Mohammad Jamil
WITH the epoch-making verdict by 5-member Bench of the Supreme Court disqualifying prime minister Nawaz Sharif and sending his and his family members cases to the accountability court, democracy has rather been strengthened. Of course, public office holders and members of bureaucracy would think hundred times before indulging in corrupt practices. This will give confidence to the foreign investors that their investment is safe, as judiciary is independent and can indict high and mighty on corruption charges. Since 2008 elections, there have been rumours that democracy could be derailed, but it is now almost ten years military has been neutral. PPP government had completed its term from 2008 to 2013; and PML-N government has completed more than four years, and is likely to complete its term, as PML-N is poised to elect new leader of the house. Hence, there is no threat to democracy.Addressing a press conference on Saturday in the wake of disqualification of Nawaz Sharif, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan cautioned that with current internal and external situation and tension on three borders, the country cannot afford another crisis. He asked the political leadership to ensure that powers of the Parliament remain with the elected house instead of surrendering them to the judiciary. He asserted that “the ANP stands for the supremacy of democracy and Parliament, and when the need arose, would be ready to give any sacrifice in order to prevent derailment of democracy.†He should understand that in the past nobody sought his or anybody else’s permission to promulgate Martial Laws. In fact, it was due to the circumstances like chaos and anarchy that had warranted intervention by the military. After 1997 elections when PML-N got two-third majority, it was claimed that all the doors to military dictatorship were closed; but what happened is history.
In fact, Constitution defines the powers and duties of the Parliament, Executive and the Judiciary; however, Supreme Court has the prerogative to interpret the Constitution. That point besides, the question is whether the present system is democracy? Many analysts call it a sham democracy, as major political parties – the PPP, PML-N – and some other significant parties of Pakistan are fiefdoms of the top leadership or founders of the parties, and being run as family enterprises. With deletion of sub-clause 4 of Article 17 of the Constitution with regard to holding of intra-party elections to elect its office-bearers and party leaders, the dictatorship of the party leadership has been reinforced. Amendment to Article 63-A with regard to disqualification of a member on the grounds of defection has also strengthened the hands of the party head after passage of 18th amendment, as he can send disqualification reference in this regard. The self-styled custodians of democracy are in fact authoritarian leaders, who dictate party policies, and wish to be elected unopposed as lifetime chairman or rahnuma of the parties. Unfortunately, Pakistan’s history has been characterized by periods of military dictators and civilian dictators, as Pakistan has overwhelmingly remained a feudal society where jagirdars, vederas, sardars and pirs still wield enormous powers. They enjoy political clout and in cahoots with noveau riche industrial class and bureaucracy control the state. Whenever there is military dispensation, they join the bandwagon. Can anybody on the political scene at the present claim that he has not compromised with the military dictator at one time or another? They are master political strategists, who ride the tide and turn the surge to their advantage. But the hearts of patriotic Pakistanis bleed to find that more than 40% of the people are living below the poverty line.
And it has become difficult for them to keep their body and soul together. Showing utter disregard to the people’s needs and demands, our political ‘eminences’ and ‘leading lights’ talk about democracy, justice, rule of law and constitutionalism. Today, the members of the ruling elite control all the resources of the country; then can afford to ‘invest’ in elections first to reach the corridors of power to amass wealth.
And then again launch lavish election campaign to save that ill-gotten wealth. On the other hand, an ordinary person with middle-class background cannot afford to field himself as a candidate for a provincial or national assembly seat. Anyhow, the people are losing faith in the system, which does not address their problems, as they seem to be fed up with the present electoral process that sends opulent classes and oligarchs in the assemblies.
As regards 5-member bench of the Supreme Court, Khawaja Saad Rafiq and other leaders have said that they do not accept the verdict by the 5-member bench but would implement it. They have started vilification campaign against the institutions especially judiciary. While addressing the parliamentary party on his last day in the Prime Minister house, Nawaz Sharif said that he was not disqualified on the charges of corruption, but on one point i.e., being chairman of the company formed by his son. He conveniently forgets the remarks of the judges who said that he was not sadiq and ameen, and he and his family members will be tried in the accountability court. If PML-N tries to go into confrontation with the institutions, it is likely to lose majority of its members of the assembly who do not want to be a part of chaos and anarchy, which could have disastrous consequences for them as well as for the country.
