Pakistan: an egalitarian state?

I. INTRODUCTION
Thesis statement:
Certainly, Pakistan is an egalitarian state as it advocates rule of
law, democratic norms, religious toleration, and gender
equality. However, on the ground level, there are certain
challenges which can be curtailed through certain reforms.
II. HOW A STATE IS IDENTIFIED AS AN EGALITARIAN STATE
III. HOW PAKISTAN IS AN EGALITARIAN STATE
1. Pakistan is an egalitarian state as Democracy prevails in
Pakistan.
2. Prevalence of Rule of law in Pakistan shows that Pakistan is an
egalitarian state.
3. Religious toleration is the basic characteristic of Pakistani
society.
4. gender equality is improving in Pakistan.
5. fundamental rights are unalienable rights advocated in the
objective resolution of Pakistan.
6. The constitution of Pakistan advocates equality of all: Article:
25-A
7. Pakistan is signatory of UDHR, UNCRC.
8. Parliamentary form of government ensures representation of
all ethnic populations.
9. The quota system gives opportunities to underprivileged and
minorities in all aspects of life.
IV. Practically, Pakistan is facing certain challenges in the trajectory of
an egalitarian state.
1. Dynastic politics is a stumbling block in the path to become an
egalitarian state.
2. Class division in society prevails in Pakistani society which
hinder concept of egalitarian state.
 3. Pakistan is a hybrid democracy.
4. Corruption and nepotism in administrative system favors elite
class and blur the idea of egalitarian state.
V. Certain Reforms to curtail these challenges
1. Eliminating corruption
2. Strong administrative and governance system
3. Ensuring meritocracy in all allocation of government officers
4. Reducing economic gaps in society.
VI. conclusion

“You are free; you are free to go your temples. You are free to go
to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this state of
Pakistan. You may belong to any religion, caste, or creed – that has
nothing to do with the business of the state.”
(Muhammad Ali Jinnah)
Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of
Pakistan, has advocated equality of all citizens regardless of their
caste, creed, religion, and race. Before the independence of
Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah advocated the rights of
minorities, democratic principles, and equality of all. This clearly
manifests that Pakistan is an egalitarian state. Pakistan is an
egalitarian state as it advocates democratic principles, rule of law,
religious toleration, gender equality, independence of judiciary
and fundamental rights. Moreover, quota system and
parliamentary form of government are blessing in disguise for
neglected citizens of Pakistan. However, in reality, Pakistan is
facing certain challenges in the trajectory of an egalitarian state:
Dynastic politics, class division in society, hybrid democracy,
corruption and nepotism in administration. All is not lost yet.
Certain pragmatic measures can be taken to eliminate these
challenges. It includes elimination of corruption, strong
administrative and governance system, ensuring meritocracy in all
allocation of government officers and reducing economic gaps in
society. Certainly, Pakistan is an egalitarian state; However, on the
ground level, there are certain challenges which can be curtailed
through certain reforms.

Before moving to debate, it is pertinent to define how a state is

identified as an egalitarian state. The egalitarian state is one in
which all citizens of the nation enjoy equal rights and do not face
any discrimination based on caste, color, creed, religion, or race.
An egalitarian state must contain rule of law, independence of
judiciary, gender equality, social mobility, and religious toleration
in society. Additionally, the constitution of the state must ensure
unalienable fundamental rights to every citizen. All in all, the
equality of all citizens in the social, political, and economic sphere
is the basic characteristic of an egalitarian state.

Is Pakistan an egalitarian state? Undoubtedly, Pakistan is an

egalitarian state as democracy prevails in it. Abraham Lincoln said,
“Democracy is a government of the people, by the people and for
the people.” It means all the people got representation through
democratic norms. Democracy ensures equality of all as it
advocates rule of law, equality, justice, freedom and participation.
Pakistan is a democratic state as advocated in the objective
resolution and the constitution of Pakistan. In Pakistan, all the
ethnic population get their representation at provincial and
national levels. Moreover, 18TH amendment ensures provincial
autonomy, leading to distribution of power in all ethic groups. This
shows that Pakistan is an egalitarian state as democratic principles
prevails in it.

