LAHORE: Political parties have been advised to stop ‘renting themselves’ to the powers that be if they want to see parliamentary democracy strengthened in Pakistan.

The suggestion came from the participants in the 5th Asma Jahangir Conference on the theme of ‘Reclaiming Democratic Spaces’ on Saturday.

Former Senator of BNP-M Sanaullah Baloch said everyone knew the parliament had no power. “All major political parties have become ‘rent a party’. Unless parties have self-accountability, parliamentary democracy will remain a distant dream,” Baloch said and added the Election Commission of Pakistan got independent in 2017 but what it did in February polls was before everyone showing how independent it (ECP) was. He lambasted the ECP as his party was also a victim of Form 47 manipulation in the last polls.

“Whatever happened in 1970 is being repeated today. Parliamentary democracy is all about equality, not about individual and building – it is a culture which does not exist in Pakistan,” he said and added had Pakistan been a parliamentary democracy it would not have lost half of the country.

Mr Baloch wondered how a judge could stop a political leader from making comments about the establishment and judges. He was referring to the ban imposed by a court on PTI founder Imran Khan in this regard. Sanaullah Baloch said the face that was actually ruling the country should be unmasked.

Senator Ali Zafar of the PTI said Imran Khan’s major achievement was giving a realization to the people that they could change things with the power of votes.

“Will of the people is nothing without a leader. There has been an interference of the outside forces — the establishment and judiciary — in the parliament democracy,” he said and added Quaid-i-Azam had asked the Parliament to make the constitution but it failed to make it till 1956. After that, there came the musical chairs and prime ministers came and went frequently. Subsequently, the parliament lost its reputation.

Mr Zafar said after Gen Zia’s martial law, parliamentarians joined him and after his death ‘revolving door politics’ started with Benazir in and Nawaz out and vice versa.

“Last two years parliamentarians did legislation by bulldozing the law. The people have started losing faith in parliamentarians who need to restore their respect,” he said and added that the ‘doctrine of necessity’ appeared every now and then. He said every institution needed to act within its sphere.

“Pakistan’s most population is young. It is aware of their rights. In the Feb polls, the PTI’s symbol was taken away to confuse the people but they voted for it despite all this,” Ali Zafar said.

PPP MNA Nafisa Shah said for the last 14 years, democracy was surviving and credit should be given to the 18th Amendment.

“At the moment we have a hybrid power system shared by others. But this hybrid system that started with the 2014 sit-in (of Imran Khan) is continuing,” she said and added if someone (Khan) said he would hold dialogue with this (military) and not with this (politicians), it would not help the cause of strengthening the parliament.

“We should not be acting as rubber stamps — parliament needs to show its independence.”

Khurram Dastgir of the PML-N said democracy and economy were hurt today but parliamentarians and political parties both were responsible for the weak democracy.

“Those making decisions — judiciary, bureaucracy and establishment — their accountability is not held not one per cent compared to the politicians. In the scale of corruption, Pakistan’s politicians are just the beginners,” Dastgir said.

Senior journalist and author Zahid Hussain moderated the session.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2024