Return of genuine democracy to fight terrorism underlined

Experts and parliamentarians here on Tuesday advocated for the return of genuine democracy to fight terrorism, social inequalities and to achieve sustainable economic growth, reducing the widening rich-poor cleavage.
Though the Pakistan Peoples' Party seminar: Fighting terrorism and promoting democracy; started with 40 minutes delay, it generated lively interest among the audience, which also included some diplomats, besides human right activists and members of the parliament.
Parliamentarians and experts shared complete commonality of views that no democracy or lack of it, bred trends of anxiety, dissent and alienation among the masses. They linked success of anti-terror war to true democracy and fiercely opposed the use of force to quell the menace.
They blamed the military interventions as one of the major causes of terrorism and extremism in the country while on the regional and international scene, held the leading so-called democracies' responsible for its spread using force alone to quell the menace.
In his concluding brief remarks, the chief guest, PPP President and Chairman Alliance for Restoration of Democracy Makhdoom Amin Fahim dubbed the military take-over as terrorism with the poor people.
He strongly disputed President Pervez Musharraf's claim of being the head of the state and the chief of army staff at the time, saying PPP will take its fight against terrorism to its logical end.
Referring to the landmark decision of the Supreme Court in Pakistan Steel Mills' privatisation, he said that the 'secrets of corruption' by the rulers had started coming to fore. "Some big names are involved in this corrupt practice and I don't want to name them here".
ARD chairman claimed that the people wanted to get rid of the corrupt government of highest level, adding, "we will not let Musharraf get reelected from the assemblies. He knows that he will be nowhere if elections are held, free, fair and in transparent manner".
The icon of human rights, I A Rehman made his presentation by saying that anywhere in the world, there are two ways of governments: one on the basis of consensus and will of the people, it is called democratic government while the other by coercion, terror and intimidation is described as undemocratic dispensation.
The vocabulary and nomenclature after the 9/11 has changed here and today rule of law and human rights have dangerously eroded, along with civil liberties. "The gory murder of journalist Hayatullah, and Mukaish Rupeta, who was kept in illegal confinement without any justification are glaring instances in this context," he pointed out. He was hopeful that if came to power, PPP would not deviate from the Constitution and the rule of law.
Noted diplomat former ambassador Dr Tanvir Ahmad Khan said that in the given situation, the survival of the Federation is at stake and we have to decide, whether we would like to continue on US dictation or opt for becoming a civilised nation.
He believed that democracy was essential for Pakistan not because of its tactical use to fight violence or terrorism, but democracy in itself is good, it is a way of human culture. "Democracy is inalienable right of people to rule though indirectly through their representatives," he contended.
The diplomat was of the view that the world has not produced any better system than democracy, which aims at metropolitan economies, ensuring sustainable growth and bridging the widening gap between the rich and the poor. About the government's anti-terror war policy, he said that it was turning dissent into insurgency in Balochistan and even in the tribal belt.
A well-known analyst Ahmad Rashid assailed President Musharraf's strategy to fight terror, saying he always talked about poverty reduction, ending anxiety among the masses and consultation, but acted otherwise, overlooking the parliament and the media. "Dictators have always been trying to eliminate any sign of democracy and Musharraf is no exception," he alleged.
Ahmad Rashid pointed out that late Junejo's government was sent packing only three months after he signed the Geneva Accord, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif bid to normalise relations with India and solve Taleban issue through diplomatic means was sabotaged by the military.
The analyst argued that the government talked about supporting Kabul, but was with Taleban and there had been rhetoric of opening trade highways with the Central Asian Republics, but there was no will to pursue the goal.
PPP Information Secretary Sherry Rehman believed that the security bargain Musharraf struck with the international community in the anti-terror war positioned him, and not Pakistan, as bulwark against extremism, which completely changed the equation between security forces, political intermediaries and militants, requiring a running with-the-hare and hunting-with-hounds policy.
"This policy of keeping Taleban brewing and some other like-minded groups operating in NWFP is known to be a brainchild of the intelligence community," she charged.
She pointed out that the second major problem confronting Pakistan was not just the absence of insensitive and political will to eliminate terror... it is the regime's refusal as well as inability to evolve consensus, investing all strategic options in a military solution.
Sherry contended that military operations against terrorists should be launched only after political means fail to deliver and for this popular support should be won, otherwise, Pakistan would not be able to successfully face these challenges that threaten internal stability and regional peace. PPP leaders, including Jehangir Badar, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and the party's spokesman Farhatullah Babar also spoke on the topic.