THIS is with reference to the recent statement by a federal minister to the effect that the existing system in the country has failed. With due respect, I wish to point out that it is not the system that has failed. The ones who have failed are actually the ones tasked with running the system.

On paper, Pakistan is a constitutional parliamentary democracy. Its framework relies on periodic public mandates where elected representatives are held account-able by the electorate. The core mechanism of any functional governance model is accountability. The rule is simple; perform or perish. It is this expectation that drives public servants and politicians alike to deliver. However, when electoral integrity is compromised, this essential mechanism of accountability collapses.

This creates a pervasive trickle-down effect across all tiers of governance. Merit and performance are often superseded by patronage and mutual interest, trans-forming a democratic structure into an insular network of self-preservation.

The fact of the matter is that the system rooted in democratic accountability remains sound. What we are witnessing is not a systemic breakdown, but a systemic betrayal. Until the sanctity of the vote is restored, no amount of administrative posturing will mend what stands broken.

Aamir Abbasi
Leicestershire, UK

Published in Dawn, August 12th, 2026