4Ds of Democracy - Discussion, Dialogue, Development, Decentralization

1. Advanced
Democracy
Development
Civil-Military Relations

2. Fair elections are prime
components for responsible
democracy in developing or
developed countries. Lately a
news item of Daily Jang
Rawalpindi narrated that no
elections were held in
cantonment areas of Pakistan
since 2000. It gave impression to
the world that Pakistan has a
pseudo-democracy. Civil military
relations are unbalanced.
Keeping in view populace of
Karachi and Lahore, it is very
difficult to objectively measure
the opinion of 86 million
registered voters in a single day.
Moreover, populace of Pakistani
voters is steadily increasing
annually. On demand of political
parties, election commission of
Pakistan conducts elections of
national and provincial assemblies
in one day.

3. There are 41 cantonments in the
country. Election Commission of
Pakistan has been taking all
measures to ensure general and
local government elections even
in cantonments with economic
constraints. This fact can be
verified by appointment of 29
judges as appellate authorities for
the local government elections in
September of last year. In
elections of 2008 and 2013, no
objection was raised on
cantonment-less elections by
human right organizations and
Free and Fair Election Network.
Yes, PTI did not accept results of
11 May elections.
Dialogue and discussion are crux of
democracy. Violent protests and
rallies are undesirable at any cost.
Verification process of credentials of
candidates must be speed up. Besides
six-year late countrywide census,
result-oriented democracy can only
be possible by educating the illiterate
male and female voters. Political
parties, institutes, media
organizations and non government
organizations have been offering
solutions for development-oriented
two-party-based democracy. Let’s
remember and act.

4. Sajid Imtiaz
Expert Member, CDKN
Member, Pakistan Society of Criminology
Feedback: sajedimtiaz@hotmail.com