THE constitution must embody the well-being and aspirations of the people. Laws should be implemented to protect the rights of the people and only then can democracy flourish.

Flaws in implementing the laws are forcing people to hold protests on the streetsto seek justice.

Mid-course corrections are urgently required to save democracy from derailing. Its litmus tests are as follows:

1.) Ask not how many protesters there are in Islamabad. Strength does not come from physical presence but from the indomitable will of the people.

2.) Ask if the killers of innocent people of Model Town should go free. Demanding justice is the people’s right.

3.) Ask if the conflict of interests and merit has been safeguarded which are essential in a democratic set up. Make a list of the relatives of the ruling elite who are ministers and heads of public corporations.

4.) Ask why the Election Tribunal did not address the rigging complaints in some of the constituencies. Election reforms should be on a continuous basis.

5.) Ask why local body elections have not been held in the provinces, thus denying the right of the people to solve their problems at the grassroots level.

6.) Ask why the police is so politicised and corrupt, and whether the justice system has delivered justice to the aggrieved. We can and we must address the flaws in the system. Only then will democracy function.

Wing Cdr (r) Mushtaq Ahmed
Doha, Qatar

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2014