Are Pakistanis fit for democracy?

Ray · 03-19-2006, 13:45 PM

Quote:

Sunday, March 19, 2006 E-Mail this article to a friend Printer Friendly Version

VIEW: Are Pakistanis fit for democracy? —Ahmad Faruqui

Rent-seeking by the military and civilian elites has corroded Pakistan’s national identity and is a form of strategic corruption that is more sinister than individual financial corruption. It explains why the democratic wave that has swept the globe during the past two decades has bypassed Pakistan

The citizens of any country but Pakistan would take umbrage at this question, but in Pakistan such an anti-democratic view survives because it has widespread support among the civilian elite. This elite has connived with the military elite to block democratic rule. These elites subscribe to the Musharraf Doctrine, which was enunciated by General Pervez Musharraf in an interview with the BBC on the eve of George W Bush’s visit.

Purveying a hackneyed argument, General Pervez Musharraf argued that a new definition of democracy was needed for Pakistan, since one patterned after Western models would not work. Four decades ago, Field Marshal Ayub Khan had put forward the concept of “Basic Democracy” as being best suited to the “genius” of the people of Pakistan.

General Yahya Khan held “free and fair” elections but failed to transfer power to the National Assembly, thereby precipitating the 1971 tragedy. And General Zia ul Haq held sham party-less parliamentary elections and a presidential referendum to give him the fig leaf of democracy.

In the BBC interview, Musharraf claimed that he had “introduced the essence of democracy” in Pakistan by holding national, provincial and local elections. Then, confirming his distaste for facts, he added, “none of these things ever existed before”. The general went on to say that the only objection anyone could have to his democratic dispensation was that he continued to be in uniform. This, he implied, was a specious argument about a “label”, since constitutional laws allowed him to wear the uniform until 2007.

The 24-hour visit of the American president concluded with a press conference in which Bush urged Musharraf to hold “open and honest” elections because democracy was the way to defeat terrorism, since it replaced an ideology of hatred with an ideology of hope. Bush indicated that the two men had spent “a lot of time discussing democracy” and expressed his belief that it was Pakistan’s future. In a tone reminiscent of one used by a parent to discipline a teenager, he hammered home the point by saying that Musharraf understood this.

Bush’s commentary was almost certainly not a welcome development for Musharraf. No foreign leader besides Bush would have dared make it, either in or out of Pakistan, knowing that it would stir a diplomatic crisis. But it was a statement Bush owed to the people of Pakistan.

The military elite that keeps Musharraf in power remains deeply sceptical of the politicians’ ability to rule Pakistan. It has a dark conception of democracy, which argues that Pakistan, despite having been an independent state for 58 years, is not ready for “full” democracy and may never be ready for it. The view flows from six flawed premises.

First, elected politicians have failed to deliver political stability and economic progress. This fatalistically presumes that all future elected politicians will be similarly ineffective. Democratic processes, when they are allowed to function without military interference, will ultimately produce strong civilian institutions and competent rulers. The premise also overlooks the failings that have characterised military rule, most notably its lack of an exit strategy. All three earlier military rulers refused to relinquish their office until the bitter end and were removed through violent means.

Second, Pakistan cannot become a democracy until it does away with its feudal character. This creates a self-fulfilling prophecy. Every country, including Great Britain, that is a democracy today, was a feudal society at one point. It was the empowerment of the people that led to the end of feudalism.

Third, Muslims don’t have a history of democracy and the precepts of Islam prohibit democracy. The first part is a non sequitur, since much of the world, including Europe, was ruled by absolute monarchies for centuries and does not have a history of democracy. The second part is not valid, since Islam calls for representative government. It leaves open the definition of representativeness to the consensus among the people and the scholars.

Fourth, that “strong men” are necessary to create the circumstances for democracy in developing countries because law and order, education, and economic development come before democracy. India clearly contradicts this premise.

Fifth, Pakistan is composed of many ethnic groups that can be held together only by military rule. The fact is that military rule has worsened Pakistan’s ethnic fault lines. A democratic process will create a give-and-take attitude that will smooth them over.

And, finally, that Pakistanis simply don’t want democracy. This is contradicted by a survey of some 2,000 Pakistanis carried out in 2000/01 in the four provinces by sociologists at the University of Agriculture in Faisalabad. It found that 88 percent of Pakistanis agreed that democracy was a “very good or fairly good” system and only four percent were of the opinion that military rule was “very good or fairly good”.

