Friday, June 28, 2013
Continuity of democracy starts bearing fruit
So a ‘first timer’ successful transfer of people’s mandate
to a fresher mandate has taken place. A handshake between an outgoing
legitimately elected civil government with another elected government is no
less important than the creation of the country itself. Finally we have proven
and shown to the world and especially ourselves that we are no kind of savages,
as many out there want to prove us as such, many within as well.
Who to give credit for this biggest milestone, let me say
bigger even than achieving the nuclear status milestone, I think goes to Mian
Nawaz Sharif. Media, Judiciary, Establishment et al, are still busy
congratulating themselves, but none left no stone unturned for the demise of
the last elected government prematurely. Especially media considered it only
legitimate to topple a government as long as their freedom to air fiery talk shows
is assured, which runs this Biilions Rupees industry.
May be Mian Nawaz Sharif helped complete the last tenure in
an anticipation of his own tenure attaining completion (would be another ‘first
timer’ if happened), but his selfish approach, if it really was, proved to be
better omen for the nation. Democracy got strengthened. Democracy itself is not a system of government
per se (many consider it to be one, owing to lack of education about it), it
only provides a nation to develop one, which works best for itself. It gives
people not only power to govern themselves, but awards them the right and
opportunity to pursue happiness.
Now what we see with the continuity of democracy is an
increase in the belief in state(balochistan and kpk, for instance), the
confidence that we can oust a bad performing regime, the trust that our vote,
our voice bears power, which can shake the tall walls of power centers but can send
ripples abroad. That effectiveness of people power cannot be surpassed by a
media, which eternally wants to remain in the mood and mode of ‘king-makers’
and ‘kingship-breakers’. The myth has broken. And its noise has reached out to
the Eskimos of arctic and aborigines of western Australia (of course metaphorically).
Irrespective who won the elections, more important is masses are first time
breathing the fresh air out of the smoke of confusion, created by powers of
doom, about the choice between ballot and boots.
The clarity of perception, no matter how subtle, is a big
breakthrough in favour of democracy. Welcome the awareness of individual’s
right as a next step. The discourse in who is right and who is wrong is
changing into ‘who can deliver’. The slumber-loving bureaucracy has started
feeling heat of public pressure, as the shade of their long created
smoke-screen is giving way. Reminds me of my innocent question to my (ex-) French
boss almost a decade ago, how come French bureaucracy is so efficient and each
step government takes clearly seems towards welfare of general public? She first
seemed startled and then bearing with my non-democratic nationality
credentials, patiently replied (as if admonishing) that ‘they know they would
have to face public pressure’. Sure by public pressure she did not mean burning
tires, ransacking public buildings, smoldering government offices or even
staging sit-ins with donuts and coffee in hands and blocking roads, but may be
a fear of all this. As a small traffic hazard in the developed democracies puts
the whole metropolitan police in a state of an emergency.
Now the media and judiciary cannot be totally discounted
from the credit of creating the sense and hope that justice (sorry but I refuse
to budge from my POV that the terms ‘hope’ and ‘justice’ can be trademarked by
any person or party, these terms were free and should remain so, so that their
meanings and purpose of creation don’t die with the demise of any person or
party) can be achieved. Another myth busted. So the mafias and powers who wanted
to keep generations after generations in agony and ordeal by creating myths,
must be in pain, deep pain. The prone ones must be taking my cue to armed
forces, but not exactly, though there could be and most likely would be such
elements there, but I mean to point towards all who survive on the carcass of
democratic set-up, yes all scavengers and parasites, all these combine to make a single ‘anti-democracy’
interest group with varying individual/group interests.
The public out-cry against corruption has shown that a real
democracy is not a good thriving place for it. Understandably masses may not
yet be able relate rooting out of corruption with the tools democracy provides,
but they have successfully used some of these tools. And for it no party can be
credited, no matter how loud they spoke against it, especially the ones which
are in childish race of collecting credits. Political parties only spoke about
because people took the lead and raised questions, showed anger wherever
possible. Raising questions, showing anger and still remain civil is what
continuity of democracy instills in a populace. Democracy continues, hope
continues.
It’s about time that government, media, intelligentsia, various
types of influencers, intellectuals create and join a platform which can work
to spread the awareness and education about the benefits of democracy but also
how it can help and has so far helped them. Though masses have played a role
which can only be termed as sensible by opting for democracy despite a lot of
efforts to distract from it, but political parties must realize that wolves out
there still want to prey onto it. How they weaken them to the point of giving
them a death knell and how they make sure to successfully relate performance
with democracy is a billion rupee question. It’s no more a challenge, no more an
option, but it’s a MUST.
If politicians, in the presence of all cheap tactics and
conspiracies can be successful in democracy’s continuity, they can also use it
to make ‘the Pakistani dream’ come true.
Wasey Azim: the author of this blog wants to live in a democratic and prosperous Pakistan
