AS a nation, we find ourselves caught in a profound tragedy: for 79 years, this God-given state has been wandering in search of its true destination. We have always raised the slogan of La Ilaha Illallah, yet we have failed to manifest the practical essence of that oath or implement the system of the Prophet (PBUH). Allama Iqbal’s dream and Quaid-e-Azam’s vision for Pakistan centered on a free state where democracy flourished, where the government remained accountable to the people and where sovereignty and human rights were anchored by unwavering justice. The question remains: what happened to the welfare-driven democratic system the Quaid envisioned?
Talk of systemic change has echoed through Pakistan for decades, yet our legal and administrative institutions continue to fail the people. Under successive regimes, ordinary citizens have struggled for their rights while official narratives portray an illusion of peace and prosperity. In the name of the World Bank and IMF, the common man bears the burden of unbearable inflation, soaring fuel prices and crushing taxation. A society may survive disbelief, but it cannot survive injustice. The time has come to question and uproot this obsolete system. Those who consider democracy the ultimate solution must also examine its failures worldwide. As Allama Iqbal cautioned, “The demon of despotism dances in the robes of democracy and you mistake it for the fairy of freedom.” Today, democracy increasingly resembles government of the elite, by the elite and for the elite, serving entrenched interests rather than the people.
The slogan of “people’s sovereignty” has become a grand deception. It pacifies the masses with the illusion of power, but in reality, public participation is purely imaginary. More often than not, the people have no clue what their government is actually doing. A regime that crushes public rights and freedoms cannot call itself democratic. If we were simply meant to keep the remnants of the East India Company’s system alive, then wasn’t Western democracy “good enough”? Why, then, was it promised that Pakistan would be a land where the Quran and Sunnah reigned supreme?
Today, we have lost not only our destination but our way. While other nations have set their course, we remain paralyzed by indecision. The current state of affairs signals that this system has reached its expiry date. We urgently need revolutionary reforms in education, healthcare and the judiciary, alongside the revival of justice, social welfare and security. The Founder of Pakistan envisioned a country built for the poor, where there would be no distinction between rich and poor and everyone would enjoy equality. The Quaid’s core objective was a sovereign Muslim state where the rights of all, including minorities, were protected, allowing everyone to live freely according to their faith. Sadly, from the judiciary to the executive and legislature, his vision is nowhere to be seen. Pakistan has become a playground for the elite rather than a sanctuary for the common man. The present system stands defined by decay, corruption and systemic plunder.
To reclaim the “Quaid’s Pakistan,” we must end political instability, tackle economic challenges and ensure transparent and just elections. To ease the crushing tax burden, we must introduce a transparent system of Zakat and Ushr. Our youth are losing hope and their aspirations are dying. Tehreek-e-Jawanan Pakistan is the first party to provide a political platform specifically for the youth. As its head, I ask: why is the faith of our youth wavering? Disillusioned with the judicial, political and legal structures, hundreds of thousands of our brightest minds leave the country every year. Young men risk their lives through “donkey” crossings, only to drown in distant seas. This is the ultimate vote of no-confidence in the current system.
Does our land lack a prime location or mineral wealth? While Pakistan influences global decisions, its worn-out internal system pushes youth into despair instead of turning them into precious national assets. We have seen Gen Z shake the corridors of power in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India, while protests unfold in France, Italy and Albania. If this system is not overhauled, the lava of public frustration may erupt into an unstoppable revolution. Even Western societies are questioning existing democratic structures and searching for something new.
During elections, candidates and their backers spend millions to secure victory. The wealthy buy votes in the shadows, seizing power through money. Even in America, the so-called champion of democracy, billions are spent on elections. In Pakistan, an ordinary person finds it almost impossible to enter politics. We have one law for the rich and another for the poor. During my travels in Europe, I observed their systems closely. In Switzerland, public opinion is sought even for constructing a small road. Compare that with Pakistan, where people stamp a ballot once every five years and even then, results often feel predetermined.
We have experimented with hybrid regimes, democracies, dictatorships and EBDO-style disqualifications, remaining trapped in debates over parliamentary and presidential systems. In the process, we strengthened individuals rather than institutions. Consequently, when a “strongman” leaves, the entire system collapses. Pakistan is absolutely not a failed state; the biggest obstacles to a new system are the very “Taghouti” (demonic) forces that have kept us wandering since day one. The only way to escape this neo-colonial agenda is to establish the true supremacy of the Quran and Sunnah.
Some advocate Governor’s Rule or a state of emergency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but such measures cannot fix an obsolete system. In Balochistan, terrorism remains a serious challenge despite repeated efforts. Simply creating new provinces is no magic solution. We do not merely need new faces; we need a new system.
—The writer is Chairman, Tehrik Jawanan Pakistan.
