• Raza Rabbani blames civil and military bureaucracies for weakening democratic institutions
• Miftah Ismail stresses need for free and fair elections
KARACHI: Political leaders, democracy advocates, civil society representatives, academics, journalists, lawyers, youth activists and human rights defenders called for reclaiming democratic spaces, strengthening constitutional governance and protecting fundamental rights in Pakistan, while expressing concerns over the country’s political, economic and institutional challenges.
They were speaking at a Democracy Summit titled ‘United for Democracy: Reclaiming Democratic Spaces & Protecting Rights’ organised by Rawadari Tehreek at a local hotel here on Thursday.
Addressing the summit, former senator and senior Pakistan Peoples Party leader Raza Rabbani criticised the influence of international financial institutions on Pakistan’s policymaking, alleging that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was dictating an agenda that adversely affects ordinary citizens.
He expressed concern that the federal government’s budget announcement had been delayed due to IMF-related considerations, arguing that such external influence undermines democratic decision-making.
Mr Rabbani also blamed both civil and military bureaucracies for weakening democratic institutions over the years. He said authoritarian rulers had historically viewed students and workers as major forces of democratic resistance and therefore systematically weakened student unions and trade unions.
“The dictators knew that students and workers were the principal forces of resistance, so they targeted and weakened their representative organisations,” he added.
Pakistan Awam Party leader and former finance minister Miftah Ismail emphasised that democracy begins with free, fair and transparent elections.
Referring to the 2018 general elections, he claimed that they were not conducted fairly and alleged that political opponents of former prime minister Imran Khan were imprisoned during his tenure.
Mr Ismail stressed that constitutional rights must be guaranteed to all citizens in a democratic republic, particularly vulnerable and marginalised groups.
He called for greater protection of the rights of women, transgender persons, religious and linguistic minorities and the people of Balochistan. He urged citizens and political leaders alike to raise their voices for the protection of human rights and democratic freedoms.
He also criticised economic policies that, according to him, disproportionately benefit powerful sectors while vulnerable segments of society face social stigma. Mr Ismail pointed out that the sugar and fertiliser industries receive subsidies worth billions of rupees, yet beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) are often unfairly labelled as beggars. “We should defend the rights and dignity of the poor and marginalised rather than stigmatise them,” he said.
Grand Democratic Alliance leader Safdar Abbasi voiced concern over what he described as a growing crisis of legitimacy in the country’s institutions. “We have not been able to create legitimacy. We do not have a legitimate institution in the country,” he said.
Mr Abbasi maintained that while democratic forces had repeatedly resisted authoritarian tendencies, democracy itself remained weak within political parties. He also criticised the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments, arguing that they had negatively affected democratic governance.
Warning of worsening national conditions, he said that Pakistan was moving towards instability and possible anarchy due to economic mismanagement and institutional weaknesses.
“The economy is in shambles, and around 80 per cent of government revenue is consumed by debt repayments,” he remarked.
Several other prominent figures also addressed the summit, including President of the Sindh High Court Bar Association Haseeb Jamali, Jeay Sindh Mahaz Chairman Riaz Ali Chandio, scholar and writer Jami Chandio, and human rights expert and former chairperson of the Sindh Human Rights Commission Iqbal Ahmed Detho.
The speakers highlighted a range of issues including constitutional rights, provincial autonomy, rule of law, democratic accountability, freedom of expression and the need to strengthen public institutions.
At the conclusion of the event, Rawadari Tehreek Pakistan Vice Chairman Deedar Ahmed Mirani presented the Karachi Declaration on behalf of the summit’s participants and speakers. A key recommendation contained in the declaration was the initiation of a comprehensive national political dialogue involving all major stakeholders.
Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2026