09-21-2009, 12:12 AM
Sir,
Though I agree that as a society we are corrupt. It is we who bribe the Govt. officials for various reasons, it is we who do not submit tax returns, it is we who steal electricity etc. But I do not agree that our Parliament is a random sample of the general population. If our country would have been an ideal democracy then this might have been the case. But is Pakistan an ideal democracy?
How can a peasant and a laborer give an independent opinion? Can a peasant cast his vote against his feudal and landlord? I am quite certain that the average income of a parliamentarian is multiple times more than the average income of an ordinary Pakistani citizen. The percentage of population living under poverty line is speculated to be around 40%. How many of our parliamentarians represent that 40% our country? How many of our MPs represent the middle class? How can a feudal solve the problems of a peasant? How can an industrialist find solutions to the woes of a laborer? They are meant to solve our food problems, when they have never ever experienced hunger. They are meant to solve our education problems when their own children study in foreign countries. Their children then return to take over the seats of their fathers. How many of the MPs have ever traveled via public transport? Do they even know the prices of everyday groceries? Do they know what unemployment is? Sir, I for one do not believe that they represent us. They are a separate class distinct from the general population. They are the offspring of the same families which are bound to rule this nation forever because of the feudal and tribal culture prevalent in the rural as well some urban areas of our country. Many of the political parties in our country are formed on the basis of ethnicity and only get votes from people of that very ethnicity they represent. Though I do not consider it racism but I consider it as an evolved form of our tribal mentality. In short, genuine democracy, where the population casts their vote on the basis of policies and performance of the contenders, does not exist in Pakistan.
Our elections never offer any choice. The intelligentsia of our country understands this and thus never cares to vote in the elections because of the above mentioned reasons. I must add that it is only the intelligentsia which can lead any nation to prosperity. But our intelligentsia is either pessimistic about their future in this country or have already migrated to other countries.
Sir, why this isnât the case in Western democracies? Generally speaking, expatriates from Pakistan are law abiding citizens living in different countries. Why do expatriates from this country, who are products of a corrupt and morally degenerated society, follow the laws of the country to which they immigrate, and live their lives morally as per western standards? (there might be a few exceptions, but only few).
Though I agree that as a society we are corrupt. It is we who bribe the Govt. officials for various reasons, it is we who do not submit tax returns, it is we who steal electricity etc. But I do not agree that our Parliament is a random sample of the general population. If our country would have been an ideal democracy then this might have been the case. But is Pakistan an ideal democracy?
How can a peasant and a laborer give an independent opinion? Can a peasant cast his vote against his feudal and landlord? I am quite certain that the average income of a parliamentarian is multiple times more than the average income of an ordinary Pakistani citizen. The percentage of population living under poverty line is speculated to be around 40%. How many of our parliamentarians represent that 40% our country? How many of our MPs represent the middle class? How can a feudal solve the problems of a peasant? How can an industrialist find solutions to the woes of a laborer? They are meant to solve our food problems, when they have never ever experienced hunger. They are meant to solve our education problems when their own children study in foreign countries. Their children then return to take over the seats of their fathers. How many of the MPs have ever traveled via public transport? Do they even know the prices of everyday groceries? Do they know what unemployment is? Sir, I for one do not believe that they represent us. They are a separate class distinct from the general population. They are the offspring of the same families which are bound to rule this nation forever because of the feudal and tribal culture prevalent in the rural as well some urban areas of our country. Many of the political parties in our country are formed on the basis of ethnicity and only get votes from people of that very ethnicity they represent. Though I do not consider it racism but I consider it as an evolved form of our tribal mentality. In short, genuine democracy, where the population casts their vote on the basis of policies and performance of the contenders, does not exist in Pakistan.
Our elections never offer any choice. The intelligentsia of our country understands this and thus never cares to vote in the elections because of the above mentioned reasons. I must add that it is only the intelligentsia which can lead any nation to prosperity. But our intelligentsia is either pessimistic about their future in this country or have already migrated to other countries.
Sir, why this isnât the case in Western democracies? Generally speaking, expatriates from Pakistan are law abiding citizens living in different countries. Why do expatriates from this country, who are products of a corrupt and morally degenerated society, follow the laws of the country to which they immigrate, and live their lives morally as per western standards? (there might be a few exceptions, but only few).
