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Democracy Cannot Survive Without
Active and Effective Constitution
Today the biggest threat to Pakistan’s
democracy is continuing ineffectiveness and helplessness of the
constitution.
Constitution is ineffective, because the
political arrangement that emerged in result of February 18,
2008 elections has practically shied away from activation of
constitution by refusing to undo amendments illegally inducted
in the constitution by former dictator general (Rtd) Musharraf.
As a duly elected government, it was PPP’s
foremost responsibility to clean the constitution from the
illegal infusions. The steps should have been taken in this
regard as soon as the elected representatives entered in the
parlors of power. Judiciary should have been restored, illegally
inducted amendment should have been removed, and the people who
adulterated the constitution should have been apprehended and
put on trial to assure all stakeholders of Pakistani state that
the constitution was back in power.
Judiciary was not restored by the elected
government until the people of Pakistan took it to streets and
the current Army Chief Ashfaq Pervaiz Kiyani made few phone
calls and trips to President House.
The constitution still has not been cleaned
from the contaminations. It is still bleeding, because the
people who adulterated it are still free from any fear of
constitutional grits. The key adulterer, General (Rtd) Musharraf
is still flying around the globe like a free bird.
The parliament, the main seat of power of
constitution, is still yawning and engaged in undesirable
activities like a late night call girl.
The Judiciary, the main protector of the
constitution, is still trying to close the holes through which
General (Rtd) Musharraf’s remnants are constantly blowing hot
air to maintain the heat under its seats.
Shameless Dogar, who should have been in jail
under article 6 clause 2 B by now for active participation in
General (Rtd) Musharraf’s constitution’s adulteration process,
has eventually started spraying poison in Pakistan’s
socio-political atmosphere.
Instead what are we listening from all
quarters is, everyone wants to save the system. No one wants the
current dull, crude, and ugly democratic system should derail.
PPP’s all spokespersons’ arguments in defense
of current system circle around the idea of saving it from
derailment.
Main opposition party, PML (N)’s leadership
also does not want to be the part of any effort which derails
the current system.
What kind of this democracy or this system is
which is allowing all criminals, former and present, to continue
their activities without any fear of persecution? And who are
the people both on treasury and opposition benches who want to
preserve this inactive and ineffective system with handicapped,
flawed and limping constitution?
An active and effective constitution is the
fundamental requirement to sustain democracy. All those who are
trying to keep the constitution inactive and ineffective in hope
to save the current dull, crude and ugly democracy are seriously
mistaken.
It has never worked before, and it is not
going to work this time. Consider this democracy’s days numbered
if the constitutional writ is not established on all those
individuals and forces who participated in the process of
adulteration of the constitution during general Musharraf’s
tyrannical rule.
Constitution has to hit all adulterers back
with full force to establish its writ. Constitution cannot do it
on its own. It can only strike back through the active role of
its three important components: Executive, Parliament and
Judiciary.
Since, the priorities of all three
constitutional components are other than defending the
constitution of Pakistan, therefore, the present set-up is
definitely destined to perish and once again leave Pakistan in
shambles.
The time Executive, Parliament, Judiciary and
Media re spending on War on Terror, we wish they would have
spend half as much time on re-establishment of writ of the
constitution. Pakistan may have already started healing and the
nascent Democracy may have already started taking roots in
Pakistani society.
Unfortunately, all three components:
Executive, Parliament and Judiciary have different priorities.
Constitution is their last priority.
We want to warn all three branches: Without
active and effective constitution, there will be no peace, no
democracy and no country, but bunch of criminals roaming around,
holding press conferences, and delivering lectures around the
globe.
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