We have been in need of a proper rule of law all along.

The Quaid-i-Azam got us Pakistan after

realizing the need of the Muslim nation. So it was listening to the people. So democracy did exist in
our roots but it was not allowed to spread.

Pakistan has diverse people who speak many languages. And they can function freely and prosper
only though democracy

Recalling the last 63 years of Pakistan's history, democracy is found only as an interval before
the arrival of the next military regime. Democracy was doomed when Liaquat Ali Khan, the first
elected prime minister, was shot at a public gathering.

From there onwards, the balance of power shifted in the favour of the military. An interesting
comparison reveals this shift: from 1951 to 1957 India had one prime minister and several army
chiefs while during the same period Pakistan had one army chief and several prime ministers.

From Ayub Khan to Pervez Musharraf, military rule ruined the state structure of Pakistan as a
whole, with only the elite benefiting from the system and no benefit being passed to the general
public. Military policies have given the country cross-border and internal terrorism, millions of
internally displaced people and a bankrupt national economy. Ironically we are always ready to
welcome them again.

Although every person in Pakistan, whether in a position of power or not, is very vocal about the
very idea of democracy, no collective effort is seen to establish it as an institution. As the
political and government culture in Pakistan is a product of its links to the pre-partition British
rule, Pakistan's leaders knew best from this inheritance the vice-regal system that made little or
no provision for popular awareness or involvement. Consequently, even after more than half a
century of the country's independence, we are still entangled in age-old feudal, tribal and
panchayat systems.

Feudalism is one of the key factors responsible for the weakness of the democratic politics in
Pakistan and the supremacy of the bureaucracy. The landed aristocracy has always dominated
Pakistan's political, social and economic life. If you look at history it very clearly shows how
land reforms introduced in 1953 played a key role in creating a democratic Indian state. On the
contrary no such reforms were ever introduced in Pakistan – for which reason the poor masses
remain under the control of feudalism. Given the fact that feudalism is prevalent in the rural
areas, no investment is allowed in these areas.

Causes of failure of democracy in Pakistan lies in our socio - political system. Feudalism, illiterate and
apathetic people, self – imposed leaders and inherited politics are a few salient features of this system.
It's a feudal state where we are living and most of our political leaders are just feudal lords and they and
have assumed and established their identity as political leaders. Feudalism has been leading towards the
traditions of inherited politics as well in this country. In this feudal culture, millions of people are
landless and illiterate peasants and their social status is not more than a slave. In addition to this, such
landless peasants community is living in acute poverty. Auctoritas of this community is not even
accordance with the minimum standards of human rights. How can such impoverished, deprived and
economically marginalized peasants community can express their will freely in a democratic process?
The essence of democracy lies in the general will of the public. So during election, such community is
supposed to express the will of the feudal lords. May be due to their lack of knowledge or the fear of the
landlord, landless peasants do so. In such circumstances, can we expect from landless rural peasants
that they are able to evaluate the credibility of their so – called leaders and the manifesto of political
parties before voting? I don't think so they are able to do this. Almost 70% population of Pakistan
leading life in such feudal and rural traditions. Consequently, general election becomes a selection of a
few based upon the will of a few who are powerful and leading a privileged life. In this way, democracy
has been reduced to oligarchy and aristocracy in our country.

In our democratic set up, our elected leaders even visit their constituencies for a for a few times as they
have no any concern with the welfare of the deprived communities. As a result, firstly they don't want to
know about community problems at grass root level and secondly, they are unable to find out solutions
of them.

So far as illiteracy is concerned, it is also a major root cause behind the failure of democracy in Pakistan.
Literacy is the very first and the most important pre – requisite for democracy. Accordingly the Census of
1998, literacy rate of Pakistan was 43.92%.and literacy rate among rural community of Pakistan was
33.64% in 1998. But these are official and manipulated statistics which are unable to paint the real
picture of our population. Actual literacy rate is even below than these figures particularly in rural areas.
So maximum part of our population is still suffering in the vicious cycle of illiteracy and they are unable
to contribute anything towards the development of Pakistan. Illiteracy also leads to poverty. An illiterate
and economically impoverished community has only concern with bread and butter and they cannot
comprehend and follow the true spirit of democracy. As a result, such community gives guns in the
hands of monkeys by electing irrelevant persons who are not competent enough to cope with the
contemporary national and international challenges. On the other hand, our leaders are always busy in
pillaging the national resources and throwing dust into eyes of ignorant and slave people. Another
beautiful manifestation of illiteracy is that most of our politicians contest election on the base of fake
degrees. In such morally corrupt and illiterate nation, how democracy can flourish and become
functional here?