Based on these premises, the anti-democratic civilian and military elites have forged together a “coalition of willing” that is blocking a return to democracy, even though the people want it. This coalition dreads what might happen if democracy, as opposed to the Musharrafian essence, is restored. The military elite supports this position because it harnesses the rents that flow from running all major institutions in the country and uses them in part to buy off the civilian elite.

It markets “democracy in uniform” by suggesting that “full” democracy would result in a national meltdown, brought about by ethnic warfare, sectarian strife, civilian corruption and possibly a foreign invasion.

Such rent seeking by the military and civilian elites has corroded Pakistan’s national identity and is a form of strategic corruption that is more sinister than individual financial corruption. It explains why the democratic wave that has swept the globe during the past two decades has bypassed Pakistan. This wave has shattered long-standing military holdouts in Eastern Europe and Latin America. In our neighbourhood, no army general has ever come close to mounting a coup in New Delhi, and it is virtually impossible to imagine India ever being ruled by its generals. Even Bangladesh has successfully managed to lose its martial law inheritance.

Sharifuddin Peerzada, a confidant of the Quaid, has given military rule a veneer of democracy by citing the doctrine of necessity — “necessity knows no law”. CS Lewis counselled against yielding to this argument because “it is under that pretext that every abomination enters. Hitler, the Machiavellian prince, the Inquisition, the Witch Doctor, all claimed to be necessary.” It is time for Peerzada to divulge those papers of the Quaid in which he said that Pakistan was unfit for democracy and envisaged its salvation at the hands of uniformed rulers.

Dr Ahmad Faruqui is director of research at the American Institute of International Studies and can be reached at Faruqui@pacbell.net
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...9-3-2006_pg3_6

Are they?

Or,

Are they not?

That is the question!

Lahori paa jee · 03-19-2006, 14:54 PM

Out of these 11,000 posts Mr. Ray i guess most of them will be about Pakistan. Thanks for caring so much for us

Ray · 03-19-2006, 15:24 PM

Lahori,

You are right that most of the posts are on Pakistan.

As an Army man, I have spent most of my career gazing into Pakistan or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and both have fascinated my curiosity.

That is why I am so keen to know more about Pakistan and how it ticks.

Do you feel there is democracy and if not, why not and if so, how?

Aryan · 03-20-2006, 22:02 PM

Ray, I understand retirement can be a tad boring for an ex-military serviceman. But please, spare us from this obsession of yours, look at how many posts you've made with no replies on in this section.

Try a hobby. Golf isn't a bad one, especially if you like the outdoors.

Hari_Om · 03-21-2006, 02:44 AM

Ray,

A word on critter physiology and psychology.

Critters always scurry away from the light and would like nothing better than the cloak of darkness.

.

So as they say, damn the bogie and luceat lux vestra.

Ray · 03-21-2006, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aryan

Ray, I understand retirement can be a tad boring for an ex-military serviceman. But please, spare us from this obsession of yours, look at how many posts you've made with no replies on in this section.

Try a hobby. Golf isn't a bad one, especially if you like the outdoors.

Thank you for your advice. It's rather kind of you.

I am not posting just for replies. It is also for info. Further, this board is not run by Military men masquerading as civilians (

, Get me, Steve?) that one can force people to reply. Musharraf may hae been able to coerce replies to every post, but I agree I cannot. This Board is a democratic organisation and democracy prevails; but knowing your origin's background, democracy would be an alien thing to you and so you may not understand.

As far as outdoor games are concerned, I presume I have played many more than you and mastered quite a few. Nonetheless, thank you.

Thanks for your advice on golf. I surely will take it up more seriously. I am right now playing at 12 handicap and won a few championships, if you please. However, I will try to become a single handicapper because you have so much of faith in me. But then knowing you, you will ask me to be another Tiger Woods! You are young, you give Tiger Woods a run for his money, but leave me be in this pursuit.

In India there is a saying - apna charkha men tel lagao - which means oil your own machine and not worry about someone else's.

If you feel it is my obsession, then be kind to add another word - 'magnificent' and add it before the word 'obsession'.

Ciao!

It would have been worth the while if you applied your energy not on me but on the post.

Do you think Pakistan is fit for Democracy as is being questioned and articulated by your countryman of origin.