Besides democratic principles, Pakistan is an egalitarian state

because of prevalence of the rule of law. Rule of law is the basic
characteristic of an egalitarian state. It means law is above all and
every citizen is equally subjected to it despite any differences. In
Pakistan, separation of powers existed as advocated by
Montesquieu in his theory of separation of powers. Therefore, the
judiciary acts as an independent unit of the state in Pakistan. After
the 18th amendment, judges are appointed in a more rational
way, eliminating political influence on appointment of judges.
Hence, the judiciary acts as a strong check against those who
violate the rule of law and makes Pakistan an egalitarian state.

Along with rule of law, religious toleration in Pakistan clearly

shows that Pakistan is an egalitarian state. Pakistan, got an
independence on the basis of Two Nation Theory, ensuring equal
rights for minorities, specially Muslim minorities, in the
subcontinent. Resultantly, Pakistan always advocated the rights of
religious minorities. It is pertinent from the grand celebration of
Holi and other religious practices by all religious minorities. Jinnah
said, “You are free; you are free to go your temples. You are free
to go to your mosques or to any other places of worship in this
state of Pakistan.” This shows that religious minorities are free to
exercise their practices and organs of the state are obliged to
support and protect them. Article 37 and 38 of the constitution of
Pakistan ensures protection of religious minorities which
constitutes 3% of total population of the state. Hence, Pakistan
can be said to be an egalitarian state.

In addition to religious toleration, the rising trajectory of gender

equality clearly shows that Pakistan is an egalitarian state. Despite
overall poor performance in Global Gender Gap Index Report
2023, Pakistan is performing better in educational attainment and
political empowerment. For instance, Female literacy jumped
from 24.9% in 1991 to 53.6% in 2023,(UNESCO). Moreover,
Pakistan stands out at 95th position out of 146 countries in the
Global Gender Gap Index Report 2023. These facts clearly shows
that Pakistan is improving in the path of gender equality to
become an egalitarian state.

However, Pakistan is facing certain challenges in the trajectory of

an egalitarian state. First and foremost is the Dynastic politics
which acts as a stumbling block in the path to become an
egalitarian state. From the independence of Pakistan, all the
mainstream political parties follow the trend of dynastic politics. It
is evident from the PPP and PML-N and other regional parties.
Moreover, all the mainstream parties are the product of elite
people who have strong support from establishment. These
practices make politics irrelevant to common man. Hence,
dynastic politics hinders Pakistan to become an egalitarian state.

Furthermore, Pakistan has a dysfunctional democracy. While

Pakistan is a democratic state theoretically, it does not fulfil all the
requirements of a democratic state in reality. Delayed justice,
social divisions, elite domination, judicial activism, and dynastic
politics are the hindrances faced by Pakistan. Due to this, Pakistan
is given as a title of Hybrid democracy and given 4 out of 10
numbers by democracy index report 2022. Therefore, being an
hybrid democracy, Pakistan faces various inequalities in the
society.

All is not lost yet. Certain pragmatic measures can be taken to

eliminate the challenges. Firstly, corruption is needs to be
eliminated. Corruption is the root cause of all evils existed in the
society. This corruption creates social, economic and political
divisions in the society. To eliminate corruption strong measures
should be taken by crime control agencies such as National
Accountability Bureau(NAB) and Federal Investigations Agency
(FIA). These agencies need to be strengthened and freed from all
political influences. Thus, corruption needs to be eliminated to
make Pakistan and egalitarian state.

In conclusion, it can be said that Pakistan is an egalitarian state as

it advocates the rule of law, gender equality, democratic
principles, religious toleration and fundamental rights of the
human being. Moreover, quota system and parliamentary form of
government are blessing in disguise for neglected citizens of
Pakistan. However, Pakistan is facing certain challenges in the
trajectory of an egalitarian state: Dynastic politics, class division in
society, hybrid democracy, corruption, and nepotism in
administration. All is not lost yet. Certain pragmatic measures can
be taken to eliminate these challenges. It includes elimination of
corruption, strong administrative and governance system,
ensuring meritocracy in all allocation of government officers and
reducing economic gaps in society.