Barkat Ullah
Democracy is known to be an ideal form of government, due to its several attributes like, public participation in political affairs, separation of power and accountability etc. But in the third world countries it hasn’t given such fruitful results in terms of proving to be an effective way of government. Due to lack of education, awareness, resources management and opportunities, democracy doesn’t provide an ideal forum for public in terms of enhancing their lives. In fact, in such poor countries, in the name of democracy, elites have always exploited and manipulated the masses for their personal gains. Same is the situation of Pakistan, due to lack of ideological politics, political ideas and principles among political parties, democracy is ineffective and weak. There is a sort of dictatorship within the so called democratic political parties of Pakistan, as few families or several personalities have dominated the whole politics of these parties. They have key positions in political parties and are greatly involved in dominating decision-making process, irrespective of their worker’s opinion. Majority of political leaders in Pakistani politics are born with golden spoon in mouth static with diamond, and don’t know problems and opinions of common individual. Politics and power are all about harsh realities of life. Unfortunately, politicians in Pakistan haven’t experienced such realities, as they are given everything in plates from their forefathers. Moreover, majority of political leaders in Pakistan, have no political identity. Political identity comes from ideas and convections which is lacking in Pakistani politics. The political leaders in Pakistan have no convections, beliefs and philosophy, and what they understand politics as, the whole personal gains or pursuing family interests. A true and genuine personality of a politician is built on the principles, ideas, convections and sense of beliefs. He or she should be given a strong influential ideology to which they should strictly stick or even ready to die for it. for instance, in the US politics, the president Joe Biden from his university life, is affiliated to the one democratic party for more than 50 years. From that same party he became member of city council in 1970 and later on elected as a senator for six times. Similarly, he served as a head in senate foreign relations committee. In fact, Biden contested presidential elections twice from the same forum and failed both times. But he doesn’t leave the party, works as a vice president in 2009 from that party, and becomes president of US in 2020. Even in India’s politics there is no absolute ideological based politics like that of US and UK, yet there is an ideological distinct line which differentiate liberal politics of congress from conservative politics of BJP. In case of Pakistan, things are completely different, here politics lacks ideological identification. Like politicians, people also lack political will and sense of ideas, and vote either on the basis of fraternity or caste. Here, a large number of electable exist that constantly change their political affiliations along with changing political atmosphere. In very political party, one can find a heavy list of such political leaders that adjust themselves in parties according to elections or position of political parties. In Pakistan, many blame military establishments for poor political infrastructure and suggest non stop tenures of democratic governments, which they think will definitely bring political awareness and politics of ideas to the system. In my opinion, although interference of establishment in political affairs is one of the major factors in ruining the political environment yet, it is not the only one. Politics of fraternities, personalities, family legacies and testament are the reasons for poor political structure of Pakistan. Instead of elections and so-called voting process, there is serious need of renaissance in Pakistani politics to get rid of such flawed system. A sort of social revolution is required like that of French and Europe, which overthrew all aristocracies and social injustice and brought true civil supremacy
