Recent display of banners and posters calling for a military coup in more than a dozen urban centers has initiated a new debate in Pakistan why democratic system is so prone to adventurism despite 2013 democratic transition and unprecedented overall openness.
Even after military media wing’s clarification that the army had nothing to do with this poster campaign, majority of Pakistanis still feel that the fragile democratic system is still not out of woods. Displayed by a small political party of no importance, the banners ask the current Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif to take over reigns of the country. Gen Sharif, a respected figure, has already announced that he would not even seek a second term and retire this year upon completion of his three-year service as army chief.
Lately, Nawaz Sharif’s government has faced sever public criticism for the prime minister’s staying in Britain for about two months and running the affairs of the state like an emperor. Despite some economic progress, the government looks dysfunctional in many areas and corruption scandals have also hurt its image badly.
But is that reason for rolling back the democratic progress? And will that solve a sea of problems facing the country?
On the other hand, democracy must not be taken by political parties as a license to loot national wealth through corruption. But the Constitution provides clearly laid out democratic ways to change leader of the elected house in case the leadership becomes ineffective – leaving no room for any military takeover.
In a country with a history of assassination of two prime ministers, execution of one, dismissals of several prime ministers in the 1990s, people are justified in worrying about continuation of the democratic system.
The inability of elected governments to deliver on promises is one of the major factors that fuels rumors and speculations about the possibility of yet another coup. But is that a justification for imposition of military rule in the multi-ethnic country, which must have representation of all communities for governance to be acceptable or viable.
The uncertainty born of rumors about return of military rule impacts the country negatively in many ways.
A look at the history of the military rules and their costly implications clearly establishes the fact that martial law is not answer to Pakistan’s problems.
Pakistan’s British Parliamentary system of governance experienced first derailment only 11 years after the independence when the Commander In Chief General Ayub Khan imposed first martial in the country in October 1958. The first constitution of the country was abrogated by the military dictator just two years after its promulgation.
Then the military ruler came up with the second constitution of the country in the year 1962 that was of Presidential nature. According to constitutional analysts, the institution of President was like Faisalabad’s Clock Tower as for each and every decision one had to look towards President.
The unitary nature of the constitution not only deprived the nation of enjoying a bicameral system but also created a sense of deprivation in East Pakistan and even smaller provinces of the West Pakistan. The way under the military dictator East Pakistanis were ignored is a sad tale. The East wing of the country got first Bengali Chief Secretary in 1969, 22 years after Pakistan’s inception. It is generally believed that the the first ever general elections held in 1970 under one-man one vote system, led to the dismemberment of Pakistan.
But it was the autocratic rule of Ayub Khan that had all the seeds of destruction of a country just 24 years after its establishment. After the breakaway of East Pakistan, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto tried to rebuild Pakistan and boosted the morale of the nation. During this period, Pakistan had its 1973 constitution that is still acceptable to all, although there have been a lot of amendments enacted since then.
But just after six years, another martial law was imposed by Chief of Army Staff, General Ziaul Haque by toppling the government of first popularly elected government of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The second military government is considered responsible for radicalization of Pakistani society. Besides introduction of Klashnikov and narco cultures in Pakistani society also hit the nation at that time.
Zia ul Haque ruled Pakistan for 11 years by installing so-called democratic government of Prime Minister Muhammad Khan Junejo in the center and provincial governments after 1979 local council elections and 1985 party-less elections. It was the mysterious implosion of mangoes in the C-130 plane on August 17, 1988 that led to the end of second martial law in Pakistan.
During next 11 years, Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan People Party ruled the country in an atmosphere of confrontation. During this period, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto ruled the country two times each.
It was October 12, 1999 coup by Chief of Army Staff, General Pervez Musharraf that ended the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The government of Mushrraf remained in place for about nine years and fell only after Lawyers’ movement and the entailing exit agreement between Musharraf and Pakistan People’s Party.
The 2008 Elections led to the triumph of Pakistan People’s Party at the center and PML (N) in Punjab, the biggest province of Pakistan. The PPP government was the first democratically elected government to complete a five-year constitutional tenure. But it remained dogged by energy crisis throughout its term.
In 2013 elections, the PML (N) came into power in the center, Punjab and Balochistan provinces. Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces had PPP and Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf governments respectively. The PTI of cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan has been giving a tough time to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif since the formation of his government about three years ago.
During the summer of 2014, the PTI besieged the Parliament House and Prime Minister’s House for more than three months. They were joined by Canada-based cleric, Dr. Tahirul Qadri.
In the minds of many citizens and experts, political turbulence gripping Pakistan for the last three years and dysfunction of the government pose a threat to democracy. Against this background those displaying pro-military coup banners are doing a dangerous disservice to the cause of democracy.
