CONSIDERING the rise of populism in the West, it is the moral responsibility of Pakistan to protect democracy. Similar to January 6, May 9 demands accountability. Democracy is at stake because rulers prioritize personal loyalty over the national constitution. Trump’s promises of money and pardons for January 6 echo in Pakistan, underscoring the foreign office’s strong sovereign stand with a full commitment to upholding its constitutional obligations to the people, not to any corrupt individuals.
Pakistan’s elections were not held in a vacuum. There is a clear distinction between PTI and those involved on May 9. The law will take its course on the black day. Trump faces 91 charges, including the January 6 insurrection or violation of oath. A lower court has denied Trump’s claim of presidential immunity. America has thus far punished 1260 rioters surrounding January 6, with sentences ranging from 18 to 22 years. The accountability process is still in progress (January 5, 2024, ABC News).
Political parties are protesting despite stealing the voters’ mandate. People voted against corruption, the high cost of living and unemployment, but politicians are now using these issues to evade accountability. They are using America’s populist template of the “Stop the Steal” Movement to stage bedlam. Trump’s populist sleaze backfired after the release of the infamous audio tape in which he pressured Georgia’s election official to find votes to overturn the election result. It is déjà vu of the Daska by-election: the pot calling the kettle black.
The US Congress Jan 6 Committee report showed that disputing election results were part of a plan to derail America’s democracy. Pakistan has a parliamentary system, but political parties are turning it into a presidential system to control the government agenda by holding rallies in public instead of sitting on opposition benches in Parliament. They use press conferences, speeches, telethons and interviews to challenge the government without debating the issues in Prime Minister Question Hour.
Like Western democracies, Pakistan’s political parties are openly using the economy in power politics. Trump hopes for an economic crash under Biden’s watch. Trump added $9 trillion debt to the national debt while claiming the strongest economy. Similarly, PTI won the 2024 elections due to the high cost of living. PTI is manufacturing the threat of economic sanctions to control the State without being in power. It is lobbying with international financial institutions, friendly countries and lawmakers.
Political parties fail to uphold the 1973 Constitution. They come to power after contesting elections in a parliamentary system, but they run the country with a presidential system under one-man rule after taking office. PPP, PMLN and PTI have gutted the Constitution with targeted reforms to control the State and its democratic institutions while absolving themselves of any democratic accountability. Some of these reforms include the 18th Amendment, lifelong party headship, dynastic politics, extending the tenure of parliament, limiting the number of times a PM can hold office, control on the judiciary and adopting international economic and democratic systems for international support to escape democratic accountability in the country.
President Alvi tried to remove a sitting justice, which the Supreme Court ruled as mala fide by law. He is still occupying the office and there is no action against him for violating the Constitution. Similarly, the SC ruled the dissolution of the National Assembly unconstitutional by the Deputy Speaker after the filing of a vote of ‘no-confidence’ against the PTI government (April 7, 2022, Outlook). The SC had suspended the de-seating of the Deputy Speaker on October 8, 2018 and the case is still pending. The PTI funding cases are still pending.
Due to the erosion of the trichotomy of power, politicians have turned democracy into dictatorship. There is no democratic check and balance. By placing cronies at the levers of power, political governments have transformed into mafias, cults and authoritarian regimes. They attack the State institutions and democracy. Brand politics has turned democracy into referendums. Elite claim to represent masses while getting wealthier at their cost.
It is the responsibility of the international establishment to protect democracy. Like January 6, there can be no compromise on May 9. It is part of the democratic accountability process. Populists are not ready to accept election defeat, leave power or be held accountable. They are benefiting from the West’s failure to eliminate corruption, money laundering, offshore tax havens and foreign funding (Bank Secrecy Act, Citizen united v FEC, White House anti-corruption policy). There is $6.4 trillion dollars of dirty money in the West with 99 percent criminal proceeds still escaping control in the EU (February 10, 2024, Politico). The West needs to write off the national debt of Pakistan, return stolen public funds and help improve public services if the West is serious about replacing populism with democracy at the grassroots.
—The writer is senior political analyst based in Islamabad.
Email: [email protected]
