In Pakistan, last year became famous by its dramatic democracy. The first thing is President Parvez Musharraf managed to get majority of people behind him and made a record in the history of dictatorships by getting 97 % votes in the referendum. He made many changes in the Constitution of 1973 in order to have the President's post. How a person can use the Constitution for his selfish ends like an ordinary book has been a puzzle for the citizens of Pakistan. But who is to stop him? Taking advantage of exactly this factor, Musharraf has been doing anything that he wants. Thereafter came the Parliamentary Elections and Assembly elections. As no party got majority in the parliament, Musharraf gave recognition to the party started by him - Muslim League. He caused rift in the People's party of Benazir Bhutto and brought his own party in power. However, when addressing the world he is declaring that Pakistan is a completely democratic state and parading himself as a President elected through electoral process.
Masuda Bano has written in Pakistan's daily 'The News" that Musharraf had claimed that within two months there will be democracy in Pakistan and it will enter the age of progress in true sense. But the picture which came before us was disappointing. Politically, Pakistan is still backward. There is no transformation in the ethics of Pakistan. Looking at the horse-trading which was done to establish Jamali Government, one cannot help feeling that the democracy in Pakistan is of horse traders only. This process is going on even after the Government was established. The Commerce Minister of Pakistan Humayun Akhtar told in a Press Conference that for democracy in Pakistan, there is no alternative to General Musharraf, even if he is in Military uniform. This means that the changes which has taken place are not for democracy, but for establishing the control of Military over the political power. Masuda Bano writes further that although Musharraf is the chief of all departments or the Prime Minister is getting him included in all the decisions, the main point is of security. Here security does not mean only saving the country from outside attack. Here the word security is used in the comprehensive meaning of security of human welfare. It covers poverty, illiteracy, mal-nutrition, ill health and harm to the environment. It is not necessary for any country to be attacked from outside to make it insecure. Demons like illiteracy and unemployment also become the impediments in the country's march towards progress and industrial development. The country in which the rate of population growth is more than that the rate of economic growth can create chaos due to the lack of sources. Such a situation of security is staring Pakistan in its face and there is need to look at it, not in a casual manner but very seriously.
It is natural in democracy to have a politics of break-away groups. But nobody will be convinced of the fact that the split in the Pakistan People's Party was done on the signal from the chief of the party of sitting abroad. First Benazir Bhutto was thinking that she will be able to form the government by making an alliance with the Majlis-e-Amal party which had the backing of six fundamentalist organisations. But when she realised that it is not possible, she signalled some people from own her party to break away and join Musharraf's party which will enable Musharraf to form the Government. Jamali's government came to power as soon there was a split in People's Party. The reason for the lead taken by Benazir Bhutto was for altogether different reason. It was to get her way clear to come back to her country. Now the newly formed Government will help Benazir to come back to Pakistan. The point in relating these details is that these parties are split not only for getting power, but also for serving the interests of their leaders too. There can hardly be any other example of how the democracy could be more hollow and selfish said to have been installed by such parties whose thinking is so much narrow and selfish.
There was an article published in the English Weekly "Saturday Tribune" (Editor : Shahin Sahabai) published from Washington. The heading of the article was "Is there a danger to Pakistan from the Military"? Writer had argued that - From Marshal Ayub Khan to General Parvez Musharraf, Military has been an economic and political power. The Military has been blackmailing the 14 crore people of the country. Military personnel have lived in luxury and kept the ordinary public in misery by scaring it with Hindu Power and the fear of aggression by India. The writer has also asked the question - If the Military of Pakistan is so powerful and dedicated to the nation, why have they not been able to solve the Kashmir problem on political or social level? People of Pakistan are so weak that they are giving permission to the 6 lakh Military to rule over it again and again. Now the Military has become a political party which still has the Mafia qualities in it. Military has become an Institution inseparably linked with the politics of the country and richest by way of resources and wealth.
From the First Marshal Law in 1958 till General Parvez Musharraf came to power in 1999, Pakistan Military has been using a strategy of three ways. First is it has made its political sides strong. Second is it has pushed aside all political powers coming in its way and third is it has strengthened its economic hold and has created such Mafias who have become agents and are working on international level. Another evil effect of the entry of the Military in political field is that for the last 30 years, the use of loans being received from foreign countries is being made for the luxuries and weapons of the Military personnel. Consequently, the national economy and social field have been completely shattered. Under the name of national security, Pakistan is protecting its Mafias only. Today 50% people of Pakistan are below the poverty line. During the next 10 years, these people are going to reach to the level of starvation. People of Pakistan think that they will be able to save themselves by praying to Allah. But it is not going to be sufficient. They will have to fight with their own Military. What more unfortunate thing can there be when people have to fight with their own Military?
In a poor country like Pakistan,
there are 40 lakh employees in the state and local administration.
It is not difficult to imagine what difficult situation this increasing
burden on the people's head is going to create. After the recent
elections, the number of members in the parliament has gone up to 342 from
227. The number of the provincial assembly members is 728 and together
they make a total of 1070. Large parliament means large contingent
of Ministers. How a country whose agriculture and industries have
been razed to ground, can afford such political expenses? Only one alternative
is left and that is of loan from foreign countries. A warmongering nation
like America need military bases of Pakistan. Pakistan has been recovering
the price of its being the stooge of America. It is doing it today even.
On the strength of what it gets, either it threatens India or exploits
the entire country (Pakistan) by transforming it into a vast Military camp.
Pak's earnings means foreign loans. Once upon a time, the Pakistanis
living in the Middle East and Engineers in America were sending Money Orders.
It is now drastically reduced. Hence, foreign loans is the sole source.
They will enjoy luxuries on it, but the repeat loans and the increasing
interest on it, will one day definitely destroy everything.