PESHAWAR, Feb 21: Speakers at a seminar on Thursday termed the existence of democratic political parties no less than a miracle even braving a longest rule of dictators. “The political parties, which have never been and are allowed to work smoothly, are the voice of civil society,” they observed.

The seminar entitled “Dialogue with civil society and media on policy  changes  in  Pakistan” was organised by  the  Sarhad  Co- ordinating Council here at the Achieves Hall.

They said after the Ziaul Haq dictatorship, the nation had  to undergo an ISI-led decade, because Benazir Bhutto and Mian  Nawaz Sharif were nominal prime ministers. “The real power had been with the ISI. And now, we are passing through the Musharraf tenure and it will continue till he holds the guns,” they added.

Awami National Party central information secretary Haji Adeel, Qaumi Jamhoori Party provincial convener Mukhtar Bacha,  Mohammad Tehseen  of SAP-Pak, Ghian Singh, Dr Sarfaraz Khan of Area  Study Centre, Peshawar University, Dr Mohammad Farooq and Bushra  Gohar of the Human Resource Management and Development Centre spoke  on the  challenges  and  opportunities arising  out  of  the  policy changes made by the present government.

The  speakers underlined the need for getting the people  free from  the “8,000 members of the political chamber of various  old families” who had made the elected forums their personal fiefdoms and opposing any change in the corrupt political culture.

They  also  criticised  the  political  parties  who  allotted tickets to pampered guys of conservative families and spoiled the elected  forums  with  their  presence.”The   businessmen-turned- politicians do invest a minor amount in the political parties and take billions in return. The businessmen are responsible for  lack of  commitment  and expediency in the  political  parties,” they added.

They said: “We appreciate the positive changes initiated by the government by doing away with the separate elections and increase in the women seat in the elected bodies. We, however, advise  the government to withdraw the condition of graduation for candidates and  allow  them to contest the elections. The Senate  seats  are needed to be enhanced.”

The  speakers, however, urged the government to retain the  10 per cent reserved seats for minorities as the society had yet not achieved  that level where minorities could be treated  on  equal terms in a Muslim-dominated environment.