democracy in pakistan hopes and hurdles essay outline

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Successive events and activities have taken place that make it crystal clear that there are hopes as well as hurdles in the way of democracy in Pakistan. One the one hand, the imposition of martial law by the military has become a distant dream now. Democratic leaders have turned mature. The democratic governments have not only shown distinguish performance, but also smoothly transferred power to another government as per election results for the first time in the history of Pakistan. The ECP has also improved its performance and the citizens have become aware of their rights to rule. These all events have created hopes for the democracy in Pakistan. One the other hand, indirect military interference in the democratic governments, feudal lord system, corruption of democratic leaders, poor literacy rate and ailing economy of the country, these all events act as hurdles in the way of democracy in Pakistan. Thus, it is established that the democracy in Pakistan encounters both hopes and hurdles.

Since the creation of Pakistan in 1947, democracy in the country has been witnessing both hopes and hurdles. The founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was keen to introduce democratic system in Pakistan. However, his sudden death impeded its proper imposition. Liaquat Ali Khan, afterward, carried the vision of Jinnah, but he also failed to give it a practical shape. Imposition of martial law by dictator Ayub khan closed all the door of democracy. Zulifqar ali Bhuttto appeared on the political screen and injected a new blood of hope for democracy in Pakistan. He pressurized General Yahya to hold elections. Consequently, he won the elections with a great margin in the West Pakistan and took an oath as the first democratic leader of the country. However, the hope could not sustained for a long time as General Zia imposed martial law and blocked the road of democratic progress. After Zia, democracy was seen, but it remained fragile and weak and gave green signal to another dictator General Pervez Musharraf, who ruled till 2008. After Musharraf, the democracy in Pakistan has been witnessing good days because it continues till today without any hurdle. Hence, Democracy in Pakistan witnessed both hopes and hurdles in Past.

A major hope for democracy in Pakistan lies in the fact the military will not come forward to impose its direct rule by dismantling the democratic system, as it did in past, because of two major reasons: Firstly, the military government is not recognized by the international community and is subject to various economic sanctions. Pakistan, is currently in the process of development because of the initiation of CPEC, cannot afford sanctions at this critical stage. Our sensible and well-trained army knows this fact very well. Secondly, martial law is often imposed under the patronage of a super power. At present, Pakistan’s relations with the USA remain abysmal. Therefore, the army will avoid taking rein of the government directly. As such, martial law is now obsolete and the democratic government will continue to rule Pakistan.

Another hope for democracy in Pakistan is created in the form of maturity among the democratic leaders. In past, one Democratic Party conspired against another ruling party and stalled democratic progress. For example, Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) staged protest against Zulifqar Ali Bhutto after 1977 general elections claiming the elections being rigged. The issue could have been resolved through political settlement, but they demanded the removal of Bhutto and imposition of Islamic rule. Consequently, the military got an opportunity to impose martial law under Zia in 1977 and obstructed the path of democracy. Besides, Nawaz Sharif, while Chief Minister of Punjab, created problems for Benazir Bhutto and tried hard to remove her government. Similarly, Benazir Bhutto played a role to remove Nawaz Sharif in 1993. The both democratic leader celebrated ouster of each other from the government and distributed sweets among their supporters. At present, the democratic leaders avoid taking such actions that could impede the democratic progress. For example, during 2008 PPP government, Nawaz Sharif was engaged in verbal war with Zardari, but did not stage protest to remove him. On the other hand, Zardari got an opportunity to remove Nawaz government during Imran Khan continuous protest in Islamabad. However, he realized that it would play in the hand of anti-democratic elements. Thus, the democratic leaders have now turned mature and avoiding taking any step that could harm the civilian rule.

The good performance of successive democratic governments has also contributed towards the well being of the democracy in Pakistan. The democratic governments are heading towards betterment. For instance, the existing government is better than previous government and the upcoming will have undergone even more improvement. The democratic government of Pakistan Peoples Party, from 2008 to 2013, faced numerous challenges of extremism and terrorism. However, the next democratic government under Nawaz Sharif successfully resolved those challenges and brought peace. The existing government under PTI is facing daunting economic challenges but is taking stringent measures to overcome them. Thus, the better performance of the governments has proved that fact that civilian can also run the country effectively and has left no room for the army to interfere in the administration directly.

The smooth transfer of power by two democratic parties to another one has enhanced the chances of democracy to flourish in the country too. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, two democratic parties have completed and transferred their power to the third one. It has created a proper line for power transfer in the future, which is fundamental pre-requisite for the glory of democracy in any country. Before, it was witnessed that the transfer was not smooth and created room for the anti-democratic elements. For instance, as mentioned above, had the democratic leader, after the elections of 1977, not created problems for power transfer, the military would have not imposed martial law. It was because of non-agreement on the transfer of power in past, democracy could not survive for a long time. Thus, the smooth transfer of power, now, will ensure the continuation of democracy in Pakistan.

The reform in the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and its improved performance is another ingredient that creates a hope for democracy in Pakistan. At present, the prime minister with the consultation of leader of opposition appoints the chief election commissioner. The ruling government cannot appoint its own commissioner to get the election rigged. Besides, a proper mechanism for the appointment of the members has also been devised to ensure the transparent elections. It can be proved from the recent appointment of the two members of the ECP. In 2019, the two vacant seats of the members of the ECP could not been filled since eight months despite the constitutional provision for filling the seats in 45 days. It was because the federal government under Imran Khan and opposition could not reach a consensus on the names. In a surprise move, the government appointed the members without consultation, but the chief election commissioner refused to administer the oath of office to these appointees and claimed that the appointment was not based in accordance with the provision of constitution. Thus, it is reached that the reforms in the ECP is playing a vital role in promoting the democracy by conducting smooth and transparent elections.

The citizen of Pakistan have, now, turned aware about their rights to rule the country and it is a good sign for the development of democracy. Before, many citizens welcomed the dictator because the democratic leaders failed to improve their lifestyle. However, the people in uniform could not satisfy their needs as well. As a result, they have turned against dictators too. At present, almost all the citizens speak against the martial law and blame the military for their present poor conditions. Now, instead of welcoming their rule, they will stand against them in the same way the people of turkey blocked the prospects of military rule by lying before the tanks. Thus, the local citizen, now, loathes martial law and it is a good for the prosperity of democracy in the country.

A major hurdle, of course, is the indirect interference of the military in the democratic government. The military not only frame foreign policy of Pakistan, but also implement it. The civilian has no say in the policies towards India, Afghanistan and the US. Besides, the head of Intelligence bureau or other sensitive institutions like defense is always retired military officer. It means that the civilians are not trusted with the sensitive policies. Currently, many retired military officers are occupying some important posts. For instance, the federal Interior minister is Ijaz Ahmed Shah. He is a former head of Intelligence bureau and a retired army officer. Besides, Lieutenant General Asim Saleem Bajwa is serving as the Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting. He is retired Pakistani three-star general. Thus, the indirect rule of the military does not bode well for the democracy in Pakistan.

The feudal lord system is acting as the stumbling rock in the way of democracy in Pakistan. Democracy relies on the votes of the local citizens. However, in Pakistan, some feudal lords enjoy full control over the authority and decisions of people in their respective areas. Normally, these feudal lords own thousands of acres agriculture lands and almost all the people living in the villages act as their farmers. These people rely on them economically. It is, therefore, during elections, they vote only a candidate told by their feudal lords. They do not act on their own interest, but over the command of their superiors. In many cases, these feudal lords contest elections themselves. Consequently, they win the elections no matter how corrupt they are and from which political party they contest. Thus, the system of feudal lord is the basic hurdle in the way of democracy in Pakistan.

The fact that, almost all the democratic leaders are corrupt, also contributes to the fragility of the democracy in Pakistan. They mostly work for the wider self-interest rather than the interest of the country and its citizens after being elected. They also favor the non-transparent appointment of the government servants to fill the institutions with their own people. Besides, they use the public funds for their personal expenditure and deem it below their dignity to not make piles of illegal money. They use the same money to win the elections. It was proved by the recent accountability campaign of PM Imran Khan. Under his drive, the main leaders of the two main democratic parties were arrested on the account of corruptions. The panama leaks also revealed some names of the democratic leaders including farmer PM Nawaz Sharif. Because of their corruption, the local people dislike democracy and some time talk in the favor of the authoritarian rule. Hence, the corruption of the democratic leaders is blocking the route of democracy in the country.

The poor literacy rate of Pakistan is negatively affecting the performance of the democratic governments very badly. It is known fact that the democratic system is successful in the countries where the literacy rate is good. It is because; a person with good education background, knows the importance of his vote and uses it properly for the betterment of the country. As a result, efficient democratic leaders are elected that grab the rein of the country. Because of this reason, democracies are bearing fruitful results in the developed countries like the US and is completely collapsing in those countries where the literacy rate is poor. In Pakistan, with around 50 per cent illiterate people, democracy has failed to improve the lifestyle of the people and solve the existing crisis faced by the country. Thus, it is not wrong to say that inadequate literacy rate is causing damage to democracy in Pakistan.

The cripple economy of Pakistan also hampers the democratic progress. The better economic position of any country is directly proportional to the prosperity of democracy. The democratic system evolved from Greece because the export of the wine improved its economic position and thus a demand was raised for the civilian rule. The system remained successful. However, democracy has performed poorly in the countries facing the economic crisis. Take a classical example of Pakistan. The biggest hurdle faced by the PM Imran Khan is the major economic challenges faced by the country. These crises have not only made it difficult for his democratic government to focus on the other issues, but also created bad feelings among the citizen regarding the system. As such, the poor economy of Pakistan is acting as a biggest hurdle in the way of democracy.

An association of democratic nations must be formed to protect young democracies around the world including Pakistan from the threat of the dictators. The strong democratic nations like the US and European countries should extend their support to the civilian rules during crisis. Democracy needs support and the best support for democracy can come from other democracies. Had there been an association of democratic nations, it would have been difficult for the dictators like Zia and Musharraf to impose martial law in Pakistan. Alarmingly, in Pakistan, the military rule received generous financial support from the US, while the civilians were sidelined every time. Thus, the only way to sustain democracy in Pakistan is to form an association of democratic nations at the global level.

It is imperative for the indigenous democratic leaders to improve their performance and work hard for the betterment of the civilian to win their support. Democracy needs the cooperation of the local citizens to flourish in any country. However, the most of the democratic leaders are corrupt in Pakistan and has failed to show distinguish performance. As a result, democracy has become infamous in the country. Had they worked with faithfulness and honesty to improve the lifestyle of the people, it would have been nearly impossible for the dictators to impose direct rule. It was because of the inefficient of the democratic leaders that the citizens never resisted the military. Otherwise, they would have lay before the tanks the same way the citizens did in Turkey when a dictator tried to impose martial law there. Thus, the democratic leaders need to improve their performance to block all the route of anti democratic elements.

As such, it is reached that there is hopes as well as hurdles in the way of democracy in Pakistan. Some events like inability of the military to impose direct rule under current circumstances, mature leadership as compared to past, better performance of successive democratic governments, smooth transfer of powers by the democratic parties, improvement in the performance of the ECP and awareness among the people regarding the civilian rule, have created hope for democracy in Pakistan. In the contrast, some other events like, indirect interference of the military in the democratic governments, feudal lords system, corruption of democratic leaders, alarming literacy rate and poor economy of the country, have caused hurdles in the way of democracy in Pakistan. Keeping in view this situation, an association of democratic nations must be formed to save democracy from the anti-democratic elements. Besides, it is imperative for the democratic leaders to strive for improving the lifestyle of the local citizens to win their cooperation. Thus, democracy in Pakistan faces both hopes and hurdles and it is important to remove impediments to further flourish the civilian rule.

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Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles

Introduction.

Pakistan adopted, or we can say ‘inherited’, a democratic system of government at the time of the partition of India. The phrase ‘the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ implies the rule or government of the common masses within defined Islamic injunctions or boundaries. However, since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, democracy in Pakistan has remained in shambles until today.

