Captive Democracy
Editorial, 04 June 2011

As per it's definition, democracy is a system of government which is 'of the people, for the people and by the people', and it may have been so, but not any more, at least here in Pakistan.

The 'one man one vote' system has been exploited so badly by professional vote baggers that democracy, which in Pakistan is restricted to the voting day, has lost it's essence even there.

A vicious circle:

After coming to power a government dishes out favours to its party workers neglecting the collective interest of the populace and in return asks its workers to get votes for its candidate in the next elections by hook or by crook.

What has been observed with this government is that it is dishing out bribes in the name of petty 'projects' to its workers and generously allowing them to misappropriate the money and then warns the worker that if the party is not voted to power in the next elections they would be enquired upon and charged for embezzlement, thus enslaving the workers in a vicious circle of corruption.

Similarly the flawed concept of paying Rs 1000 cash to poor families as 'Benazir income support' is not only making them addicted to beggary, but at the same time ensuring that these people vote for the party in the next elections because they are already spreading rumours that if any other party comes to power it will terminate these stipends.

 In such conditions how can fairplay be expected in elections and how can these monsters of corruption be subdued by a humble but honest vote cast at the call of one's conscience. The only way probably is that all those who do not subscribe to the above forms of electoral manipulation get together and actively fight the devil of this corruption.