Affairs of states: ‘Pakistan yet to develop a model for its politics’

Speakers at seminar stressed on the need to study comparative politics.

The importance of comparative politics was highlighted by speakers at a seminar held by the department of political sciences at Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM).

The seminar was organised, earlier last week for MPhil students and was attended by Dr Chaudhry Ishtiaq Ahmed, the chairman of National Defence University Department of Peace and Strategic Studies, the university’s faculty members, including Dr Jahanzeb Khalil, and Dr Zahid Marwatm who is the chairman of the political science department.



Dr Ahmed was invited to the stage by Dr Khalil, who is the dean of the Faculty of Arts. He started the seminar by discussing the situation in the country and said it is critical in a country like Pakistan that comparative politics be studied in greater depth, because of the country’s march through an evolutionary stage.

“Traditionally, politics was limited to interpretations of constitutional provisions, which in one way or another made it static,” he said. “However, political institutions are growing which makes it imperative that a comparative study of various eras and systems be carried out to create a collaborative system that is much more efficient and productive.”

The American political system was also discussed in detail for some of its strengths and merits.



Dr Ahmed said the system emerged from the American soil which is why it was better suited to the needs of its people. He claimed that despite the passage of more than 60 years, Pakistan was still playing around with the system and had not quite yet developed a model to suit the peculiar conditions of the country.

At the end of the session was a question hour session during which students actively participated.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 27^th, 2014.