By NNN-APP
London : Speakers at a discussion organised at the Imperial College of Science and Technology underscored the need for resolving the challenges facing Pakistan through the institution of democracy and the rule of law.
The event titled ‘Pakistan at the crossroads-The current political situation in Pakistan’ was organised by the Pakistan Society of the College here on Wednesday evening.
Those who took part in the discussion were Syed Ghaus Ali Shah of PML-N, Wajid Shamsul Hassan of PPP, Shahid Dastgir of Pakistan Tehreek-I-Insaf, Muhammad Anwar of Mutahida Quami Movement (MQM), diplomat Manzoor-ul-Haq and senior journalist Muhammad Ziauddin.
The speakers critically debated the events of the past 10 months in Pakistan and noted that the country can only pull itself out from its present predicament by adhering completely to the principles of democracy and the rule of law.
Shahid Dastgir explained the reasons why PTI decided to boycott the upcoming Parliamentary elections and said the party leader Imran Khan believes that February 18 may not be fair and free without a strong independent Election Commission.
Syed Ghaus Ali Shah said the reason why his party is taking part in the national elections was not to leave the field open for others principally PML-Q. He said the party has reservations about the outcome of the election result but despite that it is taking part in the national polls because of pressure from its supporters.
The former Sindh Chief Minister said his party was working to strengthen and consolidate the Federation even though the democracy in the country has been frequently undermined by repeated military intervention.
He said the party chief Nawaz Sharif is determined to carry forward the mission of late Benazir Bhutto which is to promote democracy in Pakistan.
Wajid Shamsul Hassan said Pakistan was founded by Muhammad Ali Jinnah who believed in democracy, rule of law and equality. He lamented after Jinnah’s death, the power went into the wrong hands and the democracy could not be established on proper footing and sound lines.
He said his party strongly believes in following the principles of Quaid-i-Azam of getting into the power through popular votes. He said Benazir Bhutto sustained the legacy of her father to revive Pakistan as a democratic country.Benazir, he added, sacrificed her life for the cause of democracy as she opted to contest the elections rather than boycott it.
Hassan of the view that both PPP and PML-N would form a national government providing the elections were reasonably fair and free.
Presenting the MQM point, Muhammad Anwar said his party represented the middle class and has always stood for the right of the common people. He said the bane of Pakistani politics had been the role of the elitist class which has prevented the progress of the common man and his party was determined to erode this power.
Anwar said MQM had always sent middle class representatives to the national parliament and the party has made its presence felt. He thought the country could only progress when the middle class was empowered and had enough say in the affairs of the government.
Manzur-ul-Haq explained the steps taken by the Election Commission to make the forthcoming national elections fair,free,peaceful and transparent. He said the Election Commission will establish 64,000 polling stations while transparent ballot boxes would be used for the first time which will have unbreakable seals.
He further said the electoral lists have been put on the ECP website and the voters could check their names while the Government has allowed a large number of international observers to monitor the polls. He further said no arrangements exist for the overseas Pakistanis to cast their ballot but this issue could be taken up for the future.
Ziauddin focussed on the economic policies during the past seven years and said the progress had been mix. He said while banking and Telecommunication sectors showed remarkable growth but this had not been matched by progress in other vital subjects as the generation of electricity and the increase of benefits for the common man. He thought that a coalition government might emerge after February 18 polls.