ISLAMABAD: (Feb 23, 2015): Speakers at a policy seminar on February 23, 2015 said that lack of trust on political system and political parties, absence of local government system, ban on students unions and horse-trading are the major reasons due to which democracy is not being flourished in Pakistan.
The seminar on “Youth and democratic development in Pakistan” was organized by Sustainable Development Policy Institute here in collaboration with the Centre for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). Eminent political leaders from Awami National Party (ANP), Pakistan People’s Party-Parliamentarians (PPP-P), and Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) participated in the seminar.
In his introductory remarks, Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, Senior Research Associate of SDPI, said lack of confidence in youth is a hurdle in the way of sustainable development. He also raised a few questions on the political system of