At the end, I want to give some recommendations and accoutrements which are inevitable to make
democracy a successful saga in Pakistan and to strengthen the fraternity of the nation in general.
Sweatshops of feudalism should be closed and traditions of inherited politics must be abolished.
Education and social liberty should be given to the all nation in general and to the rural community in
particular. There should be social equality, justice and rule of law across the country. Irrespective of
their social status and level of wealth, all the citizens should be considered equally accountable of their
deeds. Youth must be promoted and young, energetic and educated people should be encouraged in
every sphere of life. When our nation will be literate and social freedom will be there, then genuine and
competent leadership will emerge from bottom of our society and it will focus on the social welfare and
security of general public and sovereignty of our land. A successful execution of all these pragmatic
measures may can lead towards a strong democratic Pakistan in true sense and this task is not
insurmountable. Otherwise game of Chess between politicians and Military will continue as it was in the
past.

Failure of Democracy in Pakistan

Democracy is a form of government in which supremacy of power is vested in the people of the
voters collectively, and it is administered by them or the officers appointed by them. according
to Chambers Dictionary it also means a state of society characterized by recognition of equality
of right and privileges political, social and legal equality. The most accepted definition of
democracy is Government of the people, for the people, and by the people (Abraham Lincoln).

Liberty, equality and fraternity are the helpmates of modern democratic political creed.
Irrespective of religious belief , clime and country democracy has become a watchword and
political philosophy in the free world, as opposed to dictatorship and despotic rule.

Scene its inception, the most difficult challenge Pakistan has struggled to meet has been to
establish a true democratic system, which could guarantee its survival, stability and
development. Unfortunately, the plant of democracy in Pakistan has not taken its roots deep
enough to make the country “a durable democratic state”, despite this fact that Pakistan
blossomed in the soil of democracy. Pakistan was conceived on the basis of Islam, which is
democratic both in letter and spirit. It is indeed very unfortunate and a sad testimony that the
plant planted by Quaid-e-Azam and watered by the blood of millions of Muslim men, women
and children has not thrived in the country. In other words we have not proved worthy of the
freedom achieved after immense sacrifices and constant vigilance as the price of liberty. After
the sad demise of Quaid-e-Azam and Shaheed-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan, the spirit of freedom
movement died down and selfish interests and political intrigues dominated the national scene.
Again Pakistan began as a democratic country. It is imperative to have constitution when a
country. It is imperative to have constitution when a country starts fresh. Sudden and unexpected
events within the body politics of Pakistan not only delayed the making of a constitution
according to the needs and ideology of the country but also thwarted the process shaping the
opinion in favour of democracy as a modern political necessity. The Draft Resolution was
thrown into cold storage. Anyhow, the country had a Constitution in 1956 that was strangled and
killed after military coup by General Ayub Khan in 1958. As no country can run without
Constitution, which provides checks and imposes certain limitations, the second constitution was
drawn in 1962 to give a semblance of democracy in the form of Basic Democracy and to suit the
purpose of one man who was a dictator in guise of a president. Not Parliamentary but
presidential form of government with wide powers was imposed on the people. It also served the
seeds of regionalism and disintegration in the country. There was democracy in name only.

Experimentation in politics is always dangerous because it kills continuity of democratic

convention and gives rise to instability in the country. It is only a strong constitution that is
always above the ordinary law and gives stability and inspires sense of nationhood among the
people. When the experiment failed, second Marshal Law was imposed in 1969. No direct
elections, that are essential for healthy democratic process and to change the government
according to the choice of the people, had been held in the country.

Wide based political parties are essential for running democratic government by the elected
representatives of the people. The representatives should not only enjoy the support of the people
or the voters but they should also be answerable before them. Otherwise democracy becomes a
force. This is what happened in Pakistan. Some ambitious politicians, right hand men to the
despotic rulers, rose on the political horizons and started ganging their own gait. The cloud of
disintegration had already assumed dark colour. 1970 Elections were held in free atmosphere on
party basis to put the country on road to democracy. What followed is the darkest chapter in the
history of the country.

