After the bloodshed on a street of Karachi on 18 October when Benazir Bhutto returned home with a dream of democratic polity in the country, Professor Ijaz ul Hassan in a column prophetically anticipated:
There has been blood and gore
On our cloths,
Bodies littered on the street
But darkness on the retreat,
Tomorrow is another day.
On 18 February, exact four months after the first attack on hope and desire for freedom and prosperity, the forces of darkness were forced to retreat, though Benazir had to spill her blood on the street along with many others who were also dreaming for the end of long dark night. After the election results, thousands of the enthusiasts poured on to the streets of their home towns throughout the country to celebrate the victory of democratic forces against the loyalists of the Napoleons.
As the Filipino democrat, Raul S. Manglapus, once said, “Democracy is not just an experimental idea borrowed from abroad, replaceable at the whim of army generals. It is a native human right to be exercised, not a lesson that needs to be learned.” Despite the fact that some political parties boycotted the elections, the people of Pakistan have exercised their ‘native human right’ to choose their representatives to rule. Again, Michael Parenti says, “Democracy is not about trust; it is about distrust…We have to get our fellow citizens to trust their leaders less and themselves more, trust their own questions and suspicions, and their own desire to know what is going on.” The election results are the evidence that the people trusted more their own questions and suspicions and their own desire. The voters have given the mandate, particularly to the two main political parties, in a way that they would have to work together, and no political expediencies, if they want to do what they promised to them.
There were hopes when the then exiled leaders of PPP and PML (N), Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif, signed a ‘Charter of Democracy’ noting their responsibility to the people “to set an alternative direction for the country saving it from its present predicaments on an economically sustainable, socially progressive, politically democratic and pluralist, federally cooperative, ideologically tolerant, internationally respectable and regionally peaceful basis in the larger interests of the peoples of Pakistan to decide once for all that only the people and no one else has the sovereign right to govern through their elected representatives, as conceived by the democrat par excellence, Father of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah.”
They also reaffirmed their commitment “to undiluted democracy and universally recognised fundamental rights, the rights of a vibrant opposition, internal party democracy, ideological/political tolerance, bipartisan working of the parliament through powerful committee system, a cooperative federation with no discrimination against federating units, the de-centralisation and devolution of power, maximum provincial autonomy, the empowerment of the people at the grass-roots level, the emancipation of our people from poverty, ignorance, want and disease, the uplift of women and minorities, the elimination of klashnikov culture, a free and independent media, an independent judiciary, a neutral civil service, rule of law and merit, the settlement of disputes with the neighbours through peaceful means, honouring international contracts, laws/covenants and sovereign guarantees, so as to achieve a responsible and civilised status in the comity of nations through a foreign policy that suits our national interests.”
Towards a culture of national consensus
Consensus-building is an essential part of nation-building. Cooperation for the larger good of the nation has been a cornerstone of democratic polity. One of the many baneful contributions of military dictatorship has been the politics of divide, confrontation and negativism. The people of Pakistan believe that in a multi-party democracy, constructive dialogue, consultation and cooperation between the ruling and opposition parties is, not only desirable , but essential. It has become all the more necessary since several crises confronting Pakistan today cannot be effectively resolved without evolving a broad platform of national consensus.
Some of the issues where such a national consensus is most urgently called for are: sectarian and religious extremism; constitutional and electoral reforms; centre-province relations; population policy; empowerment of women, inter-province water disputes; environmental protection; effective institutional guarantees for the welfare of the weaker sections of society including minorities, poverty alleviation and provision of livelihood opportunities to rural and urban poor. For the purpose, specifically, these measures must be taken;aw.com
Political un-touchability" vis-a-vis any political party shall not be practiced,
* In all issues of national importance where a national consensus is needed, the ruling party or the coalition shall adopt a policy of dialogue and consultation with other political parties,
* The consultative mechanisms and procedures in the parliament shall be devised and,
* The views, suggestions and, wherever feasible, participation of citizens and other organizations, outside the sphere of politics, shall be actively sought.
However, since the rulers themselves threw their responsibilities to the winds and turned statecraft into crass commerce and politics into an unscrupulous power game, it must be pledged that there will be a qualitative change in the culture of governance. There will be a marked change in the mindset and behavior of those in the government. Their duties and responsibilities will take precedence over their perquisites. Though it seems something idealistic, such a change in the culture and content of governance is the first pre-requisite for building a new nation.
Back to basics
This is the time for back to basics; basics that have formed the essence of our culture; basics that can built a modern, secular, peaceful and self-reliant Pakistan. This is the time to re-establish the core values; a time to rejoice in our diversities and reiterate our unities; a time to reestablish the rule of law; a time to reinforce social justice and equity; a time to respond to the aspirations of youth and women; a time to re-inject clarity, transparency and consistency in governance; a time to rekindle the flame of all-inclusive; a time to reject the forces of bigotry and divisiveness; a time to reinvent the politics as an instrument of social change based on conscience, competence, compassion and commitment; a time to acknowledge the right of the people of Pakistan to rule in their historical homeland; and a time to recognize the right of smaller nations over their own resources.
It is the time to implement the Charter of Democracy agreed upon by Benazir Bhutto Shaheed, who sacrificed her life for the democracy, and Mian Nawaz Sharif, the leader of the most populous province which is also center of power. This time, the military may not be able to put hurdles in the way of implementation of Charter of Democracy. This is the test of maturity and political sagacity and wisdom of the both, Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif, to safely sail through the rough waters of politics of Pakistan. And, if they fail, the mandate which in a way is also split on the lines of ethnic consciousness (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushtun, Mohajir etc.) may widen the gulf among the people of the country.
