Real democracy

A government of the people, for the people and by the people is real democracy. The purpose of the government is to work for the betterment of the people, provide them with basic necessities, and ensure basic freedoms for every citizen irrespective of race, gender, religion or ethnicity. The purpose of the opposition is to keep an eye on the government, ensuring that they keep their promises and work for the betterment of the country. Any departure from this is a travesty of the democratic system. Unfortunately, although we tend to call Pakistan a democracy, it is anything but a democratic country. Our ruling elite works only for self-serving purposes, be it those in government or the ones in opposition.

Ideally, parties should grow from the bottom up so that people have a say in electing their party leader and how the country is to be run. Only then will the benefits of democracy flow to everyone. However, in our country, no party is truly democratic. Leaders are selected by a handful of close family or friends. None of the parties allows the voice of a common person to be heard. I believe that things will change only when people have a say in intra-party leadership selection. Unless that happens, our ruling elite will keep taking us for granted.

Raja Shafaatullah

Islamabad