A Call for Faith in Democracy

On January 4th, while talking to the reporters in Quetta, Mr. Nawaz Sharif said that he will not pick democracy at the cost of the country. If this was not enough, on January 6^th, three member bench of Supreme Court of Pakistan, headed by his Lordship Justice Javed Iqbal ruled that the system is on the verge of collapse and someone needs to intervene. It is obvious that the underlying theme of both the statements is dissatisfaction with the system and a deep desire to change it. These statements coming from two powerful quarters raise serious concerns. But more than being a cause of concern in a country as volatile as Pakistan, they raise serious questions for both Mr. Sharif and honorable institute of Judiciary.

Mian sahib has been more explicit in his definition of the system and has not shied away from stating that he will prefer country over democracy. Now that raises the foremost question that is it not the same Mian sahib who said it time and again in Musharraf era that the country’s survival lies in democracy and democracy only and country has no other solution for its ills. What has changed now? Was he wrong in his assessment then or was the talk of democracy only a potent political weapon then to counter Musharraf or was it that he did not realize while advocating democracy that the democracy will lead to the government of PPP that has more national outreach than any other political party? It is a riddle that either Mian sahib should himself solve for us all or we should solve for ourselves and for him.

Another thing that Mian sahib needs to explain is what is the line where he thinks the country and democracy will become either/or choices? Will it be something born of his political compulsions or will it be based on some tangible national interests he can identify? And last thing Mian sahib needs to explain is that if not democracy than what better alternative he has for the country, if it ever comes to his proposed showdown between the democracy and the country? For the sake of us all, can Mian sahib be clearer in his position on democracy just like he needs to be clearer on extremism and Taliban.

The statement of Mian sahib raises another question and that is for us all. Do we really believe that there is any other solution for our survival than democracy? Haven’t we realize in every dictatorial regime that the only system that can keep us floating is democracy for all else leads to sinking in the abyss of non-existence? And if the answer to the question is in favor of democracy, then we need to ask ourselves how serious should we take those who are trying to confuse us?

Now for their Lordships, for the sake of clarity I must emphasize that their Lordships have not in any way casted doubts over the democracy. However, what concerns me the most about the statement of their Lordships is the fact that it in its essence sounds a lot similar to what has been used as an excuse for four military coups that have taken place in this country. We have been told every time that the system has collapsed and so the Army has intervened to clear the mess. None of them badmouthed democracy either. Rather they vowed to bring to the nation the basic democracy, the pure (saleh) democracy, and the true democracy. The comments of their Lordships sitting in the apex courts of the country ring alarm bells (even if not intended as such) for all who think that the present constitutional arrangement is the best system we have and any attempts at altering it in the name of improving it have been based on ill-intentions and have brought harm and only harm to the country.

From their honorable Lordships, the nation seeks the role of a judge and not of a Messiah and they will be praised, remembered and respected if they confine to the role reserved for them. I am sure that their Lordships are fully aware of the fact that the intervention in the system has only done harm to the Army and the country and this intervention by any other organ of the state will do the same to that organ and to the country.

On this bumpy road to the transition to democracy, it is a test of our faith in democracy and in us. We might not like Zardari or Gillani or PPP, but I am convinced that if our past is anything to go by, the system we have is the optimal system and we need to strengthen it and cleanse it from within rather than derail it or destroy it or seek intervention. If the people we dislike/like do not deliver, the process will eliminate them in the due course, at the polling booths, and if they do – we all benefit.