Caretakers and the Constitution

Qadri's proposal is to have a caretaker, technocratic govt, but this would be in clear violation of the Constitution.


Editorial January 01, 2013
Qadri's proposal is to have a caretaker, technocratic govt, but this would be in clear violation of the Constitution. PHOTO: NNI/FILE

One of the saddest aspects of democratic politics in Pakistan today is how the very political parties who are supposed to be safeguarding are the ones posing the greatest threat. What’s even worse is that certain parties must know that Qadri’s sudden reappearance on the political scene has been engineered by anti-democratic forces and that his ‘solution’ for the country’s woes relies on decidedly extraconstitutional means. If the certain political parties are suddenly so convinced by Qadri’s demagogic rhetoric, then they have a moral responsibility to quit the government. If not, they should disavow Qadri as a dangerous threat to democracy.

Qadri’s proposal is to have a caretaker, technocratic government that would be selected by a combination of the political parties, the military and the judiciary. As pleasing as this idea of consensus sounds, it would be strictly in violation of the Constitution. The process for appointing a caretaker government is carefully laid out in the Constitution and the power to do so rests within the domain of democratic politics, with the responsibility lying with the president and not outside forces. When certain political parties ignore the limitations of the Constitution, they are doing so knowingly and should be roundly castigated for that.

The process

Meanwhile, the Qadri phenomenon still needs to be explained. His appearance was too sudden to be explained as a natural reaction to disappointment in democracy or the performance of the current government. One popular theory is that the military, having first given Imran Khan a nudge, has now shifted its allegiance to Qadri since it realises that the PTI’s electoral prospects have dimmed. If this is the case, then it makes the actions of the certain political parties even worse since they are propping up the most profoundly anti-democratic force in the country and showing that they haven’t learned from their previous support for military regimes. All the chatter surrounding military backing for Qadri is also a worrying sign that the military intends to influence the upcoming general elections. This would be a death blow from which our nascent democracy may never recover.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2nd, 2013.

COMMENTS (11)

Sterry | 11 years ago | Reply

@Z.Khan: I am not sure if you are able to digest these comments but you need to understand that Tahirul Qadri is only going to bring chaos and anarchy to the country. Instead of working within the system and allowing fair elections to take place on time, he wants to play the role of spoiler to appease his own sense of megalomania. This fellow ran off to Canada but he would never dare try this type of antic in Canada because he knows Canada runs by laws and a constitution. Tahirul Qadri has not learned anything in Canada obviously. If he tried his blackmail of long march to the capital to disrupt things in Ottawa, they would simply throw him in jail. Somehow he thinks he can run to Canada, live quietly, get Canadian citizenship, brainwash simple religious people there to give him money and then run back to Pakistan to create anarchy and make himself some type of messiah. On top of that, a party which is affiliated with the government, the MQM is supporting him! How can a coalition partner support a march on the capital? I am very disappointed that the authorities in Pakistan haven't just arrested this guy and deported him to Canada where he has been hiding the last few years

Abdul Waheed Zafar Rana | 11 years ago | Reply

I fully endorse the Idea of elections under Constitution but the Constitution which Dose Not protect the Basic rights of the people is a lamé Constitution. A very useful and peaceful section of the People of Pakistan has Not only been deprived of their Basic right of practicing their religius duties according To their concious but they have also been Barred from casting their vote according to their Free will and concious.. Untill and unless they are Not ingrated in the Main streem no elections will,bear fruit.

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