THE Senate’s election charade and the saga of shameful sale-purchase of MNAs/MPAs remind one of Johan Galtung’s ‘Theory of Structural Violence’, according to which lasting peace is linked to the redressal of inequities embedded in the socio-political structure of a state.

The way Senate elections are conducted in an indirect manner gives no leverage to people to hold their non- performing and corrupt legislators accountable.

The process actually disenfranchises people and allows the venal politicians to make a fast buck at the expense of ethics and morality. People of dubious merit and credentials known for their servility to party bosses come on top while the exemplars of integrity stay excluded from political participation.

The asking rate of Rs25 million for purchase of an MPA vote in the current Senate election is as scathing an indictment of this dissolute electoral process as could ever be experienced.

Those up for sale have no moral compunction and those purchasing these saleable commodities have no moral scruples.

In this state of ethical anomie who is to act as a moral Leviathan for the poor, betrayed and frustrated people of Pakistan? The army, the judiciary, the US, or Allah?

Brig(r) Raashid Wali Janjua

Rawalpindi

Published in Dawn March 7th , 2015

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