The country was dismembered as a result of lack of political foresight, sense of compromise and
undemocratic attitude on the part of some political leaders. The war of 1971 maimed Pakistan;
broken shred were put together. The breaking of the country necessitated making of a fresh
constitution and the result was 1973 Constitution democracy in Pakistan.

Nothing had been provide in 1973 Constitution to secure this, though it ought to have been so to
make it a lasting document. The very fact that it that id had been amended time and again is a
clear proof of its weakness. Constitution is an instrument by which government can be controlled
but it was otherwise. The next elections were held in1977. The elections were far from being fair
and had been rigged as accepted by the then government. Power was used to prolong power.
People came out into the streets and again power was used to suppress the public. Thousands lost
their lives for the sake of democratic rights. The country was on the verge of civil war; the Army
Chief General Zia stepped in and the country was again thrown into the lap of Marshal Law.

In the late 1980’s democracy was again at the crossroads in Pakistan after the demise of General
Zia due to natural calamity. Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif also failed
comprehensively. Four General elections in the 1990’s brought each of them twice to power.
They did not seem interested in developing of the democratic norms in the country. Neither
respected constraints on the use of power rather they trimmed and amended the constitution for
their personal convenience. Their behavior brought ruin to the democracy. It also brought the
military back to power.

Thus we see that the main causes of failure of democracy in Pakistan had been lack of regard for
the country’s constitution and misuse of powers. The country’s constitution have been ignored
and tampered with time and again. There has been plenty of the lip service paid to the
constitution and to the constitutional practice in the country. Deviation from the constitution had
been the main reason why the sapling of democracy could not flourish and thrive in the country.

Another reason for the break up of the democratic rule had been the contending political
ideologies propagated by the political parties. The political profession is much to be blamed for
playing the game for political gains and for seeking power instead of serving the people and the
country. The very purpose of creating Pakistan has been thrown into the background. The
practice of political aggrandizement led to side spread administrative and social corruption. We
have still to see real rule of law in the country. Democracy can never exist without rule of law,
justice, civil liberties and equality of opportunities. Representative ruler ship could not uphold
these values due to favoritism, nepotism and obstructing the curse of law.

Treasury benches and opposition are the essential constituents of democracy. The nascent
institutions of democracy can be strengthened. They are essential for making the democratic set
up work. In fact democracy was revived in Pakistan, these democratic conventions were shown
poor respect. The rulers were too proud to listen and to bear criticism. Such limping democracy
could not serve long.

A survey of democracy in Pakistan can not be completed without assessing the electorate, the
voters who are the makers and of leaders and mainstay of democracy. Right of franchise is the
bedrock of democracy. Three elections on party basis in 1970, 1771 and 1998 indicated that the
majority of the voters did not exercise their right. Again in three election in 1990’s the average
turnout was very dismal.

Unless the people are educated and use their votes intelligently, democracy can never prosper
and run smoothly in the county. One of the reasons of constitution’s weakness in Pakistan is vast
uneducated and uniformed electorate. Aristotle has rightly remarked: “To neglect the education
of the young ones, is to weaken the constitution of the country”. Democracy is a function of
education. It can not be managed effectively and justly without sound education of the voters and
their high level of information.

In conclusion, it can be analyzed that it is not democracy that has failed but the politicians who
have failed to run the country on correct democratic principles of equality, justice and fraternity.
Moreover, the electorate has been unable to check and control the professional politicians that
have changed colour like a chameleon.

The remedy lies in the words of Lord Beveridge, “Power as a means of getting things done
appeals to that men share with brutes; to fear and greed; power leads those who wield it to desire
it for its own sake, not for service it am render, and to seek its continuance on their own hands.
Influence as a means of getting things done appeals to that which distinguishes men from brutes.
The way out of worlds troubles today is to treat men as men, to enthrone influence over power
and to make power revocable”.

If we want to make Pakistan a really lasting democracy, we must act on the above advice. Thin
only will enter in the reign of true democracy and the people will manage their own affairs
instead of being dupes and pawns in the hands of dishonest men.