Friday, August 17, 2007 (11:56 PST)
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Pakistan is passing through a critical phase of the present democratic institutional crisis that has put the future of democracy in the country in the doldrums. The dream of establishing ‘true’ democracy in the nation state will never be materialized in the presence of perpetual political instability, army intervention in national affairs, distortion of the Constitution, a powerless Election Commission, deeply rooted feudalism, absence of a strong and independent judiciary, lack of impartial accountability institutions and shackled freedom of expression.
People cast their votes on the basis of sect, caste and language and remain indifferent to the importance of their vote. In the presence of inept politicians, having their own axe to grind, and absence of patriot sentiments among the political leaders, the democratic institutions in the country are fragile and shaky. Thus, Pakistan has failed in its quest for democracy even after the lapse of 60 years of its independence. This failure is so staggering that it seems that