LAHORE: Parliamentary democracy in Pakistan has only benefited a few politicians and their families. The political parties are owned by families. What we have in Pakistan is political monarchy in the name of democracy. It has never done any good for the common people. What motivates a politician to spend millions to get elected? Is it really to serve the people? What use are elections if the same flock of plunderers, looters and incompetents who only care for their own little power centres are returned to power?
Pakistan has been shocking itself since its inception with all possible forms of governments. I agree with Mr Ahmad’s assertion. If Pakistan is to be at peace with itself, its salvation lies in a presidential form of government, where the candidate for the highest office stands for a direct election.
This Westminster version of democracy has not delivered in the past, present, and will not be able to deliver in the future. This democracy, which sends to the assemblies candidates winning with a few thousand votes, of dubious authenticity, from some captive constituencies, will always help create coalitions of the incompetent and the corrupt to rule our country. This is a sick joke, and stretching it for five years is just unbearable, in every sense of the word.
Faisel Hafeez
Published in The Express Tribune, May 12th, 2013.
