Dawn.com invites readers to debate current affairs in this forum.
On Thursday, President Asif Ali Zardari called upon the government to take the appropriate steps to implement the Charter of Democracy. The CoD has many points on its agenda, including the removal of undesirable powers to the president that he enjoys under the 17th constitutional amendment as well as the restoration of the constitution as it stood in 1973.
President Zardari has described the CoD as ‘our compass in a rough sea’ and a guide to Pakistan’s democratic future. Do you think the implementation of the CoD will help strengthen national democratic institutions? What impact will the implementation of the CoD have on relations between the PPP and PML-N?
Pakistan is a Balkan-like agglomeration. When strongman Tito disappeared from Yugoslavia, the multi-cultural pressure-cooker blew its lid. No flimsy charter can keep the lid on Pakistan, nor can the flimsy umbrella of religion do it. How long until the seat of government is removed from Islamabad, under attack from the much-emboldened Taliban?
How can a leader seems to be unable to feel the pulse of nation’s basic need of ‘power’ or energy for their daily consumption and production
of consumer goods.
The Minister concerned changed the clock in mid week to further disrupt life, didn’t wait till the weekend to help adjust to normal routine.
Load shedding is still on and even more so in many parts of the country and yet there is no one who is actively promoting the idea of alternative source of energy,
namely, wind, solar or hydro.
ENERGY is the main source of progress and
development. Without POWER, there is nothing except CRIMES and Murders.
YOU can only upgrade your lifestyle if you have POWER through wires.
You can harp on democracy, politics, literacy, religion, economic, security, food, Law and order….all day long, it doesn’t mean a thing.
On the other hand our public has become so complacent, lack that spirit to stand up, tirelessly, selflessly and continuously to
demand what they are asked to pay for or penalized for.
PUBLIC pays the salaries of all those who are elected or SELECTED on merits and
supposed to “work” for them, honestly, humbly and with humility….in the government offices, that’s why they are called PUBLIC servants, but are they ?.
Why cant we eliminate the inefficient bureaucrats who cannot work but only talk ?
ANY one without any basic common sense working in the government or
elsewhere, get rid of them pronto.
Can we concentrate on the main mode of survival and put the country
back on the map once again ?
Any one who disagrees with me, please speak up and say so and why,
STOP hoping, stop expecting, start doing without TRYING.
STAY focused on your survival.
The world has become acutely allergic to the name of our country, and you are still proud with your head buried in the sand.
Inshallah comes only IF you consolidate your good and helpful ideas and work together, NOW.
Allah will help only, if you join hands and work for everyone’s benefit.
YOU are who you choose to lead you, choose wisely without being bought.
62 Years have gone by without making a positive dent in world affairs.
PITY.
Democracy in Pakistan cannot be instituted and no it is not because your Army tends to take control of your country at the slightest pretext but it is so because Pakistanis do not have the free spirit of expression. They seem happy being led by who ever or what ever, the well being of the country does not seem to be a driving force. I think Pakistan has lost the plot and with its military remaining unwilling or even unable to help the government in taking the path to normalcy, one does not expect democracy in any form to survive within Pakistan. First, there must be will of the people (which is absent), then there must be voice of the people (which is stifled), and finally there must be movement by the people which is non existent.
Unless there is a miracle, Pakistan wont need democracy very soon it will need a change of name from Pakistan to Talibanistan.
The govt is happy knowing that twothirds of billions of aid pledged by the so called friends of Pakistan will end up in their pockets. This is the “bhatta” these that is being extracted from the world promising to keep it safe.
it is our compass in the orugh sea. But it become a compass when the leaders needs it. It become useless once the ineterst is served.
We have a democratic constitution of 1973. just imlement that and clean it off all the aberrations inserted in it by the Dictatators from Zia to Musharraf. that noble act would be more applaudable than the alternative, as is considerd in general opinion, the CoD.
Our compass in a rough sea’?
Dear S Akhtar I totally agree with your views expressed at 11 am, 13April 09.
With a country headed by likes of present politicans, i doubt anyone can say or will ever even say that we live in a democracy. Whatever the charter of democracy is, it will have no effect on the country.
Can someone tell me what will this charter of democracy do the inflation, economics and literacy rate of this nation?
The same people who were shouting democracy when the country was prospering during Musharaf are screaming for the heads of the people they themselves chose. Now Pakistanis have to deal with the stupidity of their own making. The only reason why pakistan is still standing is because it is a nuclear power.
Even now Pakistanis are confused and blame Americans for the wars and the whole Taliban attack. They still blame US for their their own mistakes during election. They think Lal Masjid should not have been attacked. They think this Swat deal will help them. Shame on this naive thinking. One of these days hopefully Pakistanis will come out of their shell and look at the world rather than Nawaz and Benazir and Her husband Zardari for guidance.
What is our govt talking about CoD, democracy,hahah what a laugh. the outlawed militants have been given a free hand to do what they want. What will happen to the women of NWFP?
Shame on us
democracy in pakistan is run by party feudal lords and there herds follow them like sheep. A country in which law is not respected,discarded like peel of banana on foot path not knowing its consequence.Democracy is for the people by the people not the right of few family. our rulers are insenstive to public needs. We are master of blames game but never look into ourself. This life is our test, but collectively we failed.
It is strange that people are warning loudly about the survival of Pakistan, but never give a solution. There are no quick fixes. It’s a battle we have to fight. The first important step in this battle is political stability. And Charter of Democracy, though not a panacea, will be first in the direction of political stability.
