SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
By Zulqarnain Sewag, Jhang
Asia The SAARC Charter of Democracy denotes as ‘convinced that undemocratic and unrepresentative governments, weaken national institutions undermine the constitution and the rule of law and threaten social cohesion and stability in the long-run, we hereby commit to strengthen democratic institutions and to reinforce democratic practices.’ But unfortunately none of the member state has truly abided by it. Democracy is not merely a form of governance or casting of votes but a complete code of state functioning in every walk, sphere and segment. Democracy is a culture, an individual and national way of life and voice of the masses without any bigotry. One of the major issues regarding democracy in South Asia is that it is fully under the influence of feudal lords bestowed to this region by the Britain, business tycoons and army generals. Political revenges, rivalries and personal vengeances have overpowered the politics of this region. Due to bleak governance in the region, all the countries are facing unbridled challenges in every field of life including political malfunctioning, apathy in solving socio-economic challenges, denied and costly justice, violation of human rights and mass illiteracy, corruption and poverty. USA and West are playing double game in this region, on one hand they notion democracy and on the other hand support dictators here. The truth is that they support, install and influence the governments that intend to be their puppet. Colonial rule is still persistent but in multiple forms and shapes. Western aid can’t change the political course of this region until the region itself. South Asia is composed of myriad cultures, languages and religions. It is full of commonalties, contradictions and diversities. It is one of the world’s most populated regions. SAARC, the representative organization of the region has failed at every front. The concept of large armies especially of India and Pakistan with advanced military equipments has undermined the socio-economic development as larger portion of their budgets goes to military spending every year. Lac of competent and patriotic leadership has further created hurdles in the advancement of democracy. Regional countries have no mutual trust and always blame each other of state terrorism. Hung governments and multiple political and religious parties have weakened the case of democracy. Liberation movements in the whole region are rampant. Media is partial, biased and always available for sale. Persecution of minorities and discriminations on the basis of castes, races and ethnicity are major black spots on the faces of all these regional countries. Miss governance is their common trait and practices. There is a broader gap between the affluent and the destitute. These countries are rich in natural resources but poor in governance thus are an easy prey to MNCs and WTO under the slogan of globalization. They export raw material and import finished goods made of their own exported raw material. Elections here are rigged. Institutions are personalized and misused and they are always at daggers drawn. Caste system in the region is still prevalent and defines and demarcates the horizons of politics and society. Religious, linguistic and racial radicalization is intensifying. Minorities are always under attacks. Pakistan is divided among few feuds, corporate and military men. Every one prefers what suits to its conceited interests. Since inception, Pakistan is like an ownerless property between these forces. They all always play hide and seek on the cost of national development. Political chaos, economic adversity, social anarchy, religious hypocrisy and cultural degradation are the prominent pixels in the present picture of this naturally rich and resourceful country. Afghanistan is caught up in US-West plots and Taliban’s terrorism, it is at the same time struggling for the survival of simply a state and nation. India which calls itself the world biggest democracy has least Muslims’ and other communities’ representation in its assemblies. Its current cabinet is full of criminals as is given judgment by its own supreme court. The right wing at now is ruling India which has posed serious threats for minorities. More than thirty separatist movements are ongoing in the country and state’s forces are busy in crushing them. The brutality in Kashmir from last 67 years is a testament of this barbarity. India’s hegemonic designs to become super power in Asia and beyond have further sabotaged the nurturing of democratic culture. There is proven Indian involvement in fueling terrorist and separatists groups in Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Such state really hurts the flourishing of democracy as a whole. Nepal which threw 240 years old throne in 2006 and became a republic is still failed to draft a permanent constitution. People are so impoverished. Nepal which attracts tourists from all over the world due to its natural beauty with world highest peak Mount Everest is socially unstable and economically frustrated. Democracy is failed to flourish due to snooty interests of different political parties who want to always stay in power. Bangladesh is sandwiched between two families since its separation from Pakistan. Religious extremism, political animosities and economic uplifting are still major challenges for the government that are proving stampede in the way of democracy. Sri Lanka that has fought a long war against the LTTE, though, has highest literacy rate in the region but has many challenges regarding mitigation of socio-economic deprivations. But overall the state of democracy is better than that in other regional countries. Maldives, a paradise of the region is facing religious conservatism, effects of global warming caused by other countries and poverty. It has to come out of this sorry state of affairs. Bhutan is also passing from transitional stage. Its mere idea of Gross National Happiness is not enough but it has to take practical steps to alleviate corruption, unemployment and ballooning debt to make the people happy in real sense. SAARC is the victim of the jaggedness of its member states and geo-political ambitions and supremacy. Mass literacy, marginally empowerment of the weak and neglected segments of the society, equal participation of women in national development and decision making, institutional formation, integration and reverence, emancipation from socio-economic problems, decentralization and empowered local governance, free and fair elections can play decisive role in the sustenance and perpetuation of the democracy in the region. True democracy is the only panacea for the wounds, deprivations and differences of this region.
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