May 2013 Elections
The so called democratic set up put in place by the
fair, free, transparent and peaceful elections of May 2013 provided an
interesting study for those who were competent to distinguish between the sham
and true forms of democracy. The claim of the self-styles champions of
democracy to have successfully ended one man’s eight years despotic rule was
justified to some extent but their assertion to have ushered in an era of
genuine democracy was nothing more than self-deception and an attempt to take
the masses to a safari of fool’s paradise. What in fact happened was that one
man’s dictatorial rule was replaced by the despotic governance of the feudals
as a class of dictators and autocrats. The government formed thus held the
title of a democracy but is in fact was made up of all the elements of a
totalitarian regime.
A general look at the Assembly halls in session
found them full of members of feudal categories. Not a single person coming
from the masses was to be seen sitting there. The old faces were quite familiar
who hailed from traditional feudal families. The new faces, both men and women,
were also their own kiths and kins Chief Ministers of the four provinces along
with their Prime Minister all belonged to well known feudal dynasties. With the
power, status and influence they had acquired thus they were to look after
their own i interests, as ever before. They had dumped the common man in a
warehouse meant for storing spares to be used later as their loyal voters for
bringing them to power again in the next general elections.
Soon after the elections, true to the feudal traditions a
power struggle began to get hold of profitable slots. Ministries and cabinets
that should not have taken more than a few days to form took weeks on end.
Instead of taking immediate notice of the problems of the people they forgot
all about them and gave top priority to settle old score with their rivals and
started nursing past rivalries and vendettas. People had not voted them to
power to get engaged in such sinister games. Problems of the common man were
sky rocketing prices, non-availability of daily items of food, energy crises,
education of their children, woeful lack of health care but they preferred to
take up to up hold the causes of deposed judges not because they had any love
for the judges but it provided them an immediate and convenient excuse to
satisfy their personal vendettas against their political enemies. People raised
protestations against the ever rising price level while the leaders kept on
chanting the demand for restoration of judges with which people were least
concerned. Satisfaction of the ego of feudals was of much greater importance
than the commonplace problems of daily suicides being committed by the people
due to hunger and poverty.
A feudal society thrives on the existence of gods
and goddesses. Personality cults are developed and the simple, gullible and
illiterate common man is brainwashed to the extent that if required he is made
to lay down his life in this act of idol worship. Why for instance the ghost of
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the most controversial figure of his times, should be
summoned to get votes for his progeny and party men. Was this act, in any
sense, democratic in nature? Benazir Bhutto had her personal qualities as a leader
of masses but she too, most of the time. Leaned on the image of the dead Bhutto
to reinforce her leadership. However, after her tragic assassination the
magical wand of feudalism was made to work a feat of unimaginable and
unbelievable magnitude when the 19 years old young Zardari, a university
student but the son of Benazir was christened as Bilawal Zardari-Bhutto. This
unprecedented creation of a hybrid of a human being was the dynastic and
feudalistic requirement of the leaders who swore by democracy at each step in
their election campaign. The poor boy will never know whether he was a Bhutto
or a Zardari and eventually he may prove to be none of these. He was made too
sail in two boats which were not sure to move in the same direction. If
tomorrow rivalry develops between the two tribes he will be disowned by both.
The foundation stone of his eventual down fall as a political leader had been
laid. But the question did this machination devised to catch votes had any iota
of democracy in it and how could a government formed as a result of such antics
was to be called democratic?
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