Hurdles to Democracy in Pakistan

Let’s have a quick insight into the problems and hurdles that have impacted or are still impacting the democracy in Pakistan. Below are the factors responsible for failing democracy in Pakistan:

Frequent Military Takeovers in the Past

Democracy was in its nascent state when it suffered the first blow from dictatorship. By overthrowing democratic governments, military dictators ruled scot-free even after the heinous crime of abrogating the constitution. The military got a strong foothold in the country. Decisions were taken by a single military dictator. The democratic concept of civilian supremacy was challenged. The state institutions other than the military became impotent. Judiciary became ineffective, giving rise to lawlessness in the country.

Thus, frequent military take-overs are one of the most prominent factors responsible for the poor state of democracy in Pakistan.

Dynastic Politics

Dynastic politics or the rule of a few families over the whole country remained a serious problem in the Pakistani democratic system. The descendants of the ruling elites continued to take it as their prerogative or birthright to rule the country. The people from the grass-root level were never allowed to enter politics. Thus, the real problems of ordinary people remain unaddressed by the elite class.

Furthermore, due to illiteracy, feudalism is also deeply entrenched in some parts of the country. The feudal lords do not allow their subjects to get an education. Also, these subjects of the landlords, as evident in most of the rural areas of Sindh and Baluchistan, are under compulsion to cast their votes according to the wishes of their masters. Thus, real democratic culture and system remain elusive.

Economic Inequality

Division in society.

Similarly, when a society is divided by race, religion, sects, tribes, and clans, it becomes difficult for a democracy to sustain. As democracy requires the masses to determine one common destiny, but with the division among masses, people aim toward opposite future destinations. As Lincoln had rightly said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

However, in Pakistan, people are largely divided provincially, linguistically, and on the basis of sects, tribes, and clans, this ultimately hinders democracy from succeeding because the whole divided nation lacks a common destination. Thus, a united democracy is essential to the functioning of democracy.

Polarized Politics

Furthermore, in Pakistan’s polarized political structure, a Punjabi speaking blindly supports a Punjabi speaker, a Sindhi would side with Sindhi, a religious person would support a religious party, etc. Thus, such divisions at the national level hamper the progress of democracy in Pakistan.

Biased Media

Lack of accountability of the rulers.

When people elect their representatives, the representatives are supposed to work and come up to the expectations of the people. They are accountable for their acts to the public. However, in Pakistan, the essential element of accountability is altogether missing from its democratic culture. The relationship between the elected and the electors in Pakistan is considered as the relationship between the master and its subjects, or of the rulers to the ruled.

Weak State Institutions

In any democratic society, there are mainly three arms of the government; i.e. Legislature, executive and Judiciary. Without a balance among these, no democratic society can deliver on its goals or flourish.

The Democratic System in Pakistan is Getting Better

The decline in military intervention.

Unlike the past where the military had frequently interfered in political affairs or imposed martial laws in the country, there is a visible decline in military intervention in political affairs. For example, Pakistan has witnessed a smooth transition of power in three democratic governments since 2008. It is for the first time that three democratic governments have successfully completed their tenure. Civilian supremacy is the essence of democracy, and this element is visible these days. The military establishment is working in its constitutionally defined role. Thus, the lack of military intervention heralds strengthening democracy in Pakistan.

Increasing Awareness in General Masses

It is due to the widespread use of social media, coupled with vibrant electronic and print media, that people are becoming aware of their rights. The dissemination of knowledge and information has enabled the masses to make better decisions for them. Today, the corrupt practices of politicians and leaders get quickly highlighted on social media and people hold them accountable for their acts. Ordinary people are becoming more and more vocal on social media. Problems at the grass-root level are getting highlighted and in most cases, swift action is taken to address the issues. Such positive development augurs further the strengthening of democracy.

Strengthening of the Institutions

Improvement in education system.

Education and democracy are part and parcel of each other. The more people are educated, the higher the standards of democracy would be. In Pakistan, the education sector has always been neglected in the past. The problems associated with the education system were never addressed.

The Eighteenth Amendment & Devolution of Power

However, the power was further supposed to be devolved to the local governments too, but that remained unattained yet. Through the local governments, people from the grassroots level will be able to step into politics.

A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy.

NOTE: This topic has been taken from CSS Essay Paper – 2018

Democracy in Pakistan : Hopes and hurdles

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Essay on “Democracy in Pakistan” for CSS, and PMS

January 24, 2022
Essay for CSS PMS and Judiciary Exam

This is an Essay on “Democracy in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and Judiciary Examinations. Democracy is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation, or to choose governing officials to do so.” Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or through freely elected representatives. As Democracy is a very popular topic so, here is a complete Essay on “Democracy in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and judiciary examinations.

What is democracy? Essentials of democracy Democracy in Pakistan

A brief history

The early period from 1947-58
Period of General Ayub and General Zia
Political turmoil and General Pervaiz Musharraf

Causes of failure of democracy in Pakistan

Delayed Framing of the Constitution
Leadership Crisis
Lack of education
No independence of the judiciary
Weak political parties and their infighting
Delayed elections and rigging
Corruption and nepotism
Quasi-Federalism and Conflict between Eastern and Western Wings
Terrorism and extremism

Pakistani Democracy Vs. Western Democracy

Suggestions

Effective accountability of the politicians
Reforming judiciary
Abolish feudalism
Eliminate corruption
Two parties system on the pattern of the USA, UK
Amendment in the constitution
Fair and free election
Increase the education budget to educate people
Uninterrupted democratic process
Strengthening the institutions

Essay on “Democracy in Pakistan” for CSS, PMS, and Judiciary Examinations

“You have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of Islamic democracy, Islamic social justice, and the equality of manhood in your own native soil.” -Muhammad Ali Jinnah,

To acquire immunity to eloquence is of the utmost importance to the citizens of a democracy. – Bertrand Russell

Democracy is a form of government in which all citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal (and more or less direct) participation in the proposal, development, and passage of legislation into law. It can also encompass social, economic, and cultural conditions that enable the free and equal practice of political self-determination. While there is no specific, universally accepted definition of ‘democracy’, equality and freedom have both been identified as important characteristics of democracy since ancient times. These principles are reflected in all citizens being equal before the law and having equal access to legislative processes.

For example, in a representative democracy, every vote has equal weight, no unreasonable restrictions can apply to anyone seeking to become a representative, and the freedom of its citizens is secured by legitimized rights and liberties which are generally protected by a constitution.

Many people use the term “democracy” as shorthand for liberal democracy, which may include elements such as political pluralism; equality before the Jaw; the right to petition elected officials for redress of grievances; due process; civil liberties; human rights ; and elements of civil society outside the government. In the United States, separation of powers is often cited as a central attribute, but in other countries, such as the United Kingdom, the dominant principle is that of parliamentary sovereignty (though in practice judicial independence is generally maintained).

In other cases, “democracy” is used to mean direct democracy. Though the term “democracy” is typically used in the context of a political state, the principles are applicable to private organizations and other groups as well.

Democracy in Pakistan

Democracy in its true spirit has never been allowed to take root in Pakistan. Since its independence in 1947, a military-bureaucratic establishment has always governed the country. Army generals usurp power at their own convenience and quit only when they are forced to quit by mass political movements or by sudden unexpected death. When forced by external or internal pressures, democracy is given a chance but in reality, a group of army generals keeps controlling the decision-making.

This direct or indirect military influence is the greatest impediment to the evolution of a stable governing system in Pakistan. Besides, the army is not solely responsible for this mass but it is our inefficient politicians who provide an opportunity for to army to take over.

A brief history of Democracy in Pakistan

Recalling the last 62 years of Pakistan, democracy is found only as an interval before the next military general comes to the scene. The future of democracy was doomed from the start when Liaquat Ali Khan, the first elected Prime Minister, was shot at a public gathering. Nobody knows to this day who did it and why. From now on, the balance of power was to shift in the favor of the military. A comparison tells us how this shift came up. From 1951-57 India had one Prime Minister and several army chiefs while during the same period Pakistan had one army chief and several Prime ministers.

The same army chief, the Sandhurst-trained general, Ayub Khan was to announce the first martial law in the country in 1958 and then a series of military rules were to follow.

General Ayub Khan could not withstand a popular national movement against him and transferred power to General Yahya Khan in March 1969. Under him, Pakistan lost its half which is now Bangladesh. Power was then transferred to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto as the first civilian martial law administrator. Bhutto pursued an independent policy, which was against what generals and the US wanted, and he had to pay with his life.

Charged for compliance in murder, Bhutto was hanged by the next martial law administrator, General Zia ul Haq. The hanging of an elected Prime Minister was shocking news to the world and Pakistan was to have the effects years later. The general died in a mysterious plane crash.

Then came a ten years gap of experimentation with democracy and every two years each elected government was ousted by the special discretionary powers of the president . An end to this ten-year spell came with a new general coming to power ousting the incumbent elected government of Mian Nawaz Sharif. This time the Prime Minister was charged with conspiring against the state and was ousted from the country.

The immediate and foremost requirement of the Constituent Assembly was to frame a democratic constitution for the country. The constitution had to lay down the form of government, and the role of the judiciary, military, and bureaucracy. It had to decide the basic issues about provincial autonomy, religion and the state, the joint or separate electorate, representation of minorities and women in assemblies, fundamental rights, and civil liberties.

The debate over the representation of eastern and western wings of the country and religion versus secularism were the two main hindrances in the way of framing the constitution. As against India, which was able to frame the constitution of the country within two years of independence in 1949, Pakistan took nine years to finalize the constitution in 1956, which did not work for more than two years and was abrogated.

The second constitution was framed by a military ruler General Ayub in 1962 which could last as long as he was in power. Finally, it was after the separation of East Pakistan and a lapse of more than a quarter of a century (1947-1973) that the elected representatives of the people under the leadership of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto framed a consensus constitution envisaging a federal, democratic structure for the country and a parliamentary form of government.

This constitution has survived in spite of the breakdown of democracy twice in 1978 and 1999 and hopefully has come to stay. But the delay in framing the constitution harmed the growth of political democracy, as it allowed the authoritarian rule of the Governor-General to continue for seven long years (1947-56), which set this inglorious tradition in the country.

The second obstacle in the way of democracy is the culture of feudalism. Democracy cannot develop in the suffocating atmosphere of feudalism. The history of feudalism in the subcontinent is not very old. It owes its origin to the war of independence in 1857 when different people were awarded large swathes of land by the British government because of their treacherous cooperation with the latter. Those feudal families joined Muslim League when they saw that Pakistan was going to be a reality and inherited power after the death of the founding father. Feudalism has now become a severe migraine for the nation. Democracy and feudalism are incompatible.

Change of faces at the wheel has not served any purpose. Even these feudal lords occupy more than 70 % of our land leaving the people to lead a miserable life. They are senators, ministers, MPAs, MNAs, and also the owners of major industries in Pakistan. There is a crying need to bring some structural changes in order to strengthen the political system. Industrialization has also played a significant role in the strengthening of democracy across the world. Great Britain is considered the mother of democracies on this planet.

Some analysts are of the view that democracy has its origin in the Magna Carta, Bill of Rights and Habeas Corpus, etc. But even after these developments very mighty rulers have ruled Great Britain. In fact, the invention of the steam engine led to the industrial revolution which eradicated the roots of feudalism and the evil of absolute monarchy. All this resulted in the development of democracy. In Pakistan, there is everything from adult franchises to the separation of powers between the three organs of government but no plan for that kind of industrial revolution.

Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the father of the nation and the first Governor-General, died just one year after the establishment of Pakistan on September 11, 1948, and his right-hand lieutenant Liaquat Ali Khan, who was the first Prime Minister, was assassinated on October 16, 1951. About the capability of other leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), the party which had successfully piloted the movement for Pakistan, Jinnah had ruefully remarked that “he had false coins in his pocket”.

Consequently, several ministers appointed initially were not politicians and did not have a seat in the Assembly. Similarly, in 1954, there were several members of the Prime Minister’s cabinet without a seat in Parliament. “The cabinet and other high political appointments reflected a paucity of talent among the politicians.”

