NA Speaker on how to ‘thwart dictators’

On International Democracy Day, speaker aays boosting pro-democracy forces key to achieving this objective

ISLAMABAD: Observing events such as the International Democracy Day will strengthen pro-democracy forces and thwart potential dictators from curbing people’s aspirations by way of direct and indirect adventurism, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said on Thursday.

In his message on the occasion of International Democracy Day, commemorated the world over under the auspices of the United Nations on September 15, he said that democracy contributed powerfully to economic and social progress, international peace and security, besides inculcating respect for fundamental rights and freedoms in the hearts and minds of the people.

“Democracy is essential to achieving our fundamental goals of peace, human rights and development,” he said.



Terming democracy a universal value based on people’s will, he said it allowed people to determine their political‚ economic‚ social and cultural systems besides ensuring their full participation in all aspects of their lives.

Stressing the need to achieve these objectives, he said that it was vital for political leaders to shun differences and join hands to strengthen the democratic process in the country.

“The (inherent) splendour of democracy is that it finds indigenous solutions to complex problems bedevilling the polity. It encourages participation of citizens, who are real stakeholders and allows them to take charge of their lives. Public participation and ownership of state policies is the bedrock of democracy,” the speaker said.



Reaffirming that continuous electoral process ensured a democratic dispensation in the country, he said: “Democracy is reinforced by the principle of consensus within diverse sets of opinion, creating unity in diversity and diversity in unity in a linguistically, ethnically and sub-culturally broad context.”

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi said that democracy was strengthening in Pakistan and all progressive political forces were unified on key national issues and parliament “is actively engaged in the welfare of the masses”.

He said successive derailment of democracy in the past had hampered the growth and development of national institutions.

“Democracy is the only way to guarantee our stability as well as to ensure our economic and social progress,” he said.