The dictatorship deficit

It is all too easy to criticise the incumbent and past democratic governments for their failures


Editorial March 21, 2016
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali. PHOTO: FILE

It is all too easy to criticise the incumbent and past democratic governments for their failures. They are many, varied and seemingly play on an electoral loop, constantly repeating with the lessons of history unlearned. There may be a reason for this as suggested by Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali who was speaking at a ceremony organised by the Endowment Fund for the Preservation of Heritage on March 19. His argument was that the successive imposition of martial law has prevented the evolution of democracy and that the majority of the population remains largely ignorant of the real spirit of democracy. This argument has both merit and substance — but it must not be in any way offered as an excuse for the ills of the existing democratic system — which is a pale version of elective feudalism today.

Viewed objectively, democracy has been on a hiding to nothing from the outset. The state came into being with little in the democratic toolbox, zero in terms of coherent political maturity and a struggle for power inside what passed for the political cadre that continues today. The military from the beginning were both the power-brokers and the kingmakers, and when the kings — or queens — failed to deliver then they were sidelined and khaki governance took over. That cycle now appears to be at an end but democracy remains elusive. The balance remains weighted towards the military in most matters governmental; but the civilians are at the very least getting an opportunity to be engaged in the democratic process long enough to move beyond the kindergarten and flinging teddies around the playpen every time there is a disagreement about the colour of the wallpaper. The current dispensation, flawed as it is, is making some significant advances in terms of statecraft and looking beyond a single electoral cycle. It has yet to divest itself of being Punjab-centric and wholly inclusive in provincial terms, and the provincial assemblies themselves can hardly be regarded as mature political entities — but there is an increasingly evident evolution ‘in process’. And democracy everywhere is never anything less than incomplete, a work in progress.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2016.

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COMMENTS (2)

oats | 8 years ago | Reply @A J Khan: Are you for real ? Musharraf ruled after taking over the country in a military coup and made the country look like just another Tin Pot Muslim dictatorship. His 9 years were characterized by terrorism, instability and uncertainty. Look at how Pakistan has moved on to become one of the few Muslim democracies in the world. Look at how terrorism is down, CPEC is coming into being and foreign investment houses and banks have upgraded Pakistan's economic and political prospects. Musharraf has gone for what he calls medical treatment abroad and we all need to grow up to understand that dictatorship is what gave us all of our problems.
A J Khan | 8 years ago | Reply Musharraf ruled for eight years and so did PPP and PML N since then. By every count Musharraf's tenure was much better than the following governments both in governance and development. Political Leadership has better vocals and teams up with media & others in self praise. This is what is happening today. Ground reality is that they are much below in GDP,jobs, governance and poverty alleviation. They have added to poverty, debts and isolation. Judiciary is independent and they have to be better than excuses now.
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