It is indeed a sad commentary on the elected members of the first Legislature and Constituent Assembly of Pakistan that they could not find a suitable head of state from among their own ranks. Most of them came from the civil bureaucracy or the military. The civil-military bureaucracy did not have a favorable opinion about the competence of political leaders and often took decisions without consulting them. This adversely affected their political training, development, and growth.

The inability to control the Anti-Ahmadiya Movement in Punjab in 1953 was blamed on inept political leadership. This religious movement was spearheaded by the religious Ahrar Party which had opposed the establishment of Pakistan and now wanted again to come into the limelight. They were supported by other religious parties, i.e., Jamaat-i-Islami, JamiatuiUlema-i-Pakistan, and JamiatulUlerna-i-Islam. The movement was exploited by politicians in their own political interests.

But the civil-military bureaucracy was against the religious parties dominating the power structure either in the provinces or the center. To rescue the city of Lahore where Ahmadis were in a “virtual state of siege” and their properties were being “burned or looted”, General Azam Khan, the Area Commander, was ordered by the Defense Secretary, to impose martial law in Lahore. It was met with the general approval of the people.

It was demonstrated that the civil-military bureaucracy “would not let politicians or religious ideologues lead the country to anarchy”. This also laid down the foundations of the supremacy of the military and orchestrated the initial rehearsal for the recurring imposition of Martial Law in the country and its acceptance by the people.

Lack of education has remained an important impediment to the democratization of countries. This is not just a problem for Pakistan but of the whole Third world. Laski, a famous political thinker said that education is the backbone of democracy. Democracy is a system of governance in which the people choose their representatives through elections. Their strength lies in the ballot box. If people are not vigilant and educated enough to make a better choice, democracy will not flourish in that country.

This is the main reason that even in the countries apparently practicing democracy but the majority of uneducated people are among the under-developed nations. Masses in Pakistan have not found ways of compelling their rulers to be mindful of their duty. Their failures in this regard result from insufficiency of experience and training in operating modem democratic politics. Democracy puts the highest premium on constitutionalism, which is possible only with the predominant majority of people. Pakistan’s democracy can neither improve nor become viable as long as the majority of the population remains uneducated.

Judiciary is one of the most important pillars of a state and in a country where the judiciary is not imparting justice , democracy cannot develop. During the Second World War, someone asked British Prime Minister Winston Churchill whether the British would win the war. The Prime Minister laughed and replied that if the British courts were dispensing justice, no one would trounce the United Kingdom. In Pakistan since 1954 judiciary has remained docile to the wishes of the executive. As Shelley says, “If the winter comes; can spring be far behind”.

In fact, since its birth, Pakistan has been governed by bureaucratic, military, and political elites. The bureaucratic elite generally became more assertive, steadily increasing their power at the expense of the political elite. Ayub’s term of office (1958-69) was the golden era for the bureaucracy, which exercised its powers, unbridled by any political interference. The weakness of political elites can be demonstrated by the fact that during seven years from 1951 to 1958, as many as seven Prime Ministers had been changed.

From 1988 to 1999, four democratically elected governments were replaced on charges of corruption, inefficiency, security risk, etc. The civil-military bureaucracy has dominated governance owing to the inherent weakness of the political parties and their incompetent leadership, resulting in the derailment of democracy thrice in the history of Pakistan, i.e., in 1958, 1977, and 1999.

Pakistan was not created as a theocracy but as a place where an economically marginalized minority could operate a democracy independently. It was to save the people from religious discrimination and domination by an overwhelming religious majority. Moreover, it emerged as a territorial state in the Muslim majority areas of the subcontinent. But the religious and secular groups soon started making conflicting demands while formulating the constitution of Pakistan.

The speech of Mr. Jinnah on August 11, 1947, addressed to the first legislative and constituent assembly of Pakistan, advocated political pluralism and declared that the “religion or caste or creed has nothing to do with the business of the State”. This has not adhered to the Objectives Resolution passed by the Constituent Assembly in 1949, which pacified the demands of Muslim religious parties and elements but was not supported by religious minorities.

The compromise solution attempted to balance the values and the spirit of Islam with the requirements of secularism. Due to a lack of competent and visionary political leadership , and the fact that Muslims constituted 98 percent of the population, the conservative religious leaders, partly due to their conviction and partly owing to their parochial interests, advocated and preached the establishment of a religiopolitical system based on Al-Quran and Sunnah.

They were skeptical of the politico-social development of modem times and western political institutions and forms of government. Their dogmatic theology clashed with the democratic culture envisioned by the founding fathers. Another adverse impact of the adoption of religion as a guiding principle in the constitution, was the promotion of religious sectarianism, especially between the two major sects inhabiting Pakistan, i.e., Sunnis and Shi’as. Some sections of these sects, instead of peaceful negotiations to overcome their differences, often resort to violence, which is against the spirit of both Islam and democracy. These rivalries fostered reliance on the security forces for the maintenance of law and order, which eroded the hold of democratic institutions in governance.

For any healthy constitutional and political system to function smoothly, strong and well-entrenched political parties are essential. Unfortunately, political parties in Pakistan have failed to develop into strong vehicles of national political will. The main responsibility for safeguarding democracy in a country falls on political parties. Pakistan, since its inception, was lacking well-organized and well-established political parties that could carry the representative system of governance forward.

The All-India Muslim League, which had piloted the movement of Pakistan from 1940 to 47, was not a well-organized political party, but it was primarily a movement. Leading a movement and organizing a political party are two different things. Most of its leaders belonged to areas that became part of the Indian Union and their majority did not come to Pakistan. Those who were in Pakistan, barring a few exceptions, belonged to feudal and landowning classes that in their nature were in conflict with the democratic dispensation. In fact “the leadership of the Pakistan movement had few roots in the land that became Pakistan.”

Their incompetence and constant wrangling for power in the initial nine years (1947-1956) were also responsible for the delay in constitution-making. Instead of cooperation and mutual accommodation, there was ceaseless infighting. For instance, as early as 1953, a clash between the leadership of Punjab and the central government led to intense communal riots and the imposition of Martial Law in Lahore, the provincial capital. Even as late as the decade 1988-99 of civil supremacy, the fight between the PML and the PPP led to the repeated dissolution of national and provincial assemblies and the dismissal of prime ministers and their cabinets. Finally, it ended with the military takeover in 1999.

The representative character of the civilian parliamentary government during the first decade of Pakistan’s existence was eroded because the country was governed under the Government of India Act of 1935. The purpose of the Act was “to make the appointed governor-general exert dominance over the elected prime minister.” The Act introduced a representative and centralized system of bureaucratic governance, which was an imperative requirement of the colonial government but not of democratic governance. The first general elections in the country should have been held in 1951, i.e., five years after the previous elections in 1946, but this could not happen till 1970.

The reasons for the delay were that the ruling elite, i.e., civil bureaucrats, migrant political leadership, and weak political parties, had few roots in the masses. As a consequence, general elections could not be held for 23 years (1947-1970) of the country’s initial history. On the expiry of the five years term of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (1972-1977), the second general elections on the basis of the adult franchise were held on March 7, 1977, which the PPP won with a vast majority.

The opposition parties alleged that the elections had been “rigged on a massive scale”. It has been commented: Elections in Pakistan had been rigged before, notably the presidential election in 1965 and the Provincial Assembly,y elections in the early 1950s, but rigging in these instances did not arouse the mass uprising as it did in 1977. The people of Pakistan were evidently not of the same mind now as they were in those earlier periods.

Corruption in bureaucracy and among political leaders poses a grave threat to good democratic governance. Quaid-i-Azam had termed corruption as “poison” and asked to put that down with an “iron hand”. Now that the international Reconciliation Ordinance, .vnich had withdrawn from prosecution any person “falsely involved for political reasons or through political victimization” between 1986 and 1999, has lapsed on November 28, 2009, the concerned individuals should get themselves cleared in a court of law in a transparent manner. The tribal nature of society in Pakistan is susceptible to nepotism. As an antidote, accountability and transparency are necessary. It is a challenge to the people to reject those leaders and political parties which indulge in corruption and nepotism.

One of the main bottlenecks in constitutional development in Pakistan was that its two wings were separated by about 1000 miles of hostile territory. The eastern wing consisted of one province but was more populous’ than the western wing which was much larger in the area and had as many as four provinces.

The western wing was not prepared to concede majority representation to the eastern wing in the parliament. After a confrontation of nine years between the two wings, the solution was evolved in the l956 constitution in the shape of parity of representation in a quasi-federal structure, neutralizing the majority of the eastern wing and paving the way for the manipulated domination of the western wing.

The domination of the western wing in governance led to an insurgency in the eastern wing which culminated in the separation and independence of Bangladesh in 1971. In post-1971 Pakistan, it came to be realized that ideological moorings alone could not easily overcome ethnic and economic differences. Yet the anti-ethnic attitude and anti-modem thinking prevalent in certain segments of society lean toward a unitary or quasi-federal state as against a true federation.

The latest threat is emanating from extremism and terrorism, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and the Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA). This is the spillover effect of the conflict in Afghanistan and is spreading to Pakistan. It is likely to continue as long as there is no peace and stability in that country. However, the military enjoying the support of the nation is successfully combating the extremists and terrorists under the supremacy of the civilian democratic government. It is hoped that the process would continue to its logical conclusion.

Due to the migration of literate Hindus and Sikhs to India, the literacy rate in Pakistan sharply declined. There was about 95 percent illiteracy in Pakistan in 1947, which acted as a hindrance to the growth of civil and democratic society. Feudalism and economic constraint did not permit any Pakistani government to launch a “crash course to expand literacy and grow higher standards.

The national economy has gone bankrupt and the national budget has become all foreign aid-dependent. Islam was the ideology that gave life to the Pakistan movement and later Pakistan itself but is now infested with sectarianism. Military policies gifted the country with cross-border terrorism and three million internally displaced people. Despite having the largest chunk of the national budget and being the seventh-largest army in the world, the Pakistan army is now in a mess of its own creation with little of its hard-earned prestige left to its credit.

The distorted face of the national system as a whole and the failure of the judiciary to guard the constitution of Pakistan are the major factors contributing to the change in the national mindset. The events of the last two years have clearly shown the preference of the people of Pakistan. The masses want democracy as a political and governing system for the country and a judiciary that guard the rights of the people. The military would be respected more if it stays in the barracks or guarded the national borders. The murder of Benazir Bhutto has taught new lessons.

If one compares Pakistani democracy with Western democracy it is said that for over 50 years, Pakistan remains occupied by three major interest groups in the time, opportunities, and resources of the besieged nation. The army, civil service, and the neo-colonial appointed landlords. If there was any rational tolerance scale, the Pakistani nation would certainly secure high marks on its standard of tolerance and survival under most unfavorable circumstances.

One of the pivotal factors supporting the notion of Western liberal democracies is that it provides opportunities for participation to ordinary citizens, right or wrong to culminate a sense of legitimacy for the election exercise and chose people of their interest to manage public affairs for a specified term. But the principles and standards for evil and good vary between the West and the Islamic world . Strange as is, in Pakistan, those who come to occupy the political offices never intend to quit the political power on their own except implication of military force through a coup.

Comparatively, on occasions, western democracies do” encourage educated and competent citizens to strive for their high ideas and ideals and come to the front stage and demonstrate their intentions and will power to seek the goal of ideal public service agendas. E.H. Carr defines the teaching-learning role of history and its value must not be ignored but preserved. Recall the Pakistani military dictators for the last forty-plus years, they each consumed a decade or more to relinquish power, that was not theirs in any systematic and logical context. Ayub Khan was ousted by Yahya Khan.

General Yahya with the complacency of Z.A. Bhutto surrendered East Pakistan to India (now Bangladesh) to share power with Bhutto but was put under house arrest as Bhutto assumed the power that did not belong to him based on the verdict of the people. Rightfully, it was Sheikh MujiburRehman, leader of the East Pakistan Awami League who should have been sworn in as the new leader of united Pakistan but it was treacherously undone by Yahya and Bhutto.

