is our democratic government doing about it? Don’t worry; they’re using our money wisely on foreign trips. The representatives of people disappear the moment the people who elected them actually need them.

Aslam Raisani, Baluchistan’s former CM is the biggest example. Just when the Hazara Shias of Quetta needed him the most, he decided to fly out of the country.  And how can one forget President Zardari? Who decided to go for the overseas tour during Pakistan’s worst floods in 80 years.  The most this “democracy” can do is form committees and more committees. Never ending heart rending tragedies, constant vocal meaningless condemnations and hollow sympathies is all what they have given to us.

The democracy is Pakistan is all about manipulating and deceiving. The nastier, the better. The naïve masses are being emotionally exploited in the name of democracy to gain votes. There are no political parties but political dynasties and ongoing slavery.  The constant juggling of power between the big feudal families of Punjab and Sind has left the country abortive, dysfunctional and helpless as the power keeps running in the family, passed down to generations as they further suck on to the blood of the poverty struck masses.

No, the point I’m trying to make here is not that Pakistan does not need democracy or it will do better without it. Democracy is what Pakistan needs but..

• the kind of democracy that gives us the liberty and equality and where the rulers fear the power of people and not vice versa.
• the kind of democracy with people’s representatives not the representatives of the 0.0001% of the population
• the kind of democracy where the leader is chosen by the people is from the people for the people, the one who understand the day to day problems of his people and is capable and eligible to lead the nation of 180 million
• the democracy which does not deprive us of our basic rights and
• the democracy which will lead this country into progressive times where each and every individual will count.

So before voting, and deciding your fate and the fate of 180 million people, think wisely. Are these really the leaders we need in these trying times? Is this the kind of democratic system we want?

Think!

About the author

Nayab is a nature lover and dreamer who would like to pursue a career of journalism. Her ultimate wish is to see a prosperous and tolerant Pakistan, a dream of Jinnah and Iqbal.

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