We go on lament the supposed inability of the politicians, but we should also remember that every dictatorship comes and goes, Pakistan get disasters in return. Ayub gave us the problem of East Pakistan, Yayha completed the task in 1971, Zia gave Islamization, guns, drug culture, ethnic violence and set up basis for today’s Taliban, and Musharraf did everything to destabilize the country and like his predecessors, he has succeeded.
Yes. We hope problems will be resolved, if COD is implemented and Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, and Kayani remain sincere with the nation. No more cheating to the nation by these three.
Nothings gonna work. The politicians do not like change. COD type laws/ commitment are already present in the system. Nothing works.The whole nation is stuck in religious bigotry and ignorance. There’s no tolerance in society.Whole edifice is slowly crumbling but nobody wakes up and takes charge. Sleepy government does not discern that extremists are waiting like vultures to take over. We need a strong saviour…
well if the problems have been solved by only words then their would not have been any. But unfortunately we need actions which none of our present leaders is capable of.
yes if COD is implemented in true spirit and word…then yes it would be what is required to make Pakistan the country we all want to make it and the country it is destined to become inshaAllah. and then always there can be discussions on how to improve it.
With the current leadership at the helm – no Chance.
I have read many of comments here and most of commentators are not hopeful, and talking about dictatorship and all, i want to tell some thing that dictatorship is not an option, we even musn’t think about this. Keep faith in democracy and i am sure that one day it will change our lives, one day it will be fruitful, there is only one year gone after a long period of dictatorship and people have already started talking about dictatorship, i agree that this government have not performed at the highest of our expectation but it has performed, and will continue to do so, and things which wont be done during this government will be done in next and we have our options and we can empower who ever we want to and to those in whom we have confidence, keep faith in democracy it will be fruitful, these are my words and keep them in your mind and inshallah in very short period of time we will see results.
coming to real issue of CoD, i will say its very important document and will be implemented very soon inshallah, hope for the best, but there should be some other articles must included in this modification of constitution like provincial autonomy, that we do it one for all and we get out of this constitutional problems and face on others like economic and interior security, i am getting very good hopes of our government and things will change very soon inshallah.
What COD? Who cares about COD?? It is our basic survival at stake right now. Please, nobody try to give me some idealistic spiel that this would in the long run solve this and that. People, there is NO long run for Pakistan right now. Taliban are knocking at Islamabad’s door. My father came back from the mosque today having a pamphlet in his hand which asked men to have beards and women to stay at home and refrain from driving. I am talking about ISB here. No COD can save us right now- these are issues to be tackled in the time of luxury. Is anybody listening? Where is the army?? Aren’t they there to save and protect us from the enemy?? or is it that they do not consider Taliban an enemy??
As an Indian citizen of a democratic India, I certainly wish that Pakistan implements the Charter of Democracy. But the real democracy and the real intersts of Pakistan require the total abolition of all terrorist organisations, all terrorist training camps, putting its agencies under the total control of the democratic elected civilan government. Democracy cannot florish if the agencies are not subordinate to the elected government.
inshaALLAH… It will be ideal for pakistani people if it is implemented. All the 36 points of this agreement are truly according to wishes of the nation.
men, come alive.. what COD? as long as our parliaments are under the control of feudal lords nothing would change it would rather be from bad to worst, the first and foremost chapter in the COD or any such document should contain abolotion of fedual lords who are nothing but incompetant masters left by the legacy of british RAJ.
progress of india is solely based on the goodwill of valabhai patel who right after independance done away with feudals, we need either a valabhai patel or the mases should first demand real independance by doing away with these feduals either by a clause in the COD or the street power like they just now done with the lawyers forum leading the call. Has any one the guts to really make Pakistan independat for at the moment we are nothing but held hostage into the bonds of slavery. WAKE UP PAKISTAN FREEDOM OR DISASTER.
CoD, What Democracy? in our dictionary their is no such word. The political players keep changing but the game remains the same “cat and mouse”. Extremism etc, who will put the bell in the cats neck? We all play with words and have become masters in disguising. Real issues remain same. Mollana Abdul Azad said: Pakistan is an experiment. Things are getting bad since 1971 and worse after 9/11. Where do we stand after ten years? We are only good in talking. Our TV channels are full with such talk shows and nobody is willing to take the action. We shift responsibility. When we will wake up? Why cant we do things on our own instead depending on others.
Unfortunately with a population of 200 million we have no good leaders.
The implementation of CoD in it’s true meaning will lead to positive relation between the two major parties of Pakistan, namely PML-N and PPPP. As it addresses the chief demands of PML-N, such as the restoration of the 1973 constitution being the highlight.
It will restore the NA’s lost power right back at its disposal and make PM the unmistakeably head of the Government. A move which is sure to win the hearts of all the MNAs [!].
Moreover, the hot relations between the two major parties will cool to some extent. But cannot be full repaired until there is some truly positive approach by the PP to bridge the confidence gap with the PML-N. A sure way for this is to conduct the trial of ex-President Musharraf.
Implementation of character of democracy in it letter and spirit is essential but the democratic credientials of our leaders are dubious. bad leadership and decisions have ruined to a great extent the notion of nation state as envisioned by late founder of pakistan mohammad ali jinnah. first we pakistani restore and rehabilitate that lost dream of jinnah before demanding restoration or establishing true democratic insitutions in the country.
Our soveriegn contry is being bombed daily in Nwfp on a dalily basis by a foriegn country…do you realy believe getting rid of taliban will sort you out..Never !!!!
Stop bombing NWFP ,put some faith in your country men,give some rsepect to those who are killed daily, honour their patriotism and get rid of”CRIMIMINAL” leaders and then see what a wonderful land and a wonderful nation we are.