Both should have been tried as traitors in a court of law and punished. Not so, they were rewarded and Bhutto became the first civilian martial law administrator and self-made president of defeated Pakistan in December 1971. Dr.Ishtiaq Qureshi, editor of the Urdu Digest recorded for the history (“Sukoot-e-Dacca seyPurdhautha Hay”- Facts are revealed after the Dacca Surrender) that “in the quest for its survival Pakistan lost its destiny. Yahya and Mujib stabbed the body of Pakistan with one dagger and Bhutto will stab Pakistan with another dagger.”

Suggestions for Democracy in Pakistan

Fo1lowing are the suggestions for improving democracy in Pakistan:

An impartial system of accountability enhances public trust in the political system. It provides enormous strength to the democratic process. Moreover, it compels thousand who are charged with governance, to transparently discharge their official responsibilities. It ensures good governance and strengthens the political setup. In spite of facing innumerable challenges and showing unsatisfactory performance, Pakistanis have the capability to emerge as a democratic and progressive nation. Pakistan can road to democracy with the dedication, determination, commitment, courage, and patriotism of its political leaders.

Reforming the judiciary and incorporating Islamic laws can also soothe the deprived and poor masses who have been manipulated by the extremists due to the sheer negligence of the elected governments and ruling elite. This natura11y causes bitterness toward the present form of political setup.

Moving on, corruption and selfish attitudes are eating away at the institutional structure of our country and such practices never allow democracy to flourish. There is also a need for mature political leadership, which can think above its own gains. All this can only emerge after the formulation and implementation of strict accountability.

On the contrary, weak public institutions can be made strong and productive if the power and authority seep down. The example of many European countries is in front of us, where institutions are powerful and not politicians. Democracy in actuality can only be achieved through such measures.

Our constitution has been a source of constant controversy. Be it the realization of Islamic laws or the concentration of power in the head of the state, the constitution has served as a tool for the legitimization of alien changes and policies. Keeping the constitution intact has been long overdue. No one in power should be allowed to change it for prolongation of rule or appeasing any particular section. The Pakistani movement envisaged a democratic country with a federal structure.

In all Constitutions of Pakistan (1956, 1962, and 1973) the objectives of governance, in the words of Dr. Ainslie T. Embree, Professor Emeritus of Columbia University, are democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance, and social justice as enunciated by Islam, giving Muslims freedom to live their lives in accordance with the teachings of Islam, but with minorities having full freedom to profess their own religions.

Islam lays emphasis on the concept of Shura, i.e., consultation among people, which is the essence of democratic culture. Quaid-i-Azam, the founder of Pakistan had stated:

“We leamed democracy 1300 years ago. Democracy is i11 our blood. It is ill our marrows. Dilly centuries of adverse circumstances have made the circulation of that blood cold. It has got frozen, and our arteries are not functioning. But thank God, the blood is circulating again, thanks to the Muslim League’s efforts. It will be a People’s government. Culturally, ill the region of Pakistan, there is a concept of Jirga or Panchayat, i.e., an assembly of elders, to settle issues and disputes involving two or more two persons. This system has, been prevalent for ages, much before the advent of Islam. Thus, both religion and age-old tradition advocate the concept of consultation in decision-making through all assembly of people, which is the essence of democracy.”

During the period of British supremacy in the subcontinent, the practice of elections to assemblies (local, provincial and central) was introduced through various enactments. Finally, it was the Government of India Act 1935 under which the dominions of India and Pakistan functioned after independence till they framed their own constitutions. These enactments provided the groundwork for democratic governance. It may be of interest to note that even when the democratic rule was suspended by the armed forces, the military rulers always came with the promise to restore democratic governance .

For instance, in 1970, General Yahya Khan is credited with organizing the first-ever general elections in the country, which led to the establishment of democratic governments both in Bangladesh and Pakistan. Besides holding general elections in 2002 and 2007, General Musharraf’s introduction of a local government system introduced in 2001 is considered a “laudable model of governance” because of its principle that whatever can be done at the local level should not be done at a higher tier of governance.

The country is on the path to achieving full literacy and progress towards a higher standard of education in important disciplines. This is strengthening the civil society in ensuring the prevalence of democratic culture at the lower and higher level of governance. Secondly, the print and electronic media in Pakistan are vibrant and independent. A responsible media educates the masses, raises political consciousness, and thus promotes democratic values, norms, and culture. In addition, a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are playing an active role in the field of education and contributing to the growth of a vibrant civil society and good governance.

The essential step seems to stop interruption in the democratic process so that we may see more than promos. To judge something, it has to be allowed a chance to survive and act. The elected government must be allowed to complete its tenure in any case. The military has to play a positive role here and not interfere in the smooth democratic process.

As mentioned before, a part of the population wants greater Islamic character in the Govt. and laws. If we analyze this demand, it will be apparent that the enforcement of Sharia is more related to lawmaking. Therefore, what is immediately required is a change in the judicial setup, which has been unable to gain the trust of people until recently. Encouraging steps have already started in this case, but much more needs to be done.

Sadly, the same corrupted pool of thought keeps appearing with new faces and the deceived masses blindly follow them. This is due to the absence of any kind of accountability. Political compromises enhance this trend. Such practices are against moral, democratic as well as Islamic principles and should end immediately.

Next, the all-powerful bureaucracy and feudal politicians should be stripped of their unwarranted authority. It has been a slow evil that has weakened the country like nothing else. They are elected for serving people not to control them. The criteria of merit; the right to freedom and equal progress for common people have become a joke due to such an autocratic setup.

The people of Pakistan in general lack political psyche and consciousness. This is largely due to poor literacy and a never-ending feudalistic rule over 60% of the country. Therefore, it is necessary to educate the masses and make them aware of their political rights. This can begin with greater political socialization by political parties and media.

In a democratic state, media has rightly been called the fourth pillar of the state. It can play a most important role in the present age for creating awareness. Our media has risen from the ashes like a phoenix. It, however, needs to play a positive constructive role and not become another compromised institution as well.

Finally, the strategic position and now the war against terror call forth unwanted attention from the international community sometimes. In the past, military rule has been covertly or openly supported by many countries to gain their own benefits in this region. The international powers must stop interfering in the democratic process and for that to happen, our own government, people and media need to be equally strong.

Politicians may have learned lessons from their past mistakes and are more mature politically. Consensus politics seem to be emerging in the country. In the past, the constant infighting amongst political parties had often led to interference and take-over by the armed forces.

Now a culture of reconciliation, accommodation, and dialogue is emerging. The ideological polarization is diminishing. After the general elections of February 2008, four major political parties, i.e., Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), PML – Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), Jamiat-ulUlema-i-Islam – Fazalur Rahman (JUI-Fl and MuttahidaQaumi Movement (MQM) have joined hands to govern the country and re-establish the supremacy of the Parliament in accordance with the Constitution of 1973.

Our youth constitute 30% of the society they are representative of a new generation. Their participation may ensure structural improvements in the national paradigm. It has been witnessed that during the Pakistan movement youth played a vital role in opinion formation and mass awareness and so is the time now. There is a need to guide our youth to take responsibility for our tomorrow.

To sum up, it is the political leadership that can ensure the permanence of democratic governance. The prospects are, however, not as dismal as sometimes portrayed. Already, the literacy rate in Pakistan has increased to more than fifty-five percent. Efforts are afoot to improve the standard of higher education. Economic growth and industrialization have given birth to a vocal urban society and middle class, which is growing. and gradually lessening the influence of the feudal class.

The vibrant electronic and print media is playing an effective role in constructive criticism of the government and in educating the masses. Elections are being held regularly, representative political leadership and political parties are getting stronger and a peaceful mode of transfer of power is becoming the norm. The bureaucracy (both civil and military), though still powerful, may retreat gradually and submit to the people’s power and will and concede to democratic governance. The democratic process is progressing and, hopefully, will be obstructed and derailed, as in the past.

Expected question about this Essay:

Why has democracy failed in Pakistan?
What practical measures do you suggest for strengthening democracy in Pakistan?

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Democracy in Pakistan Essay with Quotations

by Pakiology | Jun 23, 2024 | Essay | 1 comment

Explore the evolution, challenges, and progress of democracy in Pakistan in this in-depth essay . Gain insights into the nation’s rich history, the influence of the military, the pervasive issue of corruption, and the role of civil society in shaping Pakistan’s democratic landscape.

Title: The Evolution of Democracy in Pakistan: Challenges, Progress, and Prospects for the Future

Introduction.

Pakistan, a country characterized by its rich and diverse history, has embarked on a tumultuous journey in pursuit of democracy. Overcoming numerous obstacles, its citizens have tenaciously defended their democratic rights and worked diligently to forge a more equitable society. In this comprehensive essay, we delve into the current state of democracy in Pakistan, recognizing its historical context, addressing the persistent challenges it confronts, highlighting the progress made, and considering the prospects for the future.

The Historical Landscape

Democracy, at its core, is a system of government grounded in the principle of representation, allowing citizens to actively participate in decision-making processes that impact their lives. Regrettably, the implementation of democracy in Pakistan has been marred by a series of military coups and periods of martial law, intermittently disrupting its democratic trajectory. Despite these adversities, Pakistan now operates as a federal parliamentary republic with a president and prime minister at the helm.

The Military’s Influence: A Persistent Challenge

A major impediment to democracy in Pakistan has been the enduring influence of the military on the political landscape. Pakistan’s history is replete with instances of military interventions in civilian governance, including several coups and martial law declarations. This persistent interference not only undermines democratic principles but also erodes public trust in the democratic system. Additionally, intelligence agencies have faced accusations of wielding substantial influence in the political sphere, further eroding democratic institutions and processes.

Corruption as a Hindrance: A Deep-Seated Issue

Another significant challenge is the pervasiveness of corruption within Pakistan. Corruption has become deeply ingrained in the country, with numerous politicians and government officials implicated in embezzlement and bribery. This deeply rooted issue corrodes the legitimacy of the democratic process and erodes public trust in the government. The adverse effects of corruption are most acutely felt by marginalized communities, who suffer from a lack of essential public services and resources.

The Resilience of Democratic Aspirations: Signs of Progress

Despite these formidable challenges, the citizens of Pakistan persistently strive to defend their democratic rights and fortify democratic institutions. In recent years, the country has seen a notable rise in the number of civil society organizations dedicated to advocating for transparency, accountability, and the promotion of awareness regarding democratic rights and freedoms. Additionally, the media has played a pivotal role in promoting democratic values and holding the government accountable for its actions.

The Role of Civil Society

Civil society organizations have emerged as vital agents of change in Pakistan’s democratic landscape. They tirelessly work to bridge the gap between the government and the governed, acting as watchdogs for accountability and transparency. Through advocacy, awareness campaigns, and public mobilization, these organizations have managed to shine a spotlight on the pressing issues of democracy and governance in Pakistan. Their activities range from monitoring elections to exposing corruption and advocating for the rule of law.

Media as the Fourth Estate

The media in Pakistan has undergone a transformational journey, evolving into a vibrant fourth estate that plays a crucial role in promoting democratic values. While media outlets often grapple with challenges such as censorship and intimidation, they continue to serve as a check on government power and a forum for diverse voices. Investigative journalism has uncovered corruption scandals, challenged authoritarianism, and provided a platform for citizens to engage in political discourse.

In conclusion, democracy in Pakistan remains an imperfect yet indispensable system, despite the numerous setbacks and challenges it has encountered. The people of Pakistan ardently safeguard their democratic rights, and the fortification of democratic institutions and processes is pivotal for the nation’s future. The enduring challenges posed by military influence, corruption, and public mistrust can only be surmounted through persistent efforts and sustained citizen engagement in the democratic process. As Pakistan continues its journey towards a more robust democracy, the world watches with hope and anticipation, recognizing the nation’s potential to overcome its challenges and achieve democratic excellence. The path may be long and arduous, but the resilience and determination of Pakistan’s people offer a promising outlook for the future of democracy in the country.

