This refers to the article ‘How to hold a grand national dialogue’ (Dec 11) by Mosharraf Zaidi. The 220 million people of the country are the real stakeholders and their interests must be supreme. So far, they have had a little role in the affairs of the state – with the two percent of the population ruling the 98 percent. The purpose of any dialogue must be to bring a genuine democracy to the country – not the existing hybrid system, sharpen the accountability process, strengthen transparency and empower the masses. Any discourse that falls short of these fundamentals would fail. Therefore, a committee should be set up under the chief justice of Pakistan, who will act as a neutral umpire, to rewrite the constitution to ensure checks and balances, create more provinces, abolish the quota system, revisit the 18th amendment, introduce judicial and police reforms, introduce electoral reforms, make the Election Commission strong and independent, to abolish feudalism in all form, and to provide education to every child. All institutions must extend their full support in the implementation of these reforms. After this, free and fair elections can be held.
Arif Majeed
Karachi