CIVIL DICTATORSHIP IN POLITICAL PARTIES

By T.H Shah

“The political parties created democracy and modern democracy is

unthinkable save in terms of the political parties”
(Schattschneider)

Dictatorship came under plumb criticism with the emergence of

democracy as it lays emphasis upon social justice, rule of law and
supremacy of human rights without any discrimination. Even in
countries with modicum of political consciousness in peoples,
dictatorship is regarded as abhorrence. The dawn of democracy has
also waned the monarchical rules in the world; and where
incumbent has reduced it to the figurehead only with ceremonial
powers; whereas in England emotional attachment and conventional
nature of the people has lent justification for the existence of
monarchy. It is parliament, indeed, stands to be all in all. When
roots of democracy become strong, then it gives rise to stability of
political and social institutions, efficient dispensation of justice; the
values ultimately make welfare state as is the case with most of the
developed countries of the world.

Democracy inter per se is nothing without political force which

stems from the masses. When rein of power remains in the hands of
the masses, vigilant and conscious in political sense, democratic
norms and values are always in constant bloom. On the contrary,
when the masses are stricken with poverty, deprivation,
unemployment and shorn of even the basic necessaries of life, then
democracy makes the state El Dorado for vested interests. Same is
the case with Pakistan where demagogues trumpet establishment of
democracy, but still dictatorship exists in a different guise. Though
at present, coups d'état seems dormant, but the squalor of civil
dictatorship has enslaved the political system in Pakistan.

The mouthpiece of political forces in democracy is political parties

who on winning elections become responsible to administer the
whole governmental enterprise. History of democracy is in a sense
the history of political struggle by political parties whether in
western countries or Islamic countries like to be put moderately.
Strong and robust political parties able to ensure representation of
citizen and formulation of welfare-oriented policies in a state are
inevitable to democracy. The actors in policy formulation and
political sages recognise the centrality of political parties to the
democracy because the political institutions are able to measure up
to the public expectations only if they are well-entrenched in a
democratic environment. When political parties become aloof from
the citizens and elected leaders restricts themselves in their political
cocoons, then happen decline of democratic values resulting
extremist and hawkish elements in the society. Political parties in
Pakistan have never been in harmony with the democratic model

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and their failure has given birth to the issues like non-representation
of common masses in political system, decline of liberal democratic
values, and everywhere the image of the society is misrepresented
in political and social sense along with stagnancy in economic
development. The political parties in developed European countries
resemble with true democratic model. These may have relatives or
kith and kin, but their mode of working is set towards the pursuit of
democratic values in the society; these values imply economic
justice, protection of environment, alleviation of poverty, judicial
justice, gender equality, and in total the provision of equal
opportunities of development to all the peoples within the state.

The picture is reverse in Pakistan where the whole structure of

political parties is designed within the parameters of family
members like Pakistan People Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League
(PML), Motehida Qumi Movement (MQM) known to be the most
prominent for being in power. Same situation prevails in the rest of
political factions or groups characterised with the membership of
their own bloods. This evil in political parties has stayed since very
inception of the establishment of Pakistan. Feudal nawabs,
choudhries, khans, Bhuttos, Wattos, legharis, mazaris, doltanas,
tawanas and many other have been overcastted the political system
sustaining the status quo in the form of civil dictatorship sidelining
the common peoples who still have no say in politics except
manipulation of their vote due to ignorance. The plight of the poor in
the constituencies the political demagogues belong to is miserable
as these political manipulators have willingly barred the avenues for
their people that may lead to development and prosperity. The
worst injustice, to me, is being done to education system especially
in rural areas where schools and education exist in name only while
the progenies of these civil dictators are studying in European
countries. Education is one of the most important prerequisites of
democracy and it has not been given due attention because these
civil dictators know well that education will make the peoples free
mentally and financially as well and that it will result the breakdown
of political slavedom.

Strange phenomenon is the continuous trumpeting of establishing

democracy in the country while the political parties by themselves
are barren of democratic spirit. No one has even seen internal
elections within the political parties, no code of political ethics can
be found but same faces same slogans aiming at corruption,
nepotism and favouritism. At time when economy is on the downhill,
water resources are diminishing leading to energy crisis, debt trap,
is widening and country is besieged with the war against terrorism,
civil dictators of political parties are engaged in musical chairs being
quite oblivious to the gruesome crisis the whole nation is enmeshed.
Apart from other social and political ills, the worst is NRO suffice to
unveil the so-called supporters of democracy. As basic necessaries
of life are disappearing, the people have started missing the halcyon
days of the military regimes which in a way ensured the availability
of foodstuffs in the market.
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The civil dictators of political parties are adept in contriving political
structure suiting their own interests regardless of the wears and
tears of such individualistic policies upon the peoples’ destiny. Their
political regimens is survivable with the ignorance of the masses;
when the masses becomes educated, politically aware, no NRO, or
Mesak-e-Jamhooriat, eight amendment will be able to withstand
against the political accountability of the peoples as mostly happens
in Europe and United States.