By: Sher Zada
Living in order is law of the nature. Whether it is in the context of animals living in jungle the abide by laws of the jungle, where rule of the lion is placed at first place and the rest of the animals follow his instructions in one way or the other to keep their lives in order. Likewise human beings had have also evolved their systems gradually although not in the same speed and political momentums but streamlined their pathways to keep balance in their lives. Being rational creatures human beings had have been contrasted to animals in choosing their pathways to rule the world. Somewhere the system of ruling was constituted on monarchy, diarchy while somewhere on anarchy, martial law and democracy were chosen the systems to rule the world. Passing through many ups and downs in the feasted race for taking the bridles of state’s affairs couple of nations chose to go with confederalism or confederation form of government while the rest preferred federalism type of governance. In the former system the comprising bodies have strong hold on resources and are quite powerful than the central point of the state i.e the capital or the state’s jigsaw, while the later provides privileges to the central government over the equal distribution of services, liabilities and resources to and for the formulating units which are known as provinces and states universally. The recent fiasco of European Unions on Brexit and Iran-US conflict can be traced as confederacy form of alliance aimed at individual state’s interests in the form of union or alliance .besides this recent development in Spain including other parts of eastern Europe and some states of India are shadowing clouds of confederation in a contemporary style. Though the Indian democracy was originally based on federalism but with passage of times the states that voluntarily joined the communist India on the assurance for granting liberty and securing their interests are now in quite puzzle to get rid of Narrendra Modi led Indian regime due to the imperialistic approach of Bahartia Janata Party’s rhetoric wing Ra??riya Svayamsevaka Sa?gh(RSS). Pakistan the neighbor of India has to travel to federalism form of government and the year 1956 is associated as the first move of the country toward federalism. Though the country is symbolically ruled by a federal government that has all the controlling powers over the provinces and is considered the hub of decisions due to the factual and numerically strong parliament along massive and influential establishment situated on southern bank of Islamabad in the adjacent city Rawalpindi, the later body has to jump in the governing affairs of country on several occasions somehow due to incapability or some improvised internal conditions of the country or the lack of unity between the ruling and the opposition benches of in the parliament. After 18th amendments that the federal government has typically shown its generosity by transferring powers to the provinces including education, health and infrastructures through passing a unanimous bill from the parliament. However in the recent past nothing has been improved as expected by the masses across the country. There are multiple reasons for this mass dissatisfaction among the public. First there is a covert strong lobby that creates hindrances in the way of taking decisive steps to build consensus over the prevailing problems in provinces and their possible solutions. Second that members of parliament have had some spotted lines due to which that they cannot raise the issues or question the areas which are not acceptable to the establishment. Third the establishment overrules the mandate of parliament whenever and wherever it wants to get its means either hooks or by crooks no matter if it is bearable for the country’s civilian government or not. The recent appointment of thirteen armed background personals on different ambassadorial positions could be quote as an example of hooky technique that is applied by the strong establishment in the country, which has received massive reactions from different segments in society across Pakistan. In the context of liberal politics these symptoms are seemed a clear danger to federalism and the ethics of federal form of governments, no matter that center should be strong and has a decisive place to look after the matters in the provinces but it always aimed at integration not disintegration. Withstanding democratic norms the key political leadership and the wise heads running the establishment should rethink over the policy of apolitical engagements to save the country from further disintegration and keep it on the track of strong and sustainable principles of federalism. Because the country is not in a position to tolerate further jolts of crises and civil disobedience amid stirred financial crises and regional security challenges.
The writer is Islamabad based Journalist and Staff Member at Daily Parliament Times
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