Pakistan: A “Defective Democratic System”

Bilal Hussain writes at the Guardian’s Comment is Free that democracy in Pakistan only serves as “an interval before the arrival of the next military regime.” Hussain attributes the weakness of democracy in Pakistan to “age-old feudal, tribal and panchayat systems,” that retain their influence over politics in the country to this day. Hussein focuses primarily on the feudal system, whereby  elites are elected to office solely “on the basis of their birth in a particular family, caste or place.” The result of this system, aside from inefficiency and ineffective governance, is “[a]lienation and disengagement from politics.” Hussain describes the reality of Pakistani democracy as he sees it: “Today, democracy is more seen as a peaceful way of tyranny and suppression; a reductionist version of justice, a fallacious idea of the rule of law and a deceptive concept of equality before law. Those who once comforted themselves that a democratic government would never let all this happen might now abandon a last delusion, that their freedom is inviolable. From liberty to equality, fraternity to sovereignty, an independent judiciary to the rights of the people, all are denied and demonised by the defective democratic system.”