THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘A genuine offer?’ (March 16). Electoral reforms for the country, of course, are as vital as healthy lungs are for human beings. Unfortunately, the social contract virtually agreed between the ruler and the ruled on April 10, 1946, at the All-India Muslim League Legislators’ Session at Delhi, and as further elaborated by the Quaid-i-Azam in his address to the Constituent Assembly on Aug 11, 1947, seems to have lost its efficacy.

The term social contract concisely refers to the idea that state exists only to serve the will of the people who are the source of all political power enjoyed by the state. Needless to add that social contract is one of the foundations of the American political system.

Indeed it is a good and timely gesture on the part of the ruling party to invite the opposition to discuss and resolve crucial issues, like electoral reforms, to save the country from falling into the abyss of anarchy.

In any meaningful reforms, gender inequality shall top the agenda. Despite incessant efforts by various individuals and organisations, both national and international, Pakistan ranks 151st on the Global Gender Gap Index that lists 153 countries, with only Iraq and Yemen behind us.

The need of the hour is to have separate (direct) electorates for women who may not only get representation in all the federal and provincial assemblies, but also in all public offices in proportion to their share in the population, which may be 47-48 per cent if determined through a fair census.

The other issue that needs serious attention by all political parties and the legislators is to accord due recognition to the neglected local government system, which is the third tier of governance that is an integral component as provided by Article 7 of the Constitution.

Once it is done, it becomes mandatory not only to devolve maximum powers to it, but also to allocate funds to the districts on the same formula as devised by the National Finance Commission for the distribution of the Net Divisible Pool to the first two tiers, which are the federal and provincial governments.

It must be conceded that we have become a country with four ethnic regions.

Having more provinces is not a solution. What we need is 129 fully empowered districts having adequate share of the divisible pool under the overall umbrella of the four administrative units called provinces.

Thirdly, before the dates for holding general elections are announced, all political parties should be made to hold fair and free intra-party elections under the strict supervision of the Election Commission of Pakistan and vigilance by one of the serving judges of the high court of each province.

Corruption is the main cause of extreme poverty and inequality of income and opportunity.

But corruption and corrupt practices do not grow in isolation in a democratic society unless a spineless bureaucracy, both in the public and private sectors, connives and join hands with the political leaders or top bosses in the non-governmental and commercial organisations.

It is hoped that all the parliamentarians and the provincial legislators would join hands to save the Titanic from sinking as they had done earlier on April 10, 1946, and on Aug 11, 1947.

Syed Sardar Ahmad

Ex-bureaucrat and ex-MPA

Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2021