Why should Pakistani Establishment opt for Liberal Democracy?

The pace of events in Middle East has caught many by surprise. It seems a matter of months if not weeks before the existing order in the Middle East will pave way for a new order. What shape will the new order assume is uncertain for now. However, theocracy or elected governments on sectarian lines are two very probable outcomes. Just when because of its strong political parties, Pakistan does not face the direct threat of Middle East style revolts, the ripples of the above-mentioned eventualities have dire consequences for Pakistan.

We are already too late into foreseeing what could happen in the world around us and have paid a heavy price for being blinded. Yet again, the changes that are going to happen in our west are likely to be costly unless we take the necessary measures to control the damage.

If there has even been a reason for Pakistani establishment to push for a secular, liberal democratic Pakistan, it is now. Asian Middle East is the only region in the Muslim world with Shia majority. With regimes falling like dominoes, because of lack of any considerable political alternatives, the replacements are most likely theocracies or democracies elected on sectarian lines (do not believe me see what happens in only two democracies of the region i.e. Iraq and Lebanon). If this happens and Iranian regime survives, we will have a Shia arc on our west from Iran to Lebanon comprising Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. This arc will not only be a strong regional bloc aligned because of same sect theocratic regimes but will also challenge the Sunni dominance in the region. Sunnis comprise 2/3rd to 4/5th of the Muslim population outside Middle East. This event has a very strong potential of dividing the Muslim world on sectarian lines and is most likely to create rifts between Shia and Sunni populations across the Muslim world. Outside the Middle East, the rift will be felt the most in Pakistan, North Africa, Afghanistan and India. Worst come worst, if the holiest of Muslim sites come under the authority of Shia rulers, the backlash among the Sunni populace will be violent. 

I hope good sense prevails in the Middle East and the people there opt for governments on political and not the sectarian/religious lines but keeping in view the ground realities, the chances of this happening in next few decades are minimal. So it is left to us to save our society, a predominantly Sunni society with significant Shia population, from the wrath of the events in the Middle East. And the only way to do it is to strongly push the society towards liberal democratic ideals and letting the state assert fundamental human rights. This is the only way the stark events happening on sectarian lines in the Middle East will have minimal impact on us.

The history tells us that the religious societies ultimately become sectarian societies. We have witnessed this in Pakistan as well. If our establishment thinks that it is fine for us to govern this multi-ethnic, diverse sectarian society of ours on sectarian lines, good luck to us all. Else, the sane elements in establishment should realize the chaos and bloodshed that can ensue and should put their weight behind the only sane solution. Time is of essence.