LAHORE, Oct 26: Fair and free general elections for the establishment of a genuine democracy should be the top priority of the people of Pakistan.

This was the consensus of the views expressed by speakers at a meeting of the Pakistan Institute of National Affairs (PINA) held at its auditorium here on Friday.

Justice KMA Samadani (retired), who presided over the meting, said candidates for the forthcoming elections must declare that, if elected, they would raise their voice against the violation of human rights in Pakistan including the violations committed by the personnel of law-enforcing agencies who resort to inflicting torture and using third-degree methods upon the people during their interrogation procedures.

He said that security situation in the country had deteriorated and no one was feeling safe and secure. The candidates must announce their determination to check the worsening of the law and order by pressing the new government to take drastic measures in this connection.

Mr Samdani said that elections must be fair and free. He said that the main priority of the candidates should be the establishment of rule of law in the country, which had been denied to its people since its inception 60 years ago. He said that absence of the rule of law had given rise to many inequalities and disparities in society. Next priority should be provision of social justice to redress the grievances of the non-privileged class and the common man.

The gap between the rich and the poor, the privileged and the non-privileged people was widening in our society. “It was the elite class that rules over the people but it looks after the needs and social demands of the non-elite class as was the rule in England and many western countries. But in Pakistan, the elite after elections had never cared for their electorate largely consisting of non-privileged and oppressed people. There could be any form of government but the foremost thing was good governance. Morality and not the high living standard was the key to national progress,” he added.

Qayyum Nizami, a politician, said the first and foremost priority was the establishment of genuine democracy by holding fair and free elections. He said that interventions by the army in politics and state affairs by imposing martial law during the past 50 years was the main cause of Pakistan’s present crisis which would continue to mar society unless the armed forces were sent back to their barracks.

He said the crisis was so grave that not a single political party or an institution could solve it unless a collective effort by the entire nation was made to put the things on right track and this effort was possible only by holding free and fair elections.

He said that way back in 1957, a United States ambassador to Pakistan had suggested to his government to advise Pakistan to cut the size of its armed forces but Washington had disagreed to his suggestion.

Again General Ziaul Haq had suggested to his commanders to consider a cut in the army’s size and instead raise what he called ‘people’s army’ to reduce heavy burden of expenses on the armed forces, but the suggestion was turned down, he said adding, “Education’s promotion should be the next priority.”

Jehangir A Jhoja, an advocate, suggested that the priorities laid down by the Quaid-i-Azam, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, for Pakistan during his statements and speeches before and after the creation of Pakistan should be adopted to solve the prevailing crisis. He said that establishment of democracy through free and fair elections should be the top priority.

I.H. Raashed, a journalist, suggested that establishment of democracy, supremacy of the Constitution, independence of the judiciary, freedom of the media and peace agreement with the people of tribal areas and Swat should be the priorities of the nation.

Javed Nawaz, president of the Pakistan Society Social Club in Oman and Dr Shafiq Jullandhri suggested that providing education should be the top priority in Pakistan.

PINA secretary-general Altaf Qureshi said that democracy, good governance, peace and security through good law and order and discipline and all out efforts to address the pubic grievances should be the top priorities in the next general elections.