A RECENT survey by the British Council shows the majority of Pakistani youth views democracy with despair and it finds dictatorship relatively better. Such pessimism of young voters is rather alarming and asks for a serious check.

It badly exposes the fragility of democracy to which the youth is accustomed. It reminds me of Hillary Clinton’s words: “The worst thing that can happen in a democracy is when people become cynical about the future and lose hope.” This is the case in Pakistan. Reasons for this hopelessness are many. There is a mismatch between true democracy and the democracy being practised. Democracy in Pakistan is an apology for real democracy that requires that the will of the people should be reflected in governance. Does the will of the people reflect in governance in Pakistan? Sadly not.

A democracy is much more than deceptive and magical slogans for wining votes. It delivers to the masses while the parliament exercises the delegated authority in accordance with the constitution. Opportunities are created and distributed equally. Merit is followed and justice is provided. In Pakistan the case is opposite. Democracy is not a reality here but a deception. The government has not been able to deliver efficiently on economic, political and diplomatic fronts. People see their future as bleak and are suffering in many ways. Be it loadshedding, illiteracy, corruption, poverty, inflation or terrorism, people are suffering greatly.

However, despite all these weaknesses, one should give democracy the benefit of the doubt for its immaturity. Here democracy is not as old as it is in other counties because it was always derailed.

The transfer of power from one democracy to another has hardly happened before, but is happening now. It should be given its due time.

AHMAD ZIA TULLA Salam village,        Sargodha