NA speaker stresses promotion of intra-party democracy

ISLAMABAD: National Assembly (NA) Speaker Asad Qaiser Tuesday said that one major component of democracy is that no one person, or group or class holds power or any office on permanent basis.

The free, fair and regular elections allow fresh and vigorous mandates to enter into the system,” he said this while addressing a function organised by the SDGs Secretariat along with Pakistan Institute of Parliamentary Services, while Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights hosted a National Seminar to celebrate the International Day of Democracy in PIPS Auditorium on Tuesday.

Asad Qaisar stressed on promotion of intra-party democracy in Pakistan. He said that inculcating democratic values within the parties would strengthen the democracy in the country. He said that sustained democracy is imperative for the progress and development of the country.

He said that continuity of the democratic process ensures and upholds basic human rights ordained in Islam and guaranteed by the Constitution of Pakistan.

Speaking at the function, former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani said those who talk of presidential form of government must realise that they are talking about the rewriting the Constitution 1973 because the entire scheme dealing with legislation will have to be changed, the entire scheme dealing with executive authority will have to be changed.

“The entire concept of Trichotomy of power will be required to be changed and the question arises can the nation build such an enormous national consensus again,” he said. He said the presidential form has been tried and failed because its essentially creates centralisation and we have experimented with the concept of parity, one unit and saw the disastrous results.

Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla said democracy, in its truest form, can only survive if it works with the consent of governed. He said it is the political and social system which promotes free and organic participation of people for state’s smooth growth and progressiveness.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam said our political system has been abrupt and problematic due to many reasons. He said the major complications faced by our region is due to a disturbed and unsettled shared history, mistrust due to political and diplomatic concerns and threats of terrorism.

Former NA speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, MNA, remarked that International Day of Democracy is indeed an opportunity to reaffirm our shared commitment to protect and promote democracy. He said the democracy is a basic right of citizenship to be exercised under conditions of freedom, equality, transparency and responsibility, with due respect for the plurality of views, and in the interest of the polity. Parliaments, all over the world, are the vanguards of these rights.”

MNA Riaz Fatiyana, in his opening remarks, thanked all the participants and highlighted that the basic injunctions of democracy include, the smooth deliverance of civil and political rights to the people, encouraging maximum participation and freedom to express.

Further, he said it makes the elected representatives fully accountable to its people and are directly or indirectly answerable to them. The event was attended by parliamentarians, diplomats, civil society and students.

Event was inaugurated with a brief presentation by Executive Director Parliamentarians Commission for Human Rights Shafique Chaudhary on Parliament and Human Rights. He said democracy and human rights are interrelated and interdependent.