Quotes Related to Democracy

Here are a few quotes related to democracy and its challenges in Pakistan:

“A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.” – Milton Friedman, Economist

“The greatest threat to democracy is not the enemies from without, but the enemies from within.” – Thomas Jefferson, Third President of the United States

“I believe that the real solution to the problems facing Pakistan lies in true democracy and the rule of law.” – Imran Khan, Former Prime Minister of Pakistan

“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.” – John Philpot Curran, Irish Orator and Statesman.

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Sir you have used a lot of bitter words in this essay which are enough to awake a nation.😭😭😭😭 But It’s reality I think inshallah one day we will achieve that original democracy which will prevent our basic rights and our motherland…..

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democracy in pakistan hopes and hurdles essay outline

Democracy in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects

Quratulain Babar
February 11, 2024
CSS , CSS Essays , CSS Solved Essays

Democracy in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects | CSS & PMS Solved Essays

Quratulain Babar , a Sir Syed Kazim Ali student, has attempted the CSS essay “ Democracy in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects ” on the given pattern, which Sir Syed Kazim Ali teaches his students. Sir Syed Kazim Ali has been Pakistan’s top English writing and CSS, PMS essay and precis coach with the highest success rate of his students. The essay is uploaded to help other competitive aspirants learn and practice essay writing techniques and patterns to qualify for the essay paper.

1-Introduction

Although Pakistan’s democracy is still in its early stages, facing challenges, such as public unawareness, a distorted political culture, and a widening gap between political parties and the electorate, democracy holds a crucial role in the country’s society, emphasizing the necessity of immediate free and fair elections and improved governance as essential steps to overcome the current political turmoil.

2-Understanding Democracy and its prerequisites?

3-State of Democracy in Pakistan

4-Challenges to Democracy in Pakistan

Case in point: According to Barbara Crossett, a New York Times reporter, in Pakistan, the baradari system plays a crucial role in the party’s choice of candidates
Case in point: The average voter turnout for the past nine general elections is just over 45 per cent.
Case in point: Major political parties like PPP and PML (N) hold no internal elections for party offices, which are filled through nominations and appointments.
Case in point: According to the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Pakistan is ranked at 140th position among 180 countries.
Case in point: The inability of the civilian governments to complete their five-year tenure.

5-Prospects of Democracy in Pakistan

Case in point: It was stated at a Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency’s roundtable discussion on the International Day of Democracy that 63 per cent of Pakistanis believe that a civilian government can govern the country.
Case in point: The study conducted by the University of Karachi on a sample of students shows that political awareness among the youth is due to mass media.
Case in point: Many Chief Justices have considered missing persons, and a particular cell has been made to deal with the cases.
Case in point: The lawyers’ movement of 2007-08
Case in point: The punishment of paramilitary personnel who recklessly shot a criminal suspect in Karachi, which followed an expose of the brutal shooting by a television channel .

6-How to Counter the Challenges to Democracy?

✓By restructuring the political parties
✓By promoting a culture of cooperation among political parties
✓By holding free and fair elections

7-Conclusion

Extensive English Essay and Precis Course for CSS & PMS Aspirants

Democracy, in its present form, has taken a long time to emerge, bolstered by many developments – from 1215, the English Magna Carta, to the French and the American Revolutions in the eighteenth century, to the adult franchise spread in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in North America and Europe. But since the latter half of the twentieth century, democracy has been established as a form of government to which every nation is entitled – whether in Europe, America, Asia, or Africa. The flowering and reach of democratic practice are, however, a continuing process. Likewise, democracy in Pakistan, still in its juvenile stage, is undergoing the same evolution as it is yet to solve many problems that threaten its democracy. For instance, unawareness among the masses about the nature of democracy, distorted political culture, deteriorating political crisis, and, among others, the widening political gap between the political parties and the electorate are significant hurdles in democracy. Despite these challenges, it is irrefutable that democracy has attained a special place in Pakistan, and if it continues to flourish, its prospects can be multiple. To illustrate, the wide acceptance of democracy, the emergence of an assertive judiciary, and a more vibrant civil society are the rays of light in the darkness, indicating that there is no viable political solution other than democracy for Pakistan’s political turmoil. Thus, the political elite should pull Pakistan out of this dilemma by holding immediate free and fair elections and improving governance to fill the void between the government and the masses.

Democracy is a system of government in which laws, policies, leadership, and significant initiatives of a state or other political entity are determined directly or indirectly by the “People’. Historically, this group was often a minority, such as all male adults in ancient Athens or all sufficiently propertied male adults in 19th-century Britain. However, the concept has evolved to encompass all or nearly all adult citizens in the modern era. Like any other form of government, democracy has its fundamentals, without which it cannot flourish in any state. For instance, free and fair elections are the prerequisites of democracy. Moreover, free media, newspapers, and television cannot be ignored in the contemporary era because they are essential to creating political awareness among the general public. Another vital precondition of democracy is education, which generates a well-informed electorate. In addition, freedom of speech and expression, particularly on societal and political issues, is the critical essence of democracy. All these elements and a fair and impartial judiciary form the main pillars of democracy.

Currently, Pakistan is experiencing a complete breakdown of democracy with a powerless interim setup at the centre provinces serving beyond their constitutional mandate, a divided judiciary that is being openly defied, and an increasingly censored media. Moreover, the post-2018 period has seen democratic reversals and regression as the hybrid arrangement entailed the military establishment, giving it an expansive role in politics, governance, and even the economy. According to the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency, the phase that ended with the Parliament’s dissolution in August this year is the period of democratic decline rather than democratic consolidation. Further, this has been accompanied by primarily politically motivated corruption cases against opposition leaders, the jailing of political leaders and activists, the defiance of the rule of law, and the marginalization of the Parliament.

There are many culprits behind the sorry state of democracy in the country. First, one of the significant challenges to informed choices is Pakistan’s flawed political culture. Political culture refers to peoples’ attitudes toward the political system and its various parts and attitudes towards the self in the system. In the case of Pakistan, the political structure is greatly influenced by caste and the radar system. In this system, people are divided into social hierarchical communities, and each community has its place in the social hierarchy, remaining constant generation after generation. Moreover, individual opinions have no value; these are bound by the decisions of the biradari, who make decisions on every political and social aspect. According to Barbar Crossette, a New York Times reporter, the biradari system in Pakistan plays a vital role in the party’s choice of candidates . Further, the backward rural areas of the country have feudalism-like political structures regulated by feudal lords. As a result, the leading political parties maximize their vote by harnessing landlords and factory owners. Thus, in such a political culture, informed choices become a dream for individuals whose opinions do not stand a chance before the biradari or landlord.

Another factor that poses a challenge to democratic stability is what might be called the political gap between the existing political parties and the electoral system, and several factors have transformed the national landscape. To illustrate, recent years have seen a wave of urbanization – a shift in the centre of economic power from rural areas to cities, the expansion of modern communication technologies, and greater public awareness brought about by broadcast and social media. However, representative or electoral politics have lagged and failed to reflect these changes. This has created a growing disconnect between traditional politics and new social dynamics. A telling symptom of the gap between electoral politics and changing public aspirations is the falling voter turnout. For instance, the average voter turnout for the past nine general elections is just a little over 45 per cent, which means that more than half of the voters do not even participate in electing their new governments at the federal and provincial levels . Thus, the archaic nature of Pakistani politics puts it at odds with the changing society and its needs, making it difficult for democracy to evolve.

Moreover, the weak institution of political parties also hampers the development of democracy. For example, major political parties like PPP and PML(N) hold no internal elections for party offices, which are filled through nominations and appointments. As a result, party officials are not representatives of the workers who feel frustrated about this imposition from the top. These party officials tend to come from the ruling classes and care little about the workers and the need to remain in touch with the problems of ordinary citizens. They turn into sycophants for the leader at the top and end up insulating and isolating him from political realities, thus creating a void between the party and its voters and allowing non-political actors to come into play.

Further, bad governance is another major hurdle in democracy, as the country is performing poorly at all governance indicators: transparency, accountability, service delivery, and the rule of law. It is manifested in governance based on clientelist politics geared to rewarding networks of supporters rather than the needs of citizens. This encourages rent-seeking behaviour and corruption. According to the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Pakistan is ranked at 140th position among 180 countries. Regarding other governance indicators, the government cannot provide public goods to its citizens and uphold the rule of law. For example, according to a report released by the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the government cannot provide even safe drinking water to its citizens, let alone other necessities of the masses. Thus, the inability of the government to govern and cater to the needs of the masses does not allow democracy to flourish in the country.

Further, political instability is one of the significant challenges to democracy. This is manifested in the inability of civilian governments to complete their tenure. It happens due to the lack of cooperation and tolerance between the ruling party and the opposition. This results in the apolitical forces to come into play, leading to political instability. Thus, the clashes and conflicts between the political parties are the major impediments to the development of actual democratic norms.

Nonetheless, no matter how significant these challenges are, they cannot obstruct the dawn of democracy in the country. As is evident from changing socio-political dynamics, only the future of democracy in Pakistan is feasible. In this regard, significant trends favouring the consolidation of democracy are discussed below.

First, political actors – political parties and other stakeholders and participants in the democratic process – now have a shared stake in the continuance of democracy. However, this was not always so in the past when one or another political party looked to the army to resolve their political disputes. But now, there is wide acceptance and public consensus that military intervention is not the answer or the option. In this consideration, it was stated at a Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency’s roundtable discussion on the International Day of Democracy that 63 per cent of Pakistanis believe that a civilian government can govern the country. The military even supports this consensus, which is moving toward accepting the principle of civilian democracy. This has added to the delegitimization of military rule in the country. Thus, the broad consensus on the democratic form of government indicates the prospects for democracy in the country.

Moreover, the growth and expansion of media – broadcast and social, has made it a powerful political force, paving the way for democracy. It is exercising this power to hold rulers to account, expose corruption and injustice, and become a platform for sustained demands for accountable governance. Undoubtedly, the media in Pakistan has become more open, direct, and proactive, highlighting societal wrongdoings. As a result, it has become an effective tool that creates political awareness among the masses, enabling them to participate in the political process effectively. For instance, the study conducted by the University of Karachi on a sample of students shows that political awareness among the youth is due to mass media. Consequently, political awareness has led the youth to have political discussions and political participation in different forums. Thus, the rise of media as a robust political force indicates the bright future of democracy in the country.

Like the media, another emerging force is the assertive judiciary that is contributing to the consolidation of democracy. To illustrate, it is seeking to operationalize democratic checks and balances, limit the excess of executive power and focus government attention on pressing issues, for example, the breakdown of law and order in Karachi, increasing corruption, and the cases of missing persons. Among many cases going on at present in the Supreme Court is an investigation of missing persons allegedly picked by the country’s security forces. In this regard, many Chief Justices have considered missing persons, and a particular cell has been made to deal with the cases. In this way, the judiciary tries to ensure that ill practices are subject to the law and that Pakistan’s democracy is anchored in the rule of law and does not degenerate into elected autocracy or kleptocracy.

In addition, the rise of a large, more assertive urban middle class also has an essential bearing on democratic consolidation. It has unleashed new political dynamics as it wants a more prominent political voice, expressing itself first in the lawyers’ movement of 2007-08. This saw months of street action by lawyers and members of civil society in support of judges ousted by President Pervaiz Musharaf and in defense of the rule of law. Two waves of protests led to the restoration of the Chief Justice and his colleagues. Although the campaign had a single-point agenda, it reflected broader liberal-democratic aspirations and was spearheaded by middle-class professionals, with politicians following, not leading. Thus, the urban middle class wanting to play a role in the country’s politics affords opportunities to align Pakistan’s governance with the forces of demographic change and the modernizing impulses of a social class whose universe is quite different from the stagnant, patrimonial world of traditional politics.

Similarly, the well-informed civil society is another countervailing force, increasing the odds of democracy in the country. In this regard, unjust practices at national and international levels are now challenged more frequently and confidently. Examples abound of citizens taking their cases to the media, the media mounting pressure, and the judiciary taking action in a mutually reinforcing manner. This is exemplified by the punishment of paramilitary personnel who recklessly shot a criminal suspect in Karachi, which followed an expose of the brutal shooting by a television channel. This and other cases illustrate a new form of citizen-driven accountability.

