LAHORE, Oct 30: Democracy cannot be restored unless people are given basic human needs, says PPP-SB chairman Ghinwa Bhutto.

She was speaking at a seminar on ‘Democracy in Pakistan’ organized by the Education Foundation in collaboration with the ABF Sweden here on Thursday.

Emphasizing on accountability of police, she said the country had been converted into a police state by the past governments.

She said Pakistan and India should realize that they could not defeat each other. The imperialistic forces from whom they were purchasing arms would not allow elimination of any of the two.

Supreme Court Bar Association former president Hamid Khan regretted that the army was using the judiciary for its gain.

He said Article 6 of the LFO had barred parliament from touching any major law and despite that it was being said that democracy had been restored.

He believed that democracy could not be restored until the generals who had violated the constitution and judges who had provided a legal cover to these unconstitutional rulers were not tried under treason cases.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan secretary-general Hina Jilani said social injustice, corrupt bureaucracy, lack of common man’s interest and confidence in political process, irresponsible judiciary and ignorance of masses about their rights were other main hurdles in the way of restoration of democracy.

“When the country was being run through secret agencies for the last 50 years, talking of democracy was a wastage of time.”

Labour Party secretary-general Farooq Tariq said four elements — eradication of feudalism, promotion of democratic values, industrial progress and social justice — were necessary for democracy.

He said corrupt feudal, industrialist and capitalist politicians were being patronized by the army.

He said Gen Musharraf was a representative of imperialists’ institutions — the IMF and the World Bank — and generals were the biggest feudal force in the country.

He claimed that the Thal canal and Kalabagh dam were being constructed to irrigate lands of generals.

He also alleged that Gen Musharraf, Gen Yusuf and others had got 100 kanals each along the new motorway to Murree.