Four Years of Democratic Rule By A Rashid The orderly and successful conduct of the Senate elections a few days

ago render 2nd March a red letter day in the history of parliamentary democracy in Pakistan. A periodic Senate election is a routine affair, and as such the occurrence of these elections on 2nd March is not remarkable in itself. However, it assumes importance because the PPP government succeeded in holding these elections as intended, despite the Herculean odds that were set to send the government packing home before this date. In fact, the odds were so weighty that it seemed almost like a foregone conclusion that the government would be unable to reach the Senate elections deadline by any stretch of the imagination. The security establishment, the political opposition in parliament, and above all the media were dead set against the PPPs coalition government. The higher judiciary too did not have any love lost with the Zardari outfit. The annulment of the NRO and insistence by the superior judiciary to write a letter to the Swiss courts to reopen money laundering cases against Asif Ali Zardari at one end, and the Memogate scandal by the security apparatus combined with political opposition and the institution of a contempt of court case against the prime minister bolstered the brewing crisis and the end of the government appeared to be only a matter of time. However, as the caption of todays Friday Times article suggested, the PPP has managed the the art of survival. The governments preoccupation with defending itself against these odds has however extracted a great price; governance has badly suffered and the government has been unable to concentrate on any worthwhile development projects. Power shortages and double digit inflation combined with the ongoing War on Terror have accentuated the problems of the ruling coalition. There is no doubt that the PPP coalition governments performance remained dismal during the preceding four years, but at the same time there is no denying the fact that their achievements elsewhere have been of exceptional importance. In fact, it would not be wrong to characterize the PPPs four-year term as the most auspicious stint insofar as service to democratic rule is concerned. Democratic interludes till 2008 had mostly been hostage to the security establishment and had in essence been a farce. Foreign and domestic policies were dictated by the establishment while elections were also engineered by them. Despite ample provocation, the acquiescence and patience demonstrated by the PPP government throughout this period allowed it to achieve reforms of a fundamental nature. The restoration of the 1974 constitution, 18th, 19th and 20th amendments and the womens empowerment bill are some of the landmark legislations that surpass the accumulated legislation of past governments. Had the government not conceded some ground to the establishment in foreign and domestic affairs we would not be counting the positives of the government today. It is a unique paradox to count the failings of governance on the one hand and glittering achievements by the same administration on the other. Naturally, no one can conclude with authority whether the incumbents worked deliberately and on design to achieve what they have or

whether this is simply a by-product of the political evolution taking place in the country. Whatever the truth may be, credit rightly goes to the incumbents who bore the brunt of multidirectional thrusts by all and sundry. However, it would be uncharitable to give all the credit to the sitting government alone because with the passage of time even anti-government quarters recognized the stark realities before them. Therefore, credit is also due to the political opposition who did not gang up with the security establishment to derail the democratic set up. Mr Nawaz Sharif has been the main motivating force in the opposition ranks to protect the democratically elected government. Credit also goes to the higher judiciary for accommodating and ignoring many slips by the government, in the intrinsic national interest. Additionally, for the first time in history it seems as if civil society as a whole has supported the democratic system staunchly. This nation has suffered enough due to dissension and division in the past and it is time we remain steadfast in standing firm in support of democracy and the rule of law. By orchestrating antagonism with two of our significant neighbours (India and Afghanistan) we have flouted all norms of statehood and political philosophy. I am glad to report that today our lady foreign minister has rubbished the idea of strategic depth and has exposed the frivolity of the slogan in detail. By and large the past four years, though full of trials and tribulations, has been well spent in taming anti-democratic forces and strengthening civilian rule.