Zafar Iqbal
In Pakistan’s turbulent political landscape, the debate over democracy versus authoritarianism has never been more critical. At the heart of this debate lies a fundamental truth: the long-term survival of Pakistan’s federation depends on one decisive principle—power must rest with the people’s elected representatives. Anything short of this erodes the democratic fabric of the state, delegitimizes governance, and threatens national unity.
The Pakistani state was conceived as a democratic republic. Its very foundation rests on the premise that authority emanates from the people. Yet, over the decades, this promise has been repeatedly compromised. Interventions by non-democratic forces, engineered elections, manipulated political processes, and weak civilian institutions have hollowed out the essence of representative governance. Today, the federation faces a dangerous crossroads. Will power continue to be decided behind closed doors, or will it return to the people who constitutionally and morally own it?
The need for transparent, inclusive, and credible elections has become the most urgent political demand of our time. Without them, Pakistan cannot claim to be a functioning democracy. More importantly, without them, the federation itself begins to fragment. Regions already feeling politically alienated—whether in Balochistan, Sindh, or parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa—view the federal system as a distant, imposed arrangement rather than a participatory union. The absence of genuine electoral representation deepens this divide.
Democracy is not just a political mechanism—it is a tool for social integration. It binds diverse ethnicities, cultures, and regions together under the principle of equal voice and fair participation. In a multi-ethnic, multilingual state like Pakistan, democracy is not optional—it is existential. A federation cannot be sustained by force, fear, or manipulation. It must be nurtured through the consent of the governed.
That consent can only come through elections that are fair in appearance and substance. Unfortunately, recent electoral exercises have raised more doubts than hope. Allegations of rigging, unequal playing fields, selective accountability, and interference by unelected institutions have cast shadows on the legitimacy of governments. This fuels political instability and public disillusionment, weakening both governance and national cohesion.
The concept of “popular will” must not be reduced to a slogan. It is the cornerstone of legitimacy in any democratic system. When people feel that their vote does not count, that decisions are made elsewhere, and that elections are predetermined, they lose faith in the system. That erosion of faith is far more dangerous than any economic or security challenge. It breeds apathy, radicalism, and a loss of ownership in the political process.
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Pakistan’s ruling elite—both civilian and military—must understand that the federation’s strength does not lie in centralized control or managed democracy. It lies in empowering people to choose their representatives freely and to hold them accountable. True stability emerges from democratic legitimacy, not from imposed political arrangements.
The 1973 Constitution offers a comprehensive framework for democratic governance. It envisions a federal structure where provinces enjoy autonomy, and the federation operates through the consent of the federating units. But that vision remains unrealized when elections are not credible, and when elected governments are undermined by parallel power structures.
If the federation is to survive and thrive, elections must be the sole and sacred mechanism for determining who governs. All state institutions—judiciary, military, bureaucracy—must remain neutral during the electoral process. The Election Commission of Pakistan must be empowered, reformed, and insulated from all influence. Political parties must be given equal opportunity to campaign, connect with voters, and compete in a transparent environment.
A credible electoral process also requires a free press, independent judiciary, and active civil society. Suppression of dissent, censorship of media, and persecution of political opponents are signs of democratic decay. They may serve short-term interests of a few, but they damage the long-term integrity of the state.
Moreover, elections must be timely. Delaying elections under various pretexts—whether security, economy, or administrative reshuffling—only deepens mistrust. It creates a vacuum that anti-democratic forces are quick to fill. Pakistan’s constitutional mandate for holding elections within a specified timeframe must be upheld without compromise.
There is also a moral dimension to this crisis. Democracy is not merely about procedure; it is about ethics. The idea that the state belongs to its people, and that those people have the ultimate say, is not just constitutional—it is a matter of justice. The concentration of power in unelected hands violates that principle of justice and erodes the public’s dignity. It sends a dangerous message that the people are not sovereign—that their choices can be overruled or ignored.
For Pakistan to emerge as a stable, united, and respected member of the global democratic community, it must recommit to the path of genuine representative government. This is not just about elections—it is about resetting the state-citizen relationship. It is about giving people a sense of inclusion, ownership, and participation in the affairs that affect their lives.
Transparent elections are not a luxury—they are a necessity for survival. They are the glue that holds the federation together. They are the forum where diverse voices converge to shape collective destiny. They are the only legitimate means through which power should be transferred.
As Pakistan grapples with mounting economic woes, regional polarization, and institutional dysfunction, there is one solution that addresses all these crises at their core: restoring the people’s faith in democracy. And that begins with free, fair, and timely elections.
In the end, it is not tanks or treaties that preserve a federation—it is trust. And trust cannot be commanded; it must be earned. Pakistan must now decide: will it continue with managed democracy and growing discontent, or will it return to the people and renew the federation with the power of their vote?
The choice is clear. The moment is urgent. Pakistan’s federation depends not on force or fear, but on the free will of its people. Let the vote speak. Let the people decide. Only then can we truly call ourselves a democracy—and only then can the federation survive.
