KARACHI, May 30: The role of feudal lords is not the only factor responsible for holding back democracy in Pakistan, but, frequent intervention of army in politics and the indifferent attitude of intelligentsia who do not raise voice against injustices and terrorism are equally responsible for this apathy.
This was the consensus of speakers at the seminar on "Role of feudals in politics and rural economy of Pakistan", organized by the Pakistan Democracy Foundation in a local hotel on Saturday.
Giving a brief account of feudalism, its linkage and set- backs, Abrar Kazi of the Awami Tehreek termed revenue officers and police the backbone of feudalism. Without the support of revenue officers and police, he said, feudalism could have never grown.
He pleaded for health cover and social security to farmers, which were already enjoyed by industrial workers, to bring about a change in their outlook and political attitudes.
Referring to the reports about recovery of drilled bodies in Karachi, Mr Kazi pointed out that people in interior of Sindh had complaints against Karachiites, particularly its intelligentsia, for their silence over the worst kind of terrorism.
Dr Kaiser Bengali of the Social Policy Development Centre said that feudal lords had a major role in failing democracy in Pakistan. They had always extended support in their vested interests to the army generals, he remarked.
Quoting figures from the agriculture census report, he pointed out that the ratio of landless people in Sindh had increased from 65 per cent in the year 1961 to 72 per cent in 2000. Likewise, he said, the owner-operated farming area had also increased from 39 per cent to 79 per cent during the same period.
In a village of 10,000 people, he said, the landlord used to decide who should be elected as their representative. He said that thousands of farmers had to bow before the will of the landlord.
Dr Kaiser also criticized the elders' councils and jirga who gave punishments of 11th century to violators of tribal customs. He said, "We can't command respect from the world by living in 11th century."
However, former federal minister, Dr Syed Shafqat Ali Shah Jamote, did not agree to the point that feudalism was responsible for the malaise in society. He said that traditional feudalism was destroyed with the land reforms of Gen Ayub Khan in 1959.
Whatever had been left was not feudalism but a hybrid feudalism and waderas, he remarked. Holding army rule responsible for failure of democracy, he said that out of 57 years of independence the country had been ruled by army generals for 26 years.
Aamir A. Khan, editor of Herald, showed with the help of charts that feudal lords despite losing their hold in the constituencies managed to reach the parliament with the support of agencies. Asad Omar conducted the question answer session at the end.