Democratic dilemma

Let me start with a quote whose author I cannot remember ‘where blind and naked ignorance/delivers brawling judgements unashamed/on all things all day long.’ Pakistan came into being promising a new homeland but above all a fair deal to every one. Have we done this or are we still living in a world of paradox where hereditary work is going on-whichever, whoever and whatever may be the party in power? Three words have been in the democratic flavour of late – (1) consensus; (2) all have to be on the same page; and (3) we must sit on a table and discuss.

These are echoed by all. I tried to see whether any of these were in the manifestoes of any of the party. I found that they were arrogant enough to say that they will achieve all the party manifestoes in the minimum time and some actually gave a timetable. A timeline was given. Some even went so far as to say that they would change their sir names if they did not achieve what they had averred.

So how has that affected our economic situation? Has it become better? If the collective wisdom of the people has spoken then what is the end result? And who are the path destroyers. Take a look at the commodities’ price structure. The food inflation has risen beyond imagination. The reasons are there for everyone to see but no one is pushed. People of lesser imagination and lesser abilities have come to stay in the organisations. This was bound to happen because no one really likes a civil servant that is not a personal servant to the political party. All political parties are on the same page so far as this is concerned. They will sit endlessly and talk shop and accuse anyone and everyone only to save them from being accused of ignorance and oxymoron work.

Over the years, institutions have been destroyed. The governments of the day were warned of the consequences of the reforms (Musharraf government) but they were adamant that the police as a uniform ‘peti bhai’ will be able to perform as a second line of defence to the other uniform. The police personnel are in the habit of catching criminals and their entire training is towards that end. Their cognitive abilities are limited and they are supposed to be dealing with issues that safeguard society from criminal activities. That was their traditional role. Have they done their job to anyone’s satisfaction? If so, please go to the police station and register what you want. I hope someone will listen to you. The police have criminalized society as such. These days they are after the two wheelers and daily we see that they are herding every two-wheeler driver into a specially-designed truck and taken to the police station where deals are struck. ‘Karwai ho rahi hai’ is the slogan. They are catching terrorists. The nakas that we see and the asset build-up that is visible to anyone that wants to understand the strains of a society unable to cope with independence.

The democratic dilemma is how to stop these upfront lower formations of society from damaging the colours of a political system. If this is the upfront problem in urban areas, what about the patwari in rural areas? What is the reason as to why we cannot bring in a meaningful intervention and change the institutional arrangements?

We have our champions of exploitation and virtuosos of avarice. So what holds sway in Pakistan – reason or money? Invariably the power structure will opt for the latter. The democratic process seeks the means to an end and certainly the ends are achievable when the financial resources are made available or are with the candidate. The dilemma is that kind of financial resources are not available with anyone that seeks an elected office. So are the honesty principles only principles and we need not follow the ends but allow any means to affect our judgment as to what is right and what is wrong. Principles are that much more difficult to follow and very easy to preach.

How then does the democratic order determine who are the pathfinders and who are the path preservers (status quo) and who are the path destroyers? Does the democratic system allow for excellence or is that lost to the lowest common denominator? In the intellectual field there are many kinds of excellence. There is excellence in the specialist and there are excellent personnel in the generalised fields of management. But let it be said that the destruction of a resource is very much the ambit of the specialist. India had its Jharkand where the development process that was the responsibility of the engineers (37 dams, big-medium and small) was rubbished by the floods that came some months ago. The death toll was extremely high.

The intellect development is dependent on the degree of liberal thought that is available in a country. If there is doctrinaire and dogma I am afraid that nothing much can be done. Everything has a bottom except fanaticism that is written on the minds of the specialist. A Harvard professor has put it well by simple coining a new word ‘consiliency’ – meaning thereby that the consideration of other than the specialist is called for to take into considerations that may occur. The specialist is down a straight line.

So what can Pakistan do to tone up the entire society? We at the moment are muddling through. Pakistan will be floundering unless individuals at many levels of ability do not accept that there is a need for high standards of performance and strive to achieve those standards. The time is short for us and therefore the effort has to be a quick one. What is crucial to our society? The need for excellence has to be in all fields but then what is required of the democratic process? The end of cronyism, the end of selfish interests furthered at the expense of the country. The caretakers and the various packages (Balochistan) and the previous governments have been guilty of gross misconduct. Selfish, narrow interests do not help any government no matter how heavy a mandate they have. Opposition has to be a strong point in any democracy so as to check the party in power. It is culturally not possible to have island of excellence. Who is to pick-up the entire nation from the bootstraps? Why this sea of slovenly performance? Let it be said that each calling has its own set of elites and these elites are performers, they are the prima donors. Wish them well for they may yet set an example. Where then do we set merit standards and high moral goals? The task is difficult and not an easy one. What is the harm in trying? Can Pakistani society get rid of hate? That is the flip side of the coin. Think a while. There is no need to fashion excellence and performance. It is either there or not. Time is running out.