Democarcy After Musharraf?

The News, January 15, 2006
Permanent democracy predicted after Musharraf’s departure
By Shahab Ansari

Renowned Indian-born writer, economist and member of the British Labour Party Lord Meghnad Desai has predicted ‘permanent democracy’ in Pakistan after President Musharaf’s departure, as the winds of change are blowing in favour of democracy in the world.

The distinguished visitor at the book launching ceremony at Alhamra predicted this Monday. The book ‘Divided by Democracy’ co-authored by Meghnad and Aitzaz Ahsan is published by Roli Books and distributed by Oxford University Press in Pakistan.

Meghnad who was born in Baroda, studied economics at Bombay University and did his doctorate at the University of Pennsylvania is an Emeritus Professor of Economics at the London School of Economics and an active member of the British Labour Party. Meghnad said Indian democracy owes a lot to the 17-year tenure of Jawhur Lal Nehru as its Prime Minister, and had Quaid-e-Azam been alive Pakistan might have been also enjoying democracy now. He said although things were also difficult in India and there were problems too since there had been a change of six prime ministers there in the first 42 year and after that in the last 16 years there had been a change of seven prime ministers, ‘but it is all a part of democracy.’ He said the last elections in India were even better than the American elections, which again proved the importance of democracy. He said besides three square meals a day, a roof and clothes to wear, ‘the most important gift of democracy is self-respect and dignity.’ He said India had a lot of problems, but the main strength was the power of people who could bring in change, ‘which, unfortunately, Pakistani people do not have.’

Meghnad said the plight of Azad Kashmir after earth-quake was evident to everyone. Although the Pakistan government has been claiming that Azad Kashmir is a jewel as compared to the Indian-occupied Kashmir, the earth-quake has brought the reality in the open, he said. He said the lack of infrastructure in Azad Kashmir was the main reason of the high level of destruction. Although the army has all the required equipment, it was only for the army and not for the people.

He said, one of the major reasons for the prevalence of democracy in India was that in India politicians were in power not the army. He hoped that as the winds of change were blowing everywhere in the world (in Iraq Americans have learnt that democracy is the only way out), therefore, in Pakistan too, after the end of Musharraf government, there would be no more army dictatorship but democracy for a very long time.

During an inter-action with the audience, the distinguished guest replied to a query that ‘democracy is never natural rather it is learnt and comes with practice.’ On Indian Muslims massacre in Gujarat and the state of Muslims in India, Meghnad said ‘the case is still in court and it will be decided soon.’ Commenting on the 1965 war, he said that Pakistan hoped of getting sport from the Kashmiris of the occupied Kashmir, but was disappointed.

Aitzaz Ahsan, during the inter-action with the audience, was highly critical of the military government and said that it was not the armies, which saved the countries, but the power of the people and democracy. He said situation in Pakistan might not have been different from today even if Quaid-e-Azam had been alive because the generals had never obeyed anyone right from the Quaid-e-Azam to Nawaz Sharif. He said, "The British left two gifts for us namely the army and the feudal system."

He said before partition this part did not have any industry and it served only as the recruiting ground for the army. He said the irrigation system introduced by the British in the then Pakistan was the ‘birthplace’ of feudalism, and ‘these two gifts are still with us.’ He said army just needed an excuse, no matter how feeble it was, to impose martial law or to come in power and that’s what had been happening here.

Vinod Dua, leading Indian television anchorman was of the view that though the two authors had approached their subjects with different perspectives and expertise, they provide two very stimulating analyses of the strengths and weaknesses of Indian and Pakistani democracies.

Aameena Sayed, Managing Director, Oxford University Press, presented the welcome address to the distinguished guests and the visitors.

Diplomats, bureaucrats, policy-makers, politicians and journalists attended the ceremony.