The Endangered Entity By Zahra Mughis

The phrase that hears every ear these days, Democracy Is Endangered, is quite controversial. If the intellectuals could explain to the commons like this immature commentator the meaning of this statement then it would benefit the society. Democracy to the theorists and scientists, however, remains to be an affair "to the people, for the people, by the people." If the hypothesis stands any value claim than it is likely to conceive an idea that the practitioners of democracy should be the representatives of the people and elected by the people to serve the people. If the parliamentarians are for the people, by the people then it remains a compulsion on them to be with the people. If the hypothesis is somewhat not fallacious then the elected representatives of the people should talk of the people, for the people, with the people... If the alliteration is so coherent then it sits due on the parliamentarians to lend an ear to the grievances of the masses, scrutinize the past failures, identify the systemic faults, address the primary challenges facing the common man's survival and ensure the just service of fundamental human and citizen rights to the people...

If the above premises are sound and valid then what is the status of the government which is alleged of committing of theft on the nation's right to vote, charged with murder of innocent civilians, accused of denial of justice, burdened with poverty of millions, questioned of sincerity to state institutions?

The ruling government of Pakistan is alleged of dacoity on the electoral right of eight million Pakistanis in the general elections of the Year2013 - the second largest political party of the country stands as the flag bearing petitioner for justice but how ironic is the fact that the masses had taken to the streets ever before an official call for protest was made. Pakistan Tehreek e Insaf's struggle for the scrutiny of last elections and accountability and punishment of the culprits spans over eighteen moths having borne no action from the authorities. How Democratic is the Parliament which is alleged of fraudulent qualifications by over eight million voters and also invariably all contestant political parties?

Two terns of federal governance and the Nawaz government fails in the first year of the third to bring down prices in response to the drop in international markets, further burdens the common man with alarming increase in foreign debts and no reduction in power shedding? For whom is this democracy functioning as the people remain expelled from all affairs with exception to increase in indirect taxation which crushes the fixed salaried and the lower classes?

For whose benefit and honour is his Excellency Nawaz Sharif is playing the Mango Diplomacy for the civilians of his motherland are being sacrificed at the altar of MFN status? The norms of Democracy are regrettable if they permit killing of fourteen civilians at the hands of patrons of law and order and denial of justice to an extent that not even a fair case is not filed. Democracy is undesirable if it subdues a citizen's right to peacefully protest against exploitation of rights and democracy is not acceptable if it allows arrests without warrants and expired tear gas to be shelled at peaceful protestors.

What is the credibility of the Democratic system in which a criminal is awarded with Presidency and a once exiled man alleged of money laundering can hold the Prime Ministry and how superior is the law of a country where a controversially elected parliamentarian tells a lie and the blind law becomes deaf and dumb?

If the parliamentary joint sessions aim to stage a theatre show "Guns and Roses" and not for addressing the severity of public deprivation and desperation then democracy is a serious concern of overview, analysis and modification for the same scientists.

The query propelling the commentator's nieve sense of comprehension to bewilderment is: Is it the democracy under threat or are the people endangered by the demand for service of justice...?

Democracy is when the indigent, and not the men of property, are the rulers...

The postulate, Democracy Is Endangered, can be assumed valid if the following are true for Pakistan: Democracy is the synonym of Sharif Dynasty, the Parliament is the House of Lords and the State remains under Bhutto Monarchy. If these propositions are false then above stated postulate is discarded and the arbitration is: The People of Pakistan are The Endangered Entity.

"Voting is a civic sacrament."

- Theodore Hesburgh

by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)