| Finally, there is the much-maligned argument that
Pakistan’s history proves that democracy has not worked
in Pakistan. This is total nonsense. If one looks
at Pakistan’s history, all one finds is vast periods
of non-democracy — mostly under non-elected rule,
but often also under elected rule. Empirically, the
only thing that one can say on the basis of this history
is that non-democracy does not work in Pakistan. As
one surveys the socio-political landscape one finds
the country in the grips of poverty, disease, despair,
sectarianism, extremism, violence, and much more.
But none of these can be blamed on democracy, simply
because we have never really allowed meaningful democracy
for any meaningful period of time. There are many
things that don’t work in Pakistan, but all evidence
suggests that democracy is not one of them. At least,
not yet.
Adil Najam:
Democracy and Pakistan |
