The findings of Pildat report on "Internal Democracy of Major Political Parties of Pakistan, 2015" though unsurprising should be a matter of shame for these parties' leaders ie, if they have the capacity to be ashamed and the interest to make amends. Among the eight parties assessed on multiple criteria such as intra-party elections, discouragement of dynastic leadership, annual statements of accounts submitted to the Election Commission of Pakistan, regularity of consultative councils and working committees meetings, the Jamaat-e-Islami earns the top position followed by the NP, PTI, ANP, PPP, JUI-F and MQM. The PML-N, ruling both at the centre and in the largest province, Punjab, ranks the lowest as the "least democratic."
Almost all the worst performers are headed by political dynasties. Their leaders use parties as personal property ensuring that no one dares to challenge their positions. In the Westminster system, after which this parliamentary democracy is modelled, leadership election is open to all members. In case he/she fails to come up to the party's expectations, the elected leader can feel compelled to resign at any moment to make way for a new leader, as the Labour Party leader Ed Miliband recently did. And a former prime minister is never a candidate for party leadership once he leaves office. The practice allows new minds to come forward with fresh ideas.
In our situation the 'least democratic' way of functioning disallows change not because there are no aspiring candidates with leadership qualities but because the incumbents will go to any lengths to stay in charge for life and also to make certain the party remains a family enterprise after them. Surely, there are several better and brighter individuals in both the major parties, the Nawaz League and the PPP. They would be very willing and able to take the job, but they can challenge the present leaders only at the risk of losing even the basic membership of their respective parties. As a result, the entrenched old leaders keep dishing out time-worn plans and policies to the people. Which is one important reason this country faces the same problems it faced two decades ago.
The manner in which dynasts have been functioning reminds one of the absolute monarchs of the bygone era who brooked no challenge to their authority and surrounded themselves with trusted cronies to stay in power. Of course, the present-day leaders cannot rely on brute force to win or retain power. In order to win power they need to win votes for which the myth of their indispensability is created through deliberate manipulation.
Since in dynastic parties like the PML-N, PPP, ANP and JUI-F everything revolves around the dynast and his/her family, the person thinks and behaves like a king in dealing with internal party affairs, and when in power with matters of governance, showing scant respect for democratic institutions and processes. Democratic decision making is completely missing from Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif style of governance. In a parliamentary democracy the prime minister is first among equals, and decision making a collective responsibility of the cabinet. In our case, it is difficult to recall when the last cabinet meeting was held. If the PM consults anyone that is his kitchen cabinet dominated by a close relative, finance minister Ishaq Dar, who acts as his key trouble shooter in all kinds of situations that have nothing to do with the finance portfolio.
As leader of the house Nawaz Sharif is supposed to regularly attend National Assembly sessions to participate in important policy debates and respond to the Opposition's questions. But he rarely shows up in Parliament from which he derives the mandate to govern. Notably, during two-and-a-half years at the helm he has made as many as 65 official trips to foreign countries and several more for private purposes while the number of times he attended parliamentary sessions can be counted on fingers. He goes to the National Assembly only when absolutely necessary such as his election as the majority leader, to cast his vote for the speaker or when in trouble like at the time of PTI's protest 'dharna'. And he completely ignores the Senate, which had to pass a resolution asking for his presence in its sittings at least once a week, but to no avail.
Contrary to democratic traditions, the PML-N parliamentary party's meetings are never held before the commencement of the lower or the upper houses' sessions. Instead of seeking resolution of contentious issues through meaningful debate and discussion the PM relies on his majority to steamroller important legislation through Parliament, the recent example being the highly controversial PIA privatisation bill.
Then there is the Council of Common Interest, a constitutional body to resolve issues of dispute between the federation and the provinces. Under the rules of procedure, the Council must meet once in 90 days period. The provinces' repeated calls for a meeting have been falling on deaf ears. It is now scheduled for February 29 after a year-long gap.
Clearly, this third-time prime minister has not learnt any lessons from his past experience. He seems to be interested in democracy only as a means of achieving power for personal fulfilment. The way decisions are made damage institutions and processes underpinning the democratic edifice. As a result the balance of power is tilting in the wrong direction, making Mian Sahib constantly keep looking over his shoulder. Unless he shows due respect to democratic institutions he will have to keep looking over his shoulder for danger.
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