Or is it too embarrassing for you to give you two penny ha'penny bit?

Or are you totally clueless about the subject and instead chucked in that inane post (which has nothing to do with the subject) just to keep your bean counter ticking?

And by the way, I quote always from the Pakistani media when writing about Pakistan and so you cannot even state that I have a bias!

Srirangan · 03-21-2006, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Are they?

Or,

Are they not?

That is the question!

Not sure if they are unfit but they certainly lack the will (balls) to demand democracy from all the dictators they've had. Yea I know you will cite that the civilian leaders have been corrupt, but then so has the army. Pakistanis have gotten used to living under a totalitarian regime, be it the army or be it the repressive Islamic culture. Anyhow, it is for them to decide. Til then America is having a nice time buying out successive Pakistani regimes.

hammer · 03-21-2006, 14:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray

Thank you for your advice. It's rather kind of you.

I am not posting just for replies. It is also for info. Further, this board is not run by Military men masquerading as civilians (

, Get me, Steve?) that one can force people to reply. Musharraf may hae been able to coerce replies to every post, but I agree I cannot. This Board is a democratic organisation and democracy prevails; but knowing your origin's background, democracy would be an alien thing to you and so you may not understand.

As far as outdoor games are concerned, I presume I have played many more than you and mastered quite a few. Nonetheless, thank you.

In India there is a saying - apna charkha men tel lagao - which means oil your own machine and not worry about someone else's.

If you feel it is my obsession, then be kind to add another word - 'magnificent' and add it before the word 'obsession'.
Ciao!
It would have been worth the while if you applied your energy not on me but on the post.

ROFL!.

.

DC Katoch · 03-21-2006, 15:21 PM

None of the Pakistani postors have said anything on the subject...they have only tried to change the subject!

This suggests that they too belong to one of the Pakistani elites...civilian or military. And they are quite satisfied with the current situation.

This attitude is dangerous...people who are denied democracy and freedom will rise up in revolt.

Jay · 03-21-2006, 21:00 PM

Quote:

Thanks for your advice on golf. I surely will take it up more seriously. I am right now playing at 12 handicap and won a few championships, if you please. However, I will try to become a single handicapper because you have so much of faith in me. But then knowing you, you will ask me to be another Tiger Woods! You are young, you give Tiger Woods a run for his money, but leave me be in this pursuit.

Ray Sahab,
You gotta teach me how to write witty posts, I mean it, seriously

03-19-2006, 14:54 PM	#2 (permalink)
Lahori paa jee *Senior Contributor* Join Date: 07-26-05 Location: Lahore, Pakistan Posts: 855	Out of these 11,000 posts Mr. Ray i guess most of them will be about Pakistan. Thanks for caring so much for us __________________ Nisaar main teri galiyon pe aaye watan, ke jahan Chali hai rasm keh koi na sar utha keh chaley

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03-19-2006, 15:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
Ray Postmaster General *Military Professional* Join Date: 08-20-03 Posts: 28,239 Country:	Lahori, You are right that most of the posts are on Pakistan. As an Army man, I have spent most of my career gazing into Pakistan or Pakistan Occupied Kashmir and both have fascinated my curiosity. That is why I am so keen to know more about Pakistan and how it ticks. Do you feel there is democracy and if not, why not and if so, how?

03-20-2006, 22:02 PM	#4 (permalink)
Aryan Banished Join Date: 05-02-04 Posts: 1,532	Ray, I understand retirement can be a tad boring for an ex-military serviceman. But please, spare us from this obsession of yours, look at how many posts you've made with no replies on in this section. Try a hobby. Golf isn't a bad one, especially if you like the outdoors.

03-21-2006, 02:44 AM	#5 (permalink)
Hari_Om Banished Join Date: 09-30-04 Posts: 1,049 Country:	Ray, A word on critter physiology and psychology. Critters always scurry away from the light and would like nothing better than the cloak of darkness. . So as they say, damn the bogie and luceat lux vestra.

03-21-2006, 15:21 PM	#9 (permalink)
DC Katoch Regular Join Date: 08-20-04 Posts: 67	None of the Pakistani postors have said anything on the subject...they have only tried to change the subject! This suggests that they too belong to one of the Pakistani elites...civilian or military. And they are quite satisfied with the current situation. This attitude is dangerous...people who are denied democracy and freedom will rise up in revolt.

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