So, to ensure the country’s democratic evolution, specific measures are suggested to avert the challenges to democracy. For example, the restructuring of political parties is of utmost significance. This institution needs to be strong by involving all members in decision-making. In addition, all the parties must carry out regular elections within their respective parties so new leaders can emerge. Local governments are the ideal nurturing grounds for political leadership as the people serving in the union councils are aware of the ground realities and needs of the people and, thus, are more deserving of coming up in the political hierarchy of their concerned political parties. This would ultimately lead to a strong leadership with a well-defined political ideology, leading the country on a democratic path.

Furthermore, there is a dire need for a cooperation-based system where all political stakeholders collaborate for the greater national good regardless of their diverse ideologies. This can be done by enacting a charter of democracy, as in the past, so that an environment of tolerance can prevail. This is necessary for the smooth functioning of the government as it would prevent the exploitative elements from taking advantage of the differences between the ruling elite and the opposition.

No less importantly, in the contemporary scenario, the most widely advocated solution to the challenges to democracy is the prompt conduct of free and fair elections. As a result of the ousting of the previous government, most citizens feel betrayed as they do not believe in the legitimacy of the current interim setup. Thus, fair general elections would lead to political stability, ultimately opening up the avenues for democratic stability of the country.

In summary, democracy in Pakistan has specific challenges like weak political parties, bad governance, the gap between the masses and the government, and political instability. Still, the future of democracy in Pakistan is feasible due to the emergence of new acts changing the country’s political dynamics. For instance, the government is witnessing an interplay between a recently empowered judiciary, vigorous media, and citizen activism. These are excellent signs to argue that democracy has a future in Pakistan. Thus, to overcome the impediments of democracy, there is a need to restructure the political parties, hold free and fair elections, and improve governance.

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Navigating divisions: building unity in pakistani society, personal growth in a changing world, top 5 this week, climate change in pakistan: postcolonialism policies, migraine: a disability to reckon with.

Lost educational future, unlocking pakistan’s nuclear potential, hopes and hurdles to the path of democracy.

Pakistan adopted, or ‘inherited’, a democratic system of government at the time of the partition. The term ‘the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’ signifies the rule or government of the common masses within defined Islamic injunctions or fences. Nevertheless, since the establishment of Pakistan in 1947, democracy in Pakistan remained in shambles until today. The democratic governments have not only demonstrated distinguish accomplishment and performance but also smoothly altered capability to another government as per election conclusions for the first time in the history of Pakistan. The ECP has too enhanced its performance and the citizens have become conscious of their privileges to rule. These all episodes have developed hopes for democracy in Pakistan. On the other hand, the feudal lord system, corruption of democratic rulers, impoverished literacy rate and suffering economy of the country, all affairs act as hurdles in the path of democracy in Pakistan. Therefore, it is defined that the democracy in Pakistan confronts hopes as well as hurdles.

Firstly for thousands of years, philosophers and political leaders have invariably acknowledged that with the existence of extreme economic imbalance in a nation, democracy cannot win. In an unequal society, either the affluent would persecute the underprivileged and democracy would get transformed into an oligarchy, or the masses would overthrow the rich as an aftermath of class struggle. Hence economic egalitarianism is indispensable for democracy to flourish.

However, according to a report, the income and wealth unevenness in Pakistan is from top to bottom. Only 22 persons in the country have billions of wealth and reserves. The rest spend their life in misery, hunger and poverty. Therefore, with such a deep gap between rich and poor, no democracy can succeed or tolerate the desired fruits in Pakistan. In a democratic nation, people make determinations for themselves. They select their diplomats who then perform legislation. Certainly, one desires to be well conscious of his/her privileges and literate enough to bring nicer decisions in a democratic nation. However, in Pakistan, where the overall literacy rate stands at approximately 58%, one can effortlessly picture the grim circumstance of the democratic significance in the country. Most of the people are unaware of their rights and the role of the elected people. Thus, such people are invariably exploited by those in power.

Secondly Besides, owing to illiteracy, feudalism is too deeply rooted in some parts of the country. The feudal lords do not permit their subjects to get an education. Similarly, these subjects of the landlords, as evident in a maximum of the rural regions of Sindh and Baluchistan, are under compulsion to cast their votes according to the intentions of their masters. Hence, genuine democratic culture and system last elusive.

Thirdly Furthermore, when a community is distributed by culture, theology, sects, lineages, and clans, it comes to be arduous for a democracy to nourish. As democracy needs the masses to determine one civil destiny, with the division among masses, people desire toward contrary future objectives. As Lincoln had rightly said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Nevertheless, in Pakistan, people are mainly distributed provincially, linguistically, and based on sects, lineages, and groups, this eventually hinders democracy from winning because the entirety of disconnected nation lacks a mutual goal. Therefore, a united democracy is vital to the functioning of democracy.

Fourthly Education and democracy are ingredients and parcel of each other. The more people are educated, the higher the standards of democracy would be. In Pakistan, the education sector has constantly been ignored in the past. The difficulties related to the education system were never talked about. Nonetheless, the current government is making struggles to deal with the problems with the education system. In this concern, the ‘Single National Curriculum’ has been initiated and the policy is being followed with enormous vigour. This plan intends to eliminate the disparity in the accomplishment of education. It would assist to combine the gap between the three different tiers of classes in the nation. When all the people would achieve the same education, it would give rise to egalitarianism or equity among the public by subtracting economic imbalance among the masses in the extended run. Ultimately, this would enhance democracy in Pakistan.

Lastly, To attain a practical democratic system of government in Pakistan, some urgent and pragmatic efforts are needed to deal with the hurdles already discussed above. More and more people from the lower class and middle class should be educated and motivated to join politics. Common people should be made conscious of their rights and accountabilities. Across-the-board responsibility of all the elected members of the government should be assured. The state organizations should be made entirely self-reliant. Last, but not least, the media must play its diaphanous and impartial role in examining the action and performances of the incumbent government, broadcasting the information, and highlighting the social problems.

The writer is a freelance journalist, based in Kandhkot, Sindh. He can be reached at [email protected]

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What's Project 2025? Unpacking the Pro-Trump Plan to Overhaul US Government

For several months, we received a flood of reader inquiries asking if project 2025 was a real effort to “reshape america.” here’s the answer., nur ibrahim, aleksandra wrona, published july 3, 2024.

Project 2025 is a conservative coalition's plan for a future Republican U.S. presidential administration. If voters elect the party's presumed nominee, Donald Trump, over Democrat Joe Biden in November 2024, the coalition hopes the new president will implement the plan immediately.
The sweeping effort centers on a roughly 1,000-page document that gives the executive branch more power, reverses Biden-era policies and specifies numerous department-level changes.
People across the political spectrum fear such actions are precursors to authoritarianism and have voiced concerns over the proposal's recommendations to reverse protections for LGBTQ+ people, limit abortion access, stop federal efforts to mitigate climate change — and more.
The Heritage Foundation — a conservative think tank operated by many of Trump's current and former political allies — is leading the initiative. President Kevin Roberts once said the project's main goals are "institutionalizing Trumpism" and getting rid of unelected bureaucrats who he believes wield too much political influence.
The Trump campaign's goals and proposals within Project 2025 overlap. However, the former president has not publicly endorsed the latter, and his campaign said such recommendations from "external allies" are just "recommendations."
In other words, it's unknown if, or to what extent, Trump's campaign is talking to leaders of the initiative. Many political analysts and the Biden administration believe Project 2025 is a good indication of Trump's vision for a second term.

Here at Snopes, the internet's premiere fact-checking site, we believe in unbiased, fact-driven reporting to help guide people's everyday lives. And when it comes to voting in elections, we hold that responsibility high. We call out candidates' mistruths, contextualize campaign claims and pull back the curtain on efforts shaping political parties' agendas. Our hope is to give voters the knowledge they need to mark ballots without any distorted sense of reality. Below is an example of that work — a months-long analysis of an all-encompassing effort to reshape the American bureacracy following the 2024 U.S. presidential election. If you'd like to support this type of journalism, we'd love your help . — Jessica Lee , senior assignments editor, snopes.com

As the U.S. 2024 presidential election nears, U.S. President Joe Biden's reelection campaign has been sending foreboding emails to supporters, invoking "Trump's Project 2025" to tap into anxieties over another four years with Donald Trump in the White House and to raise campaign money.

According to some of the emails, "Project 2025" calls for proposals that would separate "mothers away from their children," a reference to border policies during Trump's administration, or result in "higher housing costs and rampant discrimination."

The Biden campaign is not alone in its concern over the policy initiative. Critics including legal experts and former government employees have described Project 2025 as a precursor to authoritarianism — albeit a difficult one to implement — and a wave of social media posts are expressing fear over the initiative, calling it a " fascist " and " extremist " plan for Trump to " reshape America." Numerous reports have also called this conservative effort to reshape the government unprecedented in its scale.

But what exactly is Project 2025? Are the messages from critics rooted in fact or fear-mongering? What should people know about the alleged policy plan? Over the past year, Snopes has received a flood of inquiries from readers asking if Project 2025 was real and what it entails, and if American politicians plan to implement it.

Under the leadership of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, Project 2025 is indeed a real, all-encompassing initiative to transform the American bureaucracy if, or when, a conservative president takes over the White House. Project leaders are hoping to put it into motion as early as November 2024 if voters elect former President Donald Trump.

Politico once described the policy initiative as an effort to make a "MAGA" conservative government by reshaping how federal employees work, and the creators themselves have framed it as a push to institutionalize " Trumpism " — that is, Trump's political agenda — at every level of federal government. On Truth Social, a Trump-owned social media platform, users have described it as a return to "constitutional" values.

In June 2024, House Democrats launched a task force to make plans for a potential future in which Project 2025's recommendations could become reality.

The growing interest in Project 2025 coincided with the progression of Trump's presidential campaign. A June 2024 NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found the presidential race to be extremely tight, with Biden and Trump almost tied, echoing a months-long trend of national surveys. ( Historically , polls at this stage of campaigns are not indicative of actual election outcomes.)

Leaders and supporters of the initiative declined to be interviewed for this story or did not respond to Snopes' inquiries.

What is Project 2025?

Project 2025 has four parts, according to its website :

A roughly 1,000-page document titled " Mandate for Leadership 2025: The Conservative Promise ." That report details supporters' proposals for federal departments, as well as their overall agenda for a conservative government.
A purported transition plan for federal departments. Project 2025 leaders say they have a 180-day transition plan for each federal agency to quickly adapt to a Trump presidency should he win in November. As of this writing, the contents of that plan were unknown.
A new database that aims to fill federal jobs with conservative voices. Spencer Chretien, associate director of Project 2025, once called the online system to screen potential new hires the " conservative LinkedIn ." It's currently active on the Project's website.
A new system to train potential political appointees . Called the " Presidential Administration Academy ," the system aims to teach skills for "advancing conservative ideas" as soon as new hires join the administration. The lessons touch on everything from budget-making to media relations and currently consist of 30- to 90-minute online sessions. Project 2025 leaders say they will host in-person sessions as the election nears.

There's reportedly another facet to Project 2025 that's not detailed on its website: an effort to draft executive orders for the new president. According to a November 2023 report by The Washington Post that cites anonymous sources, Jeffrey Clark (a former Trump official who sought to use the Justice Department to help Trump's efforts to overturn 2020 election results) is leading that work, and the alleged draft executive orders involve the Insurrection Act — a law last updated in 1871 that allows the president to deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. Speaking to the Post, a Heritage spokesperson denied that accusation. (We were unable to independently corroborate The Washington Post's reporting due to its anonymous sourcing and our unsuccessful attempts to interview members of The Heritage Foundation.)

While many of Project 2025's proposals simply need the president's executive order to become reality, others would need Congressional approval, even as the Project seeks to expand presidential authority. In other words, lawmakers would need to write and approve legislation that details the changes to the government's existing structure, or establishes new systems. Come November, voters will choose who will fill 435 seats in the Republican-led House and 34 positions in the Senate.

