"Democracy is successful in the west because of high education ratio and strict accountability system. A common man can reach to the parliament as public representative on the basis of his capabilities in United Kingdom but unfortunately it is not possible in Pakistan. But western societies also have double standards particularly in the case of Gaza and Iraq."
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said this at TECH Society Club during Fikri Nishst on the topic "Pakistan and Western Democracy" on Tuesday. Former Speaker of National Assembly Syed Fakhar Imam, former federal Law Minister S M Zafar, former Minister of State Qayyum Nizami, Zubair Sheikh, Jameel Gishkori and Dr Muhammad Sadiq also addressed the occasion.
Qayyum Nizami said that it is the beauty of western democracy that their political parties elect their members democratically whereas in Pakistan feudal democracy is effective. Qayyum Nizami said that one third parliamentarians in United Kingdom are educated from Oxford while in Pakistan fake degree holders are sitting in the parliament. Another fault of Pakistani democratic system is that it is not connected with good governance.
Former Speaker of National Assembly Syed Fakhar Imam said that some hidden powers are continuously trying to destroy democracy in Pakistan. Freedom of expression is the essence of democracy, he added. He said public representatives in western countries prefer national interest over their personal interests but it is opposite in Pakistan. Fakhar Imam suggested accountability, transparency, education and character building for successful democracy in Pakistan.