Democracy must be preserved_____8th Jan 2011
By: Tarique Khan Javed
President, Overseas Pakistani Investors Forum.
Is Democracy finally take hold?
The challenge for democratic forces is formidable and the only chance they have is in forging a strong United force. They should rapidly enlist popular support by giving tickets to the common people so they become defenders of democracy and not easily fooled by the propaganda of vested interest. They must be made to understand that like rest of the World only democracy can bring them lasting relief by turning the popular will into people friendly policies.
As we enter in 2011 and a good feeling is sinking in that with all the handicaps democracy seems to be gaining roots in the Country. A dictator was removed by pressure without bloodshed using Western pressure who have strong influence on the Armed forces. A case was made by democratic forces that the Country deserves democracy like rest of the World. Charter of Democracy was signed is currently the guiding principle protecting Democratic set up.
Establishments attempt to derail democratic process goes on but now democratic forces have become smart enough to know who their real enemies are and resisting. PML N’s role and resolve in this most commendable. Recent attempts to topple PPP led government failed as they refused to join establishment initiated moves and finally MQM also decided to rejoin the Government.
Institutional Reform to involve common man:
Popular sentiment against Democracy is easily stirred by the fact that common people feel alienated from the process. It is known that politics is a very expensive game thus the poor have no role in it. Given no chance of entry in the power corridors common people do not see much difference between Democratic and Dictators Rule. The benefit of rule always goes to a narrow elite. The challenge is how to bring common man in the democratic process. MQM has demonstrated that it can field common man, bear all election expenditure and send them to assemblies and ministries. Other parties also occasionally do this for propaganda proposes but in them this not a core belief.
Institutional reforms like making Election Commission truly independent can help and we should all work towards that. EC may impose a ceiling of say Rs 5 lacs for Provencal and Rs 7 lacs for National Assembly seat election. Any candidate found to have spent more than that may be declared debarred from election process for life. After independence of Judiciary, the independence of Election Commission and State Bank of Pakistan should be our next agenda.
Democracy and the expression of popular will:
The debate in Pakistan over democracy or dictatorship is most unfortunate. Except Myanmar this debate has been won over by democrats centuries or decades ago. Each a debate is unthinkable in rest of the World. One plausible reason for such a debate is that since Ayub Khan’s a large number of Journalists and Media man of high stature are in fact paid agents of establishment led by Armed forces who are paid to constantly mud sling democracy and democratic leaders. By hook or by crook using their superb writing and speaking skill the manage to turn truth upside down and win debates in favour of Dictatorship. They manage to disillusion masses against Democracy blaming it for all the ills even if they were created in Dictatorship. Nature calamities of global increase in price are all blamed on every Democratic government while during Dictatorship no such allegation is brought forward.
World history indicates that people friendly policies can only be made in a free country Ruled by its people. Priorities of people can be suppressed for long in good working democracy. The market for votes Parties compete to attract voters with more and more peoples friendly Manifestos. The party which fails to provide Manifesto in line with people’s expectation wither away and new parties take the lime light. Like a market for goods and services there are not life long and permanent stature parties.
A very weak democratic base:
In the case of Pakistan the Country was created with large helping hand of Western forces who wanted to preserve a part of the large Indo Pak market as well as keep a foot hold in the sub continent as Congress was taking the Country towards Soviet block, Socialism and complete boycott of Western goods and services. The Landed class and Jagirdars who saw complete destruction (as indeed happened in India) after independence as per 1937 Congress manifesto hurriedly joined Muslim League and captured it to make sure that no one touches their position and privileges. The Muslim Capitalist class saw a huge opportunity in Hindu completion free Pakistan. Thus the Country was rapidly rolled out in just 7 years without democratic training, culture, mindset and institutions. Thus it become easy for these vested interests to perpetuate their rule upto now.
Whenever it was felt that popular will be expressed through the democratic process was derailed using all kind of excuse. Actual and imaginary corruption or threat to Islam was often used as reason for launching mass movement against Democratic governments or the Military was invited to take over.
Democracy a threat to Status Quo:
Democracy is not liked by Land Lords, Jagirdars, Sardars and the Armed forces as they know that under a democratic set up their centuries old privileges will be taken away or curtailed. They form a strong united lobby against democratic forces and in turn people. They are provided a helping hand by the kind of democracy being practiced upto now.
