close
Tuesday March 19, 2024

Not for technocracy

By our correspondents
September 23, 2017

This refers to the article, ‘Towards technocracy’ (Sep 20), by Atta-ur-Rahman. He has tried to explain the complex history of Pakistan through a simple approach. He pointed out that from 1947 to 1958, Pakistan was a democratic country. This is not true. Under the given period, except Liaqat Ali Khan, all rulers, including Ghulam Muhammad, Iskander Mirza, Mohammad Ali Bogra and Chaudhry Muhammad Ali, were technocrats and not politicians. During Ayub Khan’s Martial law, from 1958 to 1968), high economic growth was achieved at the cost of civil liberties, coupled with repression. This alienated the people especially from the one living in East Pakistan. In that era, the 1965 war destroyed the economy. During Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s period in office, Pakistan’s economic growth was seven percent. Big projects were initiated and the status of college lecturers was uplifted. On the other hand, during the third Martial Law of Zia ul Haq, the country was flooded with millions of Afghan refugees. Drugs and Kalashnikov rifles found their way into the country. During his period in office, the MQM was created. All of this is still haunting Pakistan. During the period of Nawaz Sharif, the concepts of privatisation, deregulation and liberalisation were introduced. Economic growth at that period was more than five percent. Big economic projects like motorways and industries were started.

Quaid-i-Azam always favoured the parliamentary system of the government for this diverse Pakistan. He himself was a governor general in 1947 and Liaquat Ali Khan was the first prime minister of Pakistan. During the General Ayub era, the presidential form of government was started. It was failed miserably and later no one followed the form of government. It should not be forgotten that all Pakistan-India wars which destroyed the country’s economy were fought during the military regimes. Pakistan needs more democracy and participation of people in the affairs of the country rather than technocracy.

Dr Ziauddin (Peshawar)