Electoral changes: bold and innovative
THE reintroduction of the joint electorate system and a return to the electoral dispensation as originally envisaged in the 1973 Constitution marks yet another step in the direction of liberalizing Pakistan’s electoral system. Introduced in 1985 by Ziaul Haq in pursuit of his misplaced zeal for “Islamization”, the system of separate electorates was a great anomaly in a modern democratic state. It served no purpose other than alienating the minorities by pushing them out of the mainstream of national politics. It was a system that was obscurantist in motivation, divisive in spirit and wholly inconsistent with the evolution of a modern and progressive Pakistani nationalism.
Surprisingly, the protagonists of the separate electorates system sought to justify it with reference to the two-nation theory and the existence of separate electorates in pre-partition India. In the first place, two nations cannot exist in one state. Pakistan is one state and there will be only one nation within its boundaries. Besides, the British introduced the separate electorates because the Muslims, especially of the minority provinces, themselves demanded this. Living in the midst of a dominant majority, they feared lesser representation than the percentage of their population warranted. In Pakistan, on the other hand, the minorities never made a demand for separate voting rights and a separate category of non-Muslim candidates. Like all of Ziaul Haq’s so-called reforms, the introduction of separate electorates was part of a wider scheme designed to perpetuate a highly retrograde and obscurantist dispensation embracing all aspects of life in the country.
The other decisions taken by the cabinet on Wednesday concern a substantial increase in the number of National Assembly seats and in those of reserved seats for women. Undoubtedly, the increase in the population had rendered the number of seats fixed in the 1973 Constitution unrealistic. By raising the number of general seats from 207 to 265, the government has attempted to make the constituencies smaller. This should help the candidate and his constituents know each other better. Similarly, the quota of seats for women has been revived and raised to 60 as against 10 previously, while 25 seats have been reserved for technocrats. So far, only the Senate had the quota for the latter category. Both women and technocrats will be elected on the basis of proportional representation according to a given party’s total poll of votes. The total number of seats for the National Assembly will now go up from 237 to 350. The restoration as well as a significant increase in the number of reserved seats for women is particularly important because, apart from promoting the cause of women’s progress in national life, it will ensure a better balance in legislative and decision-making processes by bringing the women’s point of view on various social, political and economic issues to bear on these.
A controversial decision taken by the cabinet concerns a candidate’s educational qualification. Theoretically, higher academic qualifications for members of the National Assembly are desirable. But debarring those who do not have a college degree seems unwise. A candidate is elected to parliament by people who believe he would articulate their feelings and represent them adequately. He may not be a graduate, but he may have other qualities necessary for a legislator. However, the decision to bar those not having a college degree may disqualify a large number of candidates — especially in the socially backward areas — who are otherwise well qualified to represent their people. If they have roots among the masses, are in regular contact with them and know their problems and their solutions, their disqualification for academic reasons alone would be unfair to the people of the area.
An improvement in the quality of legislators is, of course, desirable, but this is linked essentially to an improvement in the quality of life in a given society. One hopes this issue is reconsidered before the entire package is promulgated through an ordinance. On the whole, Wednesday’s decisions are progressive and forward looking and should help in bringing in a relatively well-balanced federal assembly when elections are held in October next.
Cancer screening centre
THE cancer screening centre being set up at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) is an important step towards diagnosis and prevention of the deadly disease. The centre will screen patients for cancers of the cervix and breast, the two most common cancers among women. Alarmingly, one out of every 15 women is diagnosed with breast cancer while one out of 30 develops cancer of the cervix. In this context, lack of a proper infrastructure of facilities and services to detect and treat the growing number of cancer patients is a major hurdle in tackling the menace.
Barring some prestigious institutions, facilities in most hospitals, including radiotherapy equipment, are in a deplorable condition. Machines are obsolete and many of them are out of order. Screening for cancer, particularly, has been badly neglected, affecting the chances of survival and quality of life of the vast majority of patients who depend on referral cetres. Often, delay in diagnosis causes cancer to become incurable which in many cases can be treated if detected in time. An estimated 250,000 new cases of cancer are expected each year in the country. Cancers of the mouth, lung, liver, kidneys, stomach as well as other tumors are increasing on account of a variety of factors, including genetic, environmental and dietary problems.
To tackle these malignant disorders, there is obviously a case for expanding screening facilities across the country. More such centres are necessary for poor patients in view of the prohibitive cost of treatment. Also, by creating better awareness about cancer, especially warning signs through self-examination, we can promote timely diagnosis and prevention of the disease.
A miscarriage of good sense
IT IS not often that gynaecologists are chosen to check the health of members of a national-level cricket team. This, though, is precisely what seems to have happened in Chittagong during the second Test between Bangladesh and Pakistan. In a situation pregnant — no pun intended — with all kinds of possibilities, three gynaecologists were placed on a panel to monitor the health of the visiting Pakistani cricketers. The Bangladesh cricket authorities seem to be in quite a fix over this move because one of the three gynaecologists also happens to be the wife of the head of cricket operations in Chittagong. Once this became known, the local media created quite a furore accusing the cricket authorities of nepotism.
The only reason three gynaecologists could have been nominated to an all-male cricket team, it is said, was that the three get free passes to the match. However, in a display of rather cold and convincing logic, the local cricket association, responsible for staging the second Test, has defended its decision saying that there was nothing wrong with what had been done since after all gynaecologists are also doctors. That, it has to be admitted, they certainly are. However, one hopes that this miscarriage of professional good sense — again, with no pun intended — will soon be rectified and the Pakistan cricket team will have doctors whose speciality is physical fitness or physiotherapy and not, of all things, gynaecology.