Umer Jamshaid
Urdu Point
Published Date: Jul 29, 2019
Present Democratic Govt Performing Better Than Past Ones: Nadeem Afzal Chan
ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – APP – 29th Jul, 2019 ) :Prime Minister’s Spokesman Nadeem Afzal Chan Monday said the present democratic government was performing much better than the past ones though it was not an ideal one.
The democratic system, he said, was still in the transitional phase. Contrary to the past when it was debated whether democracy or dictatorship suited the country, today quality of democracy was being discussed, he said while addressing a seminar on ‘Continuation of Democratic Governments: Opportunities and Challenges’, organized here by the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI).
Chan said despite being in the politics for long, he could not comprehend the proper definition of democracy. Those sitting on the opposition benches defined democracy suitable to them while the people in government had the definition other way round, he added.
He said criticism was good for democracy, but it should be only for the sake of criticism. The opposition parties and other critics should have positive criticism on government policies and do not impede continuation of democratic process smoothly.
Chan said democratic norms should be observed by political parties being the main stakeholders in a democratic system. A crooked type of democracy in their ranks would weaken the democratic system. He, however, regretted that there was no democracy in most of the political parties in Pakistan.
He said there was need to create awareness among the people so that they could differentiate among good and bad politicians so that the latter could be rejected for good.
He said the media courts was merely an idea, which was under discussion. However, it should be kept in mind that the media had always been free to criticize politicians.
"The media has the same freedom today which it had enjoyed during the prior governments," he added.
He questioned whether the media had run news stories about sugar and cement mafias or notorious corporate tycoons. The media should help make wrong doers and culprits accountable for the success of democracy, he added.
Chan said politicians had also shortcomings, which they should remove. "A free media coupled with social media has empowered the youth to raise questions and bring fore the ills of the society and particularly the political system," he added.
Senior analyst Zahid Hussain said democracy flourished due to institutions, but in Pakistan it revolved around personalities. In such a situation, policy making became a secondary job, he added.
"If parliament gets weaker then it would give space to other institutions to intervene in the democratic process. However, judiciary has a key role in this regard. Strengthening of institutions would strengthen democracy," he added.
Pakistan Peoples Party leader Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed said the democratic process could not proceed without political institutions, political parties, and trade, student and civil society unions or coalitions. The restoration of unions would help strengthen democratic system, he added.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s Member National Assembly Romina Khurshid Alam said the opposition had a pivotal role in the success of any democratic system.
SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said July 25 reminded about the successful transition of power from one political regime to another through a democratic process.
Source: https://www.urdupoint.com/en/pakistan/present-democratic-govt-performing-better-tha-680682.html