Key Points of The Roughly 1,000-Page Document

Speaking to Politico , Russell Vought, who served as the director of the Office of Management and Budget under Trump and is now a leading adviser for Project 2025, once described the effort as "more systematic than it is just about Trump," adding, "We have to be thinking mechanically about how to take these institutions over" in reference to federal departments.

Project 2025's document lays out in great detail how supporters want to do that. As of early June 2024, about 855,000 people had downloaded the document, The New York Times reported .

Among its numerous recommendations, it calls for the following (in no particular order):

Changing how the FBI operates. According to the plan, the agency is "completely out of control," and the next conservative administration should restore its reputation by stopping investigations that are supposedly "unlawful or contrary to the national interest." Also, the document calls for legislation that would eliminate term limits for the FBI's director and require that person to answer to the president.
Eliminating the Department of Education. The plan explicitly proposes, "Federal education policy should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated." The report also calls for bans on so-called " critical race theory" (CRT) and "gender ideology" lessons in public schools, asking for legislation that would require educators who share such material to register as sex offenders and be imprisoned.
Defunding the Department of Justice. Additionally, the document proposes prosecuting federal election-related charges as criminal, not civil, cases. Otherwise, the document says, "[Voter] registration fraud and unlawful ballot correction will remain federal election offenses that are never appropriately investigated and prosecuted."
Reversing Biden-era policies attempting to reduce climate change. The document's authors call for increasing the country's reliance on fossil fuels and withdrawing from efforts to address the climate crisis — such as "offices, programs, and directives designed to advance the Paris Climate Agreement ."
Stopping cybersecurity efforts to combat mis- and disinformation. The document recommends the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to stop its efforts to curtail online propaganda campaigns, arguing the federal government should not make judgment calls on what's true and what isn't.
Changing immigration policies. Authors want the federal government to deprioritize DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), the program that temporarily delays the deportation of immigrants without documentation who came to the U.S. as children; phase out temporary work-visa programs that allow seasonal employers to hire foreign workers; impose financial punishments on so-called "sanctuary cities" that do not follow federal immigration laws, and divert tax dollars toward security at America's border with Mexico. (While the Biden campaign claims Project 2025 calls for "ripping mothers away from their children" at the border, there's no explicit mention of separating families. Rather, it calls for stronger enforcement of laws governing the detainment of immigrants with criminal records and restricting an existing program that tracks people in deportation proceedings instead of incarcerating them. In some cases, those changes could possibly play a role in border control agents detaining a parent while their child continues with immigration proceedings.)
Restricting access to abortion. The plan wants the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to stop promoting abortion as health care. Additionally, Project 2025 recommends the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to stop promoting, and approving, requests for manufacturing abortion pills. "Alternative options to abortion, especially adoption, should receive federal and state support," the document states.
Removing LGBTQ+ protections. The plan calls for abolishing the Gender Policy Council , a Biden-created department within the White House that aims to "advance equity in government policy for those who face discrimination." Also, the proposal wants the federal government to remove terms such as "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" from records and policies, as well as rescind policies that prohibit discrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, and sex characteristics."
Cutting ties completely with China. For instance, the document advocates for restricting people's access to TikTok because of its China-based parent company; prohibiting Confucius Institutes, cultural institutions at colleges and universities funded by the Chinese government, and blocking other Chinese entities from partnering with U.S. companies.
Reversing protections against discrimination in housing. The Biden campaign emails reference a portion of the document that calls for repealing a decades-old policy—strengthened under Biden—that attempts to prevent discrimination and reduce racial disparities in housing. Project 2025 also recommends making it easier to sell off homes used for public housing — a benefit to real estate developers — but result in fewer cheap housing options for poor and low-income families.

Here's a PDF of the full report :

(www.project2025.org)

Changing Federal Job Classifications

To execute the above-listed objectives, the roughly 1,000-page document calls for a federal government operated by political appointees equipped to "carry out the President's desires."

Put another way, Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, said in a July 2023 interview with The New York Times that Project 2025 leaders want to dismantle independent federal agencies that do not answer to the president. Then, they want to fill positions with people who subscribe to conservative politics — including jobs that are currently merit-based hires, not politically appointed.

Under the current system, the federal government's administrative sector is made up of two employee groups: political appointees and career civil servants. When a new administration takes over the Oval Office, it selects similarly minded people to fill high-ranking positions (political appointees), and those people leave the jobs when a new president takes over. According to the Brookings Institution , a public policy think tank, around 4,000 political appointees run the executive branch.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of positions that run day-to-day operations are hired through a merit-based system — that is, a hiring process that is designed to prioritize applicants' specialized expertise or experience , not their personal beliefs or affiliations. Those people are career civil servants.

Project 2025 proposes turning up to 50,000 career civil servant jobs into politically appointed positions.

To do that, Project 2025 wants the president to reissue Schedule F, a Trump-era executive order that Biden rescinded when he became president. Generally speaking, the order would recategorize career civil servants into at-will employees, giving higher-level workers the ability to terminate employment for any reason without warning and fill those jobs with new people.

Additionally, Project 2025 recommends revamping the existing appeals process for employee dismissals, arguing the current system prevents managers from firing or hiring the right employees.

The plan also proposes a freeze on hiring top-career civil service positions at the beginning of the administration. By doing so, the plan argues, the new administration will prevent today's administration's leaders (later on "outgoing" political appointees) from "burrowing-in"— that is, hiring left-leaning career bureaucrats across federal agencies for the purpose of undermining the next president.

Keeping Track of Potential Employees' Opinions

In addition to expanding government leaders' abilities to hire and fire at will, Project 2025 calls for a new federal database to gather information on potential new hires. The database contains people's answers to questions on social issues , such as abortion and immigration, allowing for department leaders to easily fill job vacancies with applicants who lean conservative.

"Our current executive branch was conceived of by liberals for the purpose of promulgating liberal policies," John McEntee , who is leading Project 2025's personnel database project, told The New York Times in mid-2023, citing then-U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's (who was a Democrat) 1930s New Deal as the last major reorientation of the government. "There is no way to make the existing structure function in a conservative manner. It's not enough to get the personnel right. What's necessary is a complete system overhaul."

By submitting resumes and answering questionnaires , applicants sign up to be vetted by Project 2025 leaders. According to the questionnaire , participants answer whether they "agree" or "disagree" with statements such as, "Life has a right to legal protection from conception to natural death," and "The U.S. should increase legal immigration."

If the participants pass that screening, Project 2025 intends to recommend them to department leaders for hiring. (We are unable to determine what would happen with applicants' data if Trump does not win the 2024 election, or if his potential administration does not want to use it.)

Project 2025 leaders partnered with technology company Oracle to set up the system, according to The New York Times . Several thousand potential recruits had applied, as of April 2023.

Former presidents have established similar systems, including Barack Obama, according to Kevin Kosar, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, a center-right public policy think tank. "They [The Obama administration] created a massive online jobs bank , where you could apply."

Also, during Obama's first term (January 2009 - January 2017), his administration required extensive vetting of applicants for high-ranking, politically appointed positions. Like Project 2025's program, that process included a questionnaire. That form asked participants to elaborate on past public statements, social media posts and potential conflicts of interests, as well as share things about their personal lives , like whether they own guns. (We found no evidence of the Obama administration circulating a similar questionnaire during his second term.)

Asked about that Obama-era questionnaire, a Biden aide said it was not comparable to Project 2025's system. The latter was a "loyalty test" to Trump, the aide said, while Obama's survey was more of a background check.

Trump Hasn't Publicly Endorsed Project 2025

Many former Trump administration members and current allies are working on the initiative.

For example, the Center for Renewing America (CRA) — a think tank that formed in 2021 with ties to Trump through its founder, Russell Vought — is a "coalition partner." Vought was the director of the Office of Management and Budget when Trump was president. Should Project 2025 be a part of the next presidential administration, Vought will be in charge of implementing its proposals, according to Politico. (In November 2023, The Washington Post reported he was in regular contact with Trump and could be a candidate for a high-ranking position in his potential future administration.) Also, Vought is policy director for the 2024 Republican National Convention's Platform Committee.

Reportedly , some people affiliated with Project 2025 are assisting Trump's reelection campaign behind the scenes.

(The groups that conceptualized, or are currently pushing, Project 2025 include a number of former Trump administration members and current allies.)

However, in terms of public-facing actions, Trump hasn't officially connected himself to the initiative. In speeches at campaign rallies and interviews, he hasn't mentioned Project 2025, and his campaign hasn't outright endorsed the effort.

Trump's campaign is at the very least aware of the initiative. Campaign officials once told Politico Project 2025's goals to restructure government, which are outlined in a publicly available document , indeed align with Trump's campaign promises.

But in a November 2023 statement, the Trump campaign said: "The efforts by various non-profit groups are certainly appreciated and can be enormously helpful. However, none of these groups or individuals speak for President Trump or his campaign." Without naming Project 2025, they said all policy statements from "external allies" are just "recommendations."

Concurrently, in an interview with the conservative outlet The Daily Wire , a Project 2025 representative said the Trump campaign and Project are separate "for now." McEntee , a former Trump staffer and leader of Project 2025's personnel database project, said :

I think the candidate and the campaign need to keep their eye on the ball. They need to be totally focused on winning. We're totally focused on what happens after [...] Obviously, there will need to be coordination and the president and his team will announce an official transition this summer, and we're gonna integrate a lot of our work with them.

That said, given overlap between Project 2025's proposals and the Trump campaign's agenda , political analysts and the Biden campaign believe the coalition's effort is a good indication of Trump's vision for a second term. Among the similarities are proposals to change how the administration fills tens of thousands of government jobs and overhaul the DOJ. According to The Heritage Foundation's own reporting, Trump adopted and seriously considered about two-thirds of the organization's policy prescriptions in 2018, for example.

In an interview with Snopes, James Singer, a Biden campaign spokesperson, said:

Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump's second term that should scare the hell out of any American voter. The Trump team's pathetic denials fall flat when Project 2025 staff and leadership are saying they are connected to the Trump team, leading the RNC policy platform and part of Trump's debate prep, campaign, and inner circle.

But the extent to which Project 2025 leaders and Trump campaign officials are communicating is unclear. According to Kosar, at the American Enterprise Institute, no one outside of the two circles knows how closely they're working together. "[What] is the level of coordination? We have no idea."

From the view of Cecilia Esterline, an immigration research analyst at the Niskanen Center, a think tank with libertarian-right roots, Project 2025 is a good indicator of Trump's plans for a potential second term. "Given the people involved putting their names on this and the author portions of this report, and the success of [past] implementation, it's a good indicator of where Trump is at."

The Forces Behind Project 2025

Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts launched Project 2025 in April 2022, a few months before Trump officially announced his reelection campaign.

Since then, the number of groups backing the initiative has grown. As of now, Project 2025's advisory board and so-called "coalition partners" include: the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI), a nonprofit that aims to connect conservative applicants to congressional jobs and is led by Trump's former chief of staff, Mark Meadows; Turning Point USA, a far-right student advocacy group that is led by Charlie Kirk; America First Legal , a legal advocacy group that supports conservative-backed lawsuits and is led by Trump stalwart Stephen Miller. (According to a June 2024 Politico report, Miller was part of private meetings with Trump to help him prepare for upcoming televised debates against Biden.)

Furthermore, in May 2024, Reuters interviewed what the news outlet described as unnamed Trump allies working on a plan to restructure the Department of Justice (DOJ) and fill currently nonpartisan jobs there with people who identify as conservatives. While the allies group wasn't named, Reuters reported it was tied to Project 2025.

Lastly, many authors of the roughly 1,000-page document outlining Project 2025's policy proposals have connections to Trump. They include Ben Carson , William Perry Pendley , Jonathan Berry , Diana Furchtgott-Roth , Rick Dearborn , Adam Candeub , Ken Cuccinelli , Mandy Gunasekara , Dennis Dean Kirk , Gene Hamilton , Christopher Miller , Bernard L. McNamee , Mora Namdar , Peter Navarro , Roger Severino , Paul Dans , Kevin Roberts , among others.

