Pakistan is experiencing a number of issues, and as a result, the nation is on the verge of disintegrating. Political parties, the establishment, and civilians all appear to be playing blame games in an effort to divert attention from their various roles. In reality, the nation is currently going through its worst period in seven decades. Each social institution is being impacted by these factors, which include terrorism, the economy’s meltdown, social polarization, political repression, and unsettled civil-military ties. Even while the former’s effects are felt throughout the nation, the country’s leaders continue to be firmly seated as if they were seat bound at gunpoint.
The constitution, the supreme law of the land, is being undermined at the same time. Its provisions are not regarded. Individuals in the nation are denied their fundamental rights; for instance, the right to education. According to UNICEF, there are 22.8 million kids who are not in school. All of these unenrolled children are between the ages of five and sixteen, which blatantly violates article 25(A) of the 1973 constitution. Article 25A plainly states that all children between the ages of “five and sixteen years” should get free and compulsory education from the state. Hence, there is a flagrant infringement of fundamental rights.
Political persecution is also actively practised, which is quite incompatible with democracy and constitutional provisions. Anything spoken in the context of criticism is interpreted as a personal insult, and imprisonments violate the fundamental right to free speech. Even while it is the state’s duty to uphold social order, the overzealous regulation of every word spoken is fostering social and political instability. Under the guise of disparaging state institutions, the fundamental rights of taxpayers and voters are undercut.
The brazen disobedience of the supreme law’s directives is another instance of a flagrant constitutional violation and a reason for the country’s disintegrated circumstances. The state institutions in Pakistan are not adhering to articles 222 to 226 of the constitution. Despite the Lahore High Court’s ruling that elections in the provinces must be held no later than 90 days in accordance with the spirit of article 222, which states that elections must be held within 90 days if assemblies are dissolved by the chief minister before their constitutional term, the KP and Punjab assemblies have been dissolved for more than a month, and no election date or schedule has been announced by the respective governors.
The Supreme Court is currently being considered for suo moto action. Although it will set another deplorable precedent, the relevant authorities are at ease and prepared to blatantly disregard the constitutional provisions. Although there have been instances where elections have not been held within 90 days—in 1988, 2002, and 2008—the current scenario in the country makes this case different. In contrast to today, when state institutions are highly versed in how to handle complicated problems, those were the eras when Pakistan faced certain major issues that were first in their nature. Hence, the officials cannot delay the elections on the pretext of security, economy and politics.
That is, in fact, the main cause of the undemocratic culture that Pakistan has been dealing with since its inception. The state organs utilize flimsy justifications to support their unconstitutional actions while failing to uphold their written and codified obligations. This widens the gulf between civilian and military relations. On the other side, the judiciary is criticized and accused of meddling in political affairs; however, it has always stabilized the political climate of a nation. The legislative and the administration always find themselves in a difficult situation and knock on the door of the courts, expecting a favourable ruling. If the outcome does not meet their expectations, press conferences are held, and contempt of court is frequently practised. As a result, institutions are unable to cohere, and the nation’s framework breaks apart irreparably.
It is, therefore, crucial that the nation and its “rulers” uphold democracy. The federating units and associated institutions are dealing with issues in a variety of scenarios that are aggravating national harm and promoting global disparagement of our motherland. Therefore, the political parties must come together, set aside their personal differences, and make a commitment to the country’s best interests. They must also pledge to hold elections within 90 days, adhere to the constitution’s provisions, and implement measures to upgrade the socioeconomic status of the populace. They must also stop engaging in “elite politics,” where the status quo is maintained, and “revolutions” become inevitable.
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