The present democracy in Pakistan is for the elite only and does not represent the wishes of masses. Only rich get elected and why they should allow any law that will take away their privileges. The tax collection is one sided, only poor have to pay, inflation is being used to crush the common man and redistribution of land is on hold. This was so in previous regime of Gen Musharraf and is the same in the democratic government. Priorities have not changed as is expected after a transition to democracy. Anti people policies can continue as people do not matter in the current set up. Elected representatives do not feel any pressure of the people as they know they win their election not because people love them but rather because people fear them. Each Leader has his captive vote bank who obey his command and vote as directed. We may hope that as more and more elections are held things will change gradually. However in the case of Pakistan this may take a very long time given the submissive nature of people who easily submit to slightly stronger individual.
Fruits of grass root leadership:
Grass roots representatives prefer to continue to live in their modest houses and drive modest cars as is done by Iranian Leadership. Imam Khomeini continued to live in his rented flat in Qum till his death. They cut down the number and cost of Ministries sharply and bring down expenditure. The benefit of lower expenditure can be passed to people in the form of lower indirect taxes. This also removes the reason for printing notes thus eliminating the root causes of inflation i.e: a general rise in prices of things (yet another form of indirect tax).
The present President of Maldives, hailing from modest background, reduced expenses on Presidential office from USD 150 million to just USD 4 million and diverted the saving on old age pensions, health and education.
Recently Ahmad i Nijaat, President of Iran who prided to be driving his 33 years old Peugeot car, auctioned his beloved car, to raise fund for housing project in cities for the poor. Iran is committed to providing to a shelter to each city dwellers.
USA should not take side:
USA redistributed land in Japan after 2nd World War and created an egalitarian society in which middle class became the deciding factor in politics. The Liberal Democratic Party has ruled there after with consistent economic policies. Inflation and interest rate at zero is the hallmark of this policy. Export led growth mainly to USA is another factor of economic success of Japan. No wonder the people of Japan are the happiest and wealthiest in the World.
USA should support fundamental land reform in Rural areas and regularization of Kachi Abadies in Urban areas, progressive tax regime, balanced budget, zero rate of inflation, an efficient justice system and non elitist democracy as tools in fight against terrorism. Terrorism in Pakistan is fed by these injustices. List of injustices in Pakistan include the non inclusion of FATA and PATA in Pakistan and not extending the benefits the rest of Pakistanis enjoy. That needs to be fixed as well with the help of USA and other Western nations.
Conclusion and recommendation:
Given the hopeless situation in the country when elite are bent upon even eating the flesh of the people without any sign of remorse. They enjoy their vast and sinful privileges as MNAs, MPAs, Senators, Ministers and Advisors financed by freshly printed notes which take poor man’s their bread by means of 30% inflation, without any guilt or shame. The inflation is on top of 80% tax poor pay in the country while 98% rich pay nothing. No wander poor in the country are not happy and protesting. Thing can not remain the same with the advent of mass media. Things will change very fast now. The choice is now between surrendering the old privileges voluntarily or after lot of blood bath. Desperately poor people are ready to die for justice and the rich with their paid Paper Tiger Guards are no match for them, if Army remains neutral, as they should.
To avert a bloody clash following measures are recommended:
- Land Reform Act of 1977 be implemented immediately.
- Central Bank should be made independent and asked to pursue policy that will not let inflation go beyond 3% while the aim should be 1%.
- Tax burden should be shifted from Poor to rich so that rich pay 80% of tax and poor contribute 20%. This to be done by increasing Direct Taxes and reducing indirect taxes.
- Parallel Islamic courts should be established all over country so that common man can get justice cheaply and quickly. All pending cases should be decided on a war footing.
- A limit of Rs 5 lacs for a MPA and Rs 7 lacs for MNA’s election campaign should be fixed and must be monitored closely. This will allow common people to take part in election.
- A ceiling on maximum number of Ministers should be fixed. Whereby in the Centre not more than 10 Ministers should manage the affairs. In the provinces the number should not exceed 5.
- The salaries and privileges of Ministers, Advisors, Senators, MNAs and MPAs should be reduced to half.
- A grass root party should be formed which will promise to change things for better, on above lines.