These Types of Pre-Election Efforts Aren't Uncommon

In the months or years before U.S. presidential elections, it's routine for nonprofit research groups to prepare plans for a potential presidential transition, according to Landon Storrs, a political history professor at the University of Iowa.

And, according to Kosar, numerous think tanks want Trump's ear as he plans his potential return to the White House. "Whenever there is a new executive coming into the White House, [many] groups are trying to get in there."

According to the Heritage Foundation's website , the organization mostly operates on individual donations and does not take money from the government. However, how exactly it divvies up its money for Project 2025 was unclear. The New York Times reported Project 2025 was a $22 million operation.

Project 2025 authors built their proposals on an idea popular during former President Ronald Reagan's time: the "unitary executive theory." That's the belief that Article II of the U.S. Constitution gives the president complete power over the federal bureaucracy and all levels of government report to him.

In 1980, the Heritage Foundation developed similar policy prescriptions for Reagan, who was a presidential candidate at the time. Some of the organization's recommendations aligned with Reagan's campaign promises , and, when he later assumed office, he put the ideas to action. Heritage once described its effort as putting "the conservative movement and Reagan on the same page."

However, according to Politico , the present-day initiative by the Heritage Foundation was more "ambitious" than any other such proposal. The New York Times said Project 2025 was operating at "a scale never attempted before in conservative politics." Its efforts are a contrast to the 1930s Democrat-led New Deal under then-U.S. President Roosevelt, which gave the federal government an unprecedented role in social and economic affairs on the belief that it would get the country out of the Great Depression.

Critics' Logistical Concerns, Worries

If some of Project 2025's ideas turn into formal policy recommendations or laws, experts in government and history have concerns over how they could be implemented. Such drastic changes would come with big logistical hurdles and have a ripple effect on agencies overseeing day-to-day governance, several such experts said.

For example, Project 2025's proposal to reclassify tens of thousands of federal workers' positions — that is, change career bureaucrats into jobs that can be politically appointed — would have widespread effects, according to Storrs, of the University of Iowa. She said:

When [Project 2025's] intention is to install officials based on their loyalty to the president rather than on their qualifications, [the result] is even more damaging to effective administration. [...] The President already has authority over who heads the agencies. But below them, people are simply trying to collect taxes, get social security checks out — there is a lot that shouldn't be disrupted.

Kosar, of the American Enterprise Institute, expressed concern over skills required for jobs that aren't currently appointed. "These positions have a serious degree of expertise attached. You can't just plug in a private sector businessman into the department of transportation. It's going to be a challenge to match the people and the competencies and the expertise."

Esterline, the Niskanen Center analyst, said with presidential administrations changing every four to eight years, government agencies rely on the expertise of continually employed civil servants — employees with institutional knowledge — to make the transitions as smooth as possible. "[If] we suddenly disrupt that balance of political appointees to civil servants, it will be a much rougher transition."

Among other aspects of Project 2025, Esterline is attempting to raise the alarm on its prescriptions for specific regulatory changes. "[Project 2025] is a meticulous outline of how they will crumple the system simultaneously through minute changes."

Meanwhile, some former government officials are particularly concerned about the initiative's plans for the DOJ and FBI. For instance, in an interview for The Guardian , Michael Bromwich, a former DOJ inspector general, said the proposals to turn the departments into "instruments" to fulfill Trump's political agenda "should send shivers down the spine of anyone who cares about the rule of law."

Overall, critics including legal experts and former government employees have zeroed in on Project 2025's goal to give the executive branch more power, describing it as a precursor to authoritarianism.

However, the initiative's push to increase executive power may be part of a deeper trend in American politics, Peter Strauss, a professor at Columbia Law School, said in a lecture on Faculti, a research video platform. He said momentum to increase executive authority has been steadily increasing over many presidential administrations:

We have seen in the United States a steadily expanding presidential claim of authority to control not only tenure but also ordinary acts of government. This has been happening at least since the presidency of Ronald Reagan and it reached a peak with President Trump and his first term, and he's promised that he's going back there.

Our Reporting

For this report, we repeatedly tried to interview representatives of the Heritage Foundation — the conservative think tank that conceptualized Project 2025 — as well as the Trump campaign and other supporters of the effort. All either declined to be interviewed or did not respond to our inquiries.

For example, we reached out to dozens of groups on Project 2025's advisory board — a collection of groups under the Heritage Foundation's oversight that have co-signed the effort, given feedback on its proposals or promoted it to government officials. The groups include Center for Renewing America , Turning Point USA , The American Conservative , and American Cornerstone Institute . We asked the organizations about the nature of their involvement in the initiative, proposals they support, and more. As of this writing, none has responded.

After we initially reached out to the Heritage Foundation for this story, a spokesperson responded asking for more specifics on our reporting. We responded with key points, including requests to comment on project leaders' communication with former U.S. President Donald Trump, concerns from legal experts about the initiative's proposed changes and general criticism. The Heritage Foundation did not respond to that message. Later, after informing the organization of our writing deadline, a spokesperson said no one was available.

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By Nur Ibrahim

Nur Nasreen Ibrahim is a reporter with experience working in television, international news coverage, fact checking, and creative writing.

By Aleksandra Wrona

Aleksandra Wrona is a reporting fellow for Snopes, based in the Warsaw area.

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Democracy In Pakistan: Hopes And Hurdles
After Zia, democracy was seen, but it remained fragile and weak and gave green signal to another dictator General Pervez Musharraf, who ruled till 2008. After Musharraf, the democracy in Pakistan has been witnessing good days because it continues till today without any hurdle. Hence, Democracy in Pakistan witnessed both hopes and hurdles in Past.
Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles
Precisely, it was just by the end of the first decade when the first martial law was imposed in Pakistan. Pakistan has spent several decades under military rule; i.e. from 1958 to 1971, then from 1977 to 1988, and lastly from 1999 - 2008. Democracy was in its nascent state when it suffered the first blow from dictatorship.
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and hurdles
Hurdles in the Way of Democracy in Pakistan A. Political Hurdles Weak role of Election Commission of Pakistan Absence of true democratic spirit in political parties Lack of public interest in electoral process Irresponsible and short-sighted role of opposition. B. Social Hurdles Illiteracy and poverty Class disparities and gaps
Democracy in Pakistan : Hopes and hurdles
The State of Democracy in Pakistan. 2013 •. Wajahat Qazi. Pakistan's political crises continue to deepen. The country is in the midst of crises that redound negatively to itself and the world. These crises accrue largely from the absence of democracy on Pakistan. Be it the recent ouster of its Prime Minister, Yusuf Raza Gilani, or the various ...
Essay on "Democracy in Pakistan" for CSS, and PMS
This is an Essay on "Democracy in Pakistan" for CSS, PMS, and Judiciary Examinations. Democracy is a form of government in which the people have the authority to deliberate and decide legislation, or to choose governing officials to do so.". Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised by them ...
Essay: Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles
The title "The Islamic Republic of Pakistan" presents the idea of the rule of common people according to the Islamic values. Democracy is a form of government where people of state elect their ...
English Essay: Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles
Hopes for Democracy in Pakistan. 1. Successful transition of democratic governments. 2. Emergence of national political party. 3. Defeat to regional political parties. 4. Decline in Military ...
Democracy in Pakistan Essay with Quotations
Here are a few quotes related to democracy and its challenges in Pakistan: "A society that puts equality before freedom will get neither. A society that puts freedom before equality will get a high degree of both.". - Milton Friedman, Economist. "The greatest threat to democracy is not the enemies from without, but the enemies from ...
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document discusses the political history and current state of democracy in Pakistan. It analyzes factors that indicate promising prospects for democracy, including new political parties, improved education and women's rights, and an independent media.
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles
This document discusses democracy in Pakistan, including its history and current state. It outlines both hopes and hurdles regarding democracy in the country. Among the hopes are emerging political parties, successful democratic tenures in the last decade, and improved voter turnout. However, hurdles include illiteracy and poverty, clashes between institutions, and corruption. The document ...
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and hurdles
5. Hurdles in the Way of Democracy in Pakistan. A. Political Hurdles. Weak role of Election Commission of Pakistan. Absence of true democratic spirit in political parties. Lack of public interest in electoral process. Irresponsible and short-sighted role of opposition. B. Social Hurdles. Illiteracy and poverty.
PDF Essay Outline on Democracy| PDF Sample
2) History of democracy in Pakistan showing hopes and hurdles. 3) Hopes for democracy in Pakistan a) Martial law is obsolete. b) Mature leadership. c) Better performance of successive democratic governments. d) Smooth transfer of power by the two democratic governments first time in the history of Pakistan. e) Reforms in the Election Commission ...
Democracy of Pakistan (English Essay With Outlines in 1200 Words)
English Essay on Democracy of Pakistan For College Students Democracy of Pakistan has suffered through several setbacks and challenges, but recent developments in the country have sparked a sense of optimism for change in the future.. Pakistan is a vibrant and resilient country. Democracy, despite its many flaws, has brought a lot of changes to the society and it is the only option for Pakistan.
DEMOCRACY IN PAKISTAN: HOPES AND HURDLES
Pakistan, as a fledgling democracy, have to counter legion of hurdles and obstructions to traverse on the journey of stable democracy. From strained civil-military relations to lack of co ...
Democracy in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects
3-State of Democracy in Pakistan. 4-Challenges to Democracy in Pakistan. Distorted political culture. Case in point: According to Barbara Crossett, a New York Times reporter, in Pakistan, the baradari system plays a crucial role in the party's choice of candidates. The widening gap between the existing political parties and electoral system ...
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles
This document discusses democracy in Pakistan, outlining its political history and both hopes and hurdles. It analyzes factors that indicate a promising future for democracy, including new political parties, improved voter turnout, and an increasingly active role for women. However, it also identifies hurdles such as illiteracy, poverty, clashes between institutions, and corruption. The ...
Democracy in Pakistan.docx
formidable challenge in the way of democracy. However, some developments in the recent times such as freedom given to liberalized media and social media prevalence along with resurgence of judiciary in this country present some hope for success of democracy. Similarly, successful election of 3 rd successive democratic government in 2018 depicts popularity of democracy in Pakistan.
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles PDF
This document discusses democracy in Pakistan, including its history and current state. It outlines both hopes and hurdles regarding democracy in the country. Among the hopes are emerging political parties, improved voter turnout, and an engaged independent media. However, hurdles include illiteracy and poverty, clashes between institutions ...
Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles
Pages: 3.5 for outline - Pages for Essay: 9.5 (all sides) Approx. 280+ words on each page as my writing is rather in small font. Total word count should be approx. 2500-2700. 1. Introduction - What is democracy? - A birdeye view of democracy and it's comparison - Different democratic systems 2. History of Democracy in Pakistan - Civil ...
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles
This document discusses democracy in Pakistan, including its political history and factors that both indicate promising prospects and pose hurdles. It outlines Pakistan's history of martial law and unstable democratic periods. Currently, hopes are high due to emerging political parties, improved voter turnout, and responsible roles of politicians, media, and judiciary. However, hurdles include ...
Hopes and hurdles to the path of democracy
On the other hand, the feudal lord system, corruption of democratic rulers, impoverished literacy rate and suffering economy of the country, all affairs act as hurdles in the path of democracy in Pakistan. Therefore, it is defined that the democracy in Pakistan confronts hopes as well as hurdles. Firstly for thousands of years, philosophers and ...
Please evalute outlines of Democracy: Hopes and Hurdles
Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles (CSS 2018) 1. Introduction 2. ... Democracy in Pakistan: Hopes and Hurdles: Blitzkrieg: Essay: 25: Sunday, September 22, 2019 12:37 PM: Seniors plz check my outline for "Democracy in Pakistan : Hopes and Hurdles "Mujahid Zafar: Essay: 4: Sunday, June 10, 2018 03:27 AM:
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Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles
Democracy in Pakistan Hopes and Hurdles - Free download as PDF File (.pdf), Text File (.txt) or read online for free. This document discusses democracy in Pakistan, including its history and current state. It outlines both hopes and hurdles regarding democracy in the country. Among the hopes are emerging political parties, improved voter turnout, and an engaged independent media.