In Pakistan, citizens' participation in affairs of state is limited to their showing up at occasional public rallies every few days or weeks, and their going to voting booths every few years. By doing so, they somehow authorise candidates of their choice to exercise democratic rights on their behalf. Passively though, they get to know about comings and goings of politicians commonly from media. That is called political action upon which citizens like to pass remarks in free time. These remarks establish their interest towards state affairs. Apart from that, they stay idle at receiving end, waiting for political parties to originate wonders or miracles which might improve their living standards. Miracles though happen very seldom.
Political parties, from the pattern of their functioning, can at best be named political tribes, mostly run either by the strongest person or a small group wielding all powers. Citizens' vote works as a ladder for them to reach power. While in government, top leaders of ruling party clench infinite authority. They make all decisions as per their own wisdom and appropriate taxpayers' money at their exclusive discretion.
Such parties were known as political machines that existed in western democracies long ago. In late 19th and early 20th centuries, large US cities like New York City, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and Kansas City were known for having political machines. Most of times a single powerful person, the boss, was controlling subordinates via lieutenants through hierarchy like a machine on the basis of patronage rewards.
Theodore Roosevelt worked in the New York City politics before he became president of the United States in 1901. He described the organization of a political machine as "much like an army functioning under one great central boss."
The British had political machines as early as in late 16th and early 17th centuries. First political party to emerge in 1760s was Rockingham Whigs, under leadership of Charles Watson Wentworth and intellectual guidance of political philosopher William Burke. Burke described philosophy of this party as "a body of men united for promoting, by their joint endeavours, national interest upon some particular principle in which they are all agreed." European countries like Germany, France and Austria developed political parties during second half of the 19th century.
Pakistan is one of those countries of Asia and Africa where citizens and politicians are yet to understand, learn and exercise democracy. First and foremost thing to be understood is that citizens need to regularly interact with members of parliament to suggest formulation of such new laws that may protect their civil rights. They also need to frequently meet civil officers to convey their local issues and get them resolved. For this interaction, citizens need to establish democratic institutions independent of influence of authorities and political parties. These institutions do not exist in Pakistan. Instead, various organs of state governance like executive, parliament and judiciary are generally misconceived as democratic institutions.
Political philosophers may lament that frequent military intervention has not permitted democratic institutions to constitute. They may complain that Pakistan is a poor and deprived country where citizens cannot suddenly leap to latest democratic practices of western societies. Some may argue that British Empire perhaps forgot to hand over "how to use" recipe to natives when it imported democracy from England. Political intellectuals may justify their inaction by weaving conspiracy theories around military adventurers or western powers.
Such misdirected pacifiers seem to neglect the fact that even during 33 years or so of military rule, politicians of green or blue or red or yellow shade have been associated with governance one way or the other. They did so on excuse of opening doors of interaction with citizens. But the process of citizens' participation in state affairs has not yet started.
Some may like to blame it upon the supposed lethargic attitude and low capacity to learn among citizens of Pakistan. To them, just the mention of remarkably high number of users of cell phones and internet, and quantum of money, effort and time spent over latest hi-tech gadgets by Pakistani population should be considered decent answer. If Pakistani citizens can copy communication habits of their American brothers, they may also be capable of adopting their democratic practices. Here are a few examples of citizens' participation in state affairs in the US.
In its regular monthly meeting on February 2, 2016, Michigan Park Citizens Association, DC, discussed installation of the yard hydrant for use of its members. David Conrad, a member, informed the meeting that he had met with a representative of Department of General Services at Triangle Park. The official informed him that his department had received relevant request from Department of Parks and Recreation to consider the hydrant. David will follow up with both departments later.
Another member of the Association noted that a recent survey identified increased traffic, decrease in home value and loss of green space as three major concerns of nearby residents. The Association is proposing to connect Webster Street between 13th and 12th and in a manner that traffic may only enter Webster Eastbound from 12th Street northbound. Webster will be a private road so residences on south side of Webster who don't have an alley will have their parking spaces. All other houses have either 1 or 2 parking spaces.
Chevy Chase Citizens Association, Washington DC, at its meeting on March 15, 2016, discussed latest fraudulent schemes coming to homes and affecting personal safety. The meeting also reviewed work of the office of Attorney General and its efforts to stop deceptive and unconscionable practices against senior consumers, financial exploitation that occurs within families, and cyber security issues. The meeting provided tips on how to protect citizens against sophisticated identity theft schemes.
Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) is particularly concerned about the nation's long-term challenges including fiscal issues, transparency and accountability, and social security and health-care reform. AMAC and its members oppose Affordable Care Act and are committed to fighting the ACA's (alleged) cuts to medicare. AMAC is actively engaged in these issues from an advocacy standpoint in Washington, D.C., and has a plan-called the Social Security Guarantee-which claims to make social security solvent for 75 years without raising taxes.
In February 2013, AMAC launched Delegate Programme to place a voluntary AMAC member in every Congressional district across the country. Delegate responsibilities include "articulating the issues and concerns of AMAC members to the Representative". So far, about 200 Congressional districts have been assigned an official AMAC delegate.
AMAC Foundation held its National Health Care Symposium in June 2014 in Washington, D.C. The event brought together the leaders in health care debate to find solutions to problems facing American health care system. AMAC plans to advance these solutions to policymakers.
These citizens' associations are in thousands across the US. There are numberless specific rights bodies like price control associations, legal defence and education funds, community services organizations, home owners committees, and other bodies which propose legislation to protect citizens' rights in specific terms.
National Democratic Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan organization working to strengthen and support such kind of democratic institutions in the US and worldwide through citizens' participation, openness and accountability in the government. For more than 20 years, NDI has conducted programmes to activate and empower citizens and civic groups, establish strong civic cultures and achieve an appropriate balance of power between citizens and government.
The NDI website says: Making democracy work requires informed and active citizens who understand how to voice their interests, act collectively and hold public officials accountable. Citizens must understand the basis of citizenship, politics and government, and they need knowledge to make good policy choices and understand proper use of authority. Citizens also need the desire to exercise their rights and the political space to do so without unreasonable resistance or harassment from authorities or others.
NDI has recently launched a programme to train political parties in Pakistan. Generally speaking, not much hope can be attached to this programme because Americans basically do not understand the genesis of Pakistani mind.
Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services was developed in 2008 under an Act to train members of parliament in disciplines such as "rules of procedure", "question hour", "business of the house", and "constitutional authority of parliament." It has successfully trained several batches of elected representatives so far.
More than them, the citizens need to learn to meaningfully participate in state affairs. They need to position their priorities right and apply their initiative where it is actually required. Politicians usually like to misdirect attention of citizens from real issues by highlighting home-made non-issues like ethnic, linguistic, sectarian and social conflicts. Such non-issues abruptly appear from nowhere, are blown out of proportion, but soon disappear, only after wasting much precious time and energy of citizens.
Citizens need to decide whether they really want to exercise their democratic rights. After all, every second Pakistani wants to go and settle down in America, to enjoy the living standards that democratic institutes in that country have developed. Instead, they might evolve this country on those lines. They can find all required information on internet. Thankfully, democratic process has been in function with no interruption. It is high time that citizens rise to the occasion independently and start participating in the affairs of state.
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