ELECTION 99
US EDITION
COLUMNISTS
DIARY
SPECIALS
INTERVIEWS
CAPITAL BUZZ
REDIFF POLL
DEAR REDIFF
THE STATES
YEH HAI INDIA!
ELECTIONS
ARCHIVES

Search Rediff

Women spark the first signs of dissent in Pak

Six weeks into the military coup and the initial euphoria over the forced change of guard in Pakistan has begun to give way to demands for restoration of democracy from across the political and social spectrum. Women activists have taken the lead as political parties and social organisations rediscover their love for 'real democracy', but the main players in the political arena -- the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League -- are still undecided whether to take on the military rulers or offer them the olive branch.

Speakers at the two-day conference of women political activists that opened yesterday, called for the restoration of 'true democracy,' saying the present set-up would not be able to resolve the gargantuan problems faced by the nation. As many as 104 activists of 12 main political parties, attending the conference organised by the Aurat Foundation at Lahore, raised major questions regarding the failure of democracy in the country, imposition of martial law and its fallout. The conference also was addressed by two prominent 'dons'-- economist Dr Akbar Zaidi and Dr Muhammad Waseem, an expert on international relations. Dr Zaidi said devolution of power was necessary to strengthen real democracy in the country. Democracy could not gain strength in Pakistan because ''we used it for personal gains and establishing one-man rules.''

He said the solution lay in true democracy and any other system would only add to the chaos. The military government, he said, would not be able to implement its agenda as it was finding itself out of depth. True democracy can be restored only when all political parties join hands. Though it appeared impossible, the first step in this direction could be taken by women activists, he said. Dr Waseem called for massive electoral reforms. It was wrong to say that democracy had failed in Pakistan, he said. ''In fact, it is passing through its initial stages here,'' he quipped.

The Jamaat-i-Islami was not represented because the fundamentalist organisation was holding a separate meeting, organisers said. Another all-party conference at Quetta demanded immediate restoration of the Constitution and Parliament. The conference, convened by the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, was attended by leaders of different political parties, including Pushtoonkhawa Milli Awami Party, PML, ANP, BNP (Mengal group), Jamiat Ahl-i-Hadith, Jamat-i-Islami and the Tehrik-i-Jafferiya. The PPP, however, kept away despite an invitation.

The conference discussed the political situation and observed that the suspension of Parliament and the Constitution was not in the interest of the country. The leaders criticised the military leadership for sacking an elected government and establishing military rule. The conference also demanded full protection of the citizens rights and giving maximum autonomy to the four provinces.

In Hyderabad, Sindh, vice president of the Tahreek- i-Istaqlal, Rehmat Khan Wardag, ridiculed the demand for restoration of democracy in the country as ''true democracy never existed in Pakistan.'' Addressing a news conference, he said Parliament was not representative of the people as the ruling class was dominated by feudal landlords. Wardag urged the military government to eliminate the decadent system and replace it with the form of proportional representation which alone could strengthen democracy in the country.

However, Dawat-ul-Irshad chief Professor Hafiz Muhammad Saeed called for adopting Islamic laws. The country cannot be run through the present system and it was high time to enforce the Shariat, he said. Without switching over to the Quran and Sunnah, the economy could not be reformed, he said while addressing a seminar at Karachi. Hafiz Saeed said it was not possible to run the country through a combination of Islamic and non-Islamic laws. He said, ''today when assemblies, constitution and its system stand suspended, we invite the government to enforce the teachings of the Quran and Sunnah which would pave the way for fair-play and justice.''

UNI

Tell us what you think of this report