Some tinkering is in order

That the ouster of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from office last year triggered perpetual turmoil in the country is accepted by all quarters. This turmoil has manifested itself of late in the distraught relationship between the government and judiciary. Moreover, the government’s rapport with the military is now also witnessing a downward trajectory. Sadly enough, this is culminating in amplifying internal and external challenges that are still to be surmounted in an adroit manner.

The hubris and narcissism of one man ostensibly has left the fragile tree of democracy in jeopardy. But with the Senate election over now, there is hope that the country’s elected process will complete the transition to democracy. The Senate election, however, was marred by controversies of corruption and horse-trading. Foul play during the election has tarnished the upper house’s status as a watchdog and highlighted the intrinsic flaws in Pakistan’s democratic process.

The aftermath of the Senate election has once again spearheaded the debate on the authenticity of secret balloting. This method is inherently flawed and must be abolished if the transparency of the vote is to be secured. This can only be done if parliamentary parties come together and adopt a constitutional amendment on the same.

Unless the practice is done away with, there would be no end to horse-trading and political parties will continue trading loyalties. A score of worthy political analysts and intellectuals have challenged the morality of the existing parliamentary system and have argued that this form of government does not suit a country like Pakistan where corruption is endemic in the ruling elite. An alternative perhaps could be to adopt a Jeffersonian democracy model. Thomas Jefferson advocated a political system that favours public education, free voting, free press and a federal government with limited powers. With this political order, the elected president nominates and chooses highly skilled experts of specific fields as his ministers. For a country like Pakistan, this could result in an effective and efficient governance of state institutions that have been crippled by rampant corruption.

Elected representatives in the past have shown the nerve to accept that corruption is part and parcel of our society and go hand in glove with the established political system. The mindset that stupendous campaign financing leads to inevitable corruption has become the order of the day amongst politicians. Legislators brazenly support their stance that either the government should fund the political parties to help contest elections like some countries, including France, or collectively digest the scourge of corruption. But there is a perfect getaway. A simple amendment made, calling for open vote or show of hand model in the Senate election just like in any general election. Perhaps political parties have a vested interest in secret balloting method and it serves their agenda more directly than it serves the nation.

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has finally taken notice of the staggering amount of funds attached with buying and selling during the election. The Supreme Court must intervene but again that will be seen as an encroachment upon parliament as was seen when Senate chairman Raza Rabbani commented that the judiciary should not infringe upon parliament. The same approach has been adopted by the other loose cannons of the PML-N ever since the ouster of their leader and their continued vilification of state institutions see no boundaries.

If political parties don’t leave any stone unturned in bringing the country’s politics into disrepute, intervention will have to be made. Whether it is the judiciary in its attempt to remove distortions from the system or the military keeping national security its top priority.

The government and its executives have been inept in steering the country away from chaos and crisis. This version of democracy has only benefited the ruling classes. Will the government deviate from its current cruel power politics and show the mettle needed to make the current system workable?

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2018.

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