KARACHI:
Unfortunately, real democracy will never be upheld in Pakistan. It has been used as a tool by the rich and influential to exploit the weak and poor. The word democracy or the slogan of ‘power to people’ are rather used as rhetoric to woo the public. Every leader in our country who assumes power acts as a monarch — taking decisions at whim, promoting family and friends, and exploiting the people to the best.
Lack of democratic norms in political parties keeps power concentrated among a small select group of family and friends. When a party wins the polls, the power becomes absolute, and the situation is further worsened by greedy and selfish people who surround every leader in power. Our politicians have never tried to reap the benefits of real democracy by involving people in decision-making. Resultantly, our policies and strategies have always been self-centred and short-sighted, and only promote and facilitate the rulers. The country is in a vicious debt trap, but politicians are always busy accusing each other of the grave threat that the country is facing.
I wonder if they will ever be able to realise that everyone is responsible for the situation we are in and work collaboratively to take the country out of this quagmire. Without real involvement of both the party in power and the opposition, as well as entertaining feedback from the public there is no difference between a dictatorship or a self-centred elected government.
Raja Shafaatullah
Islamabad
Published in The Express Tribune, December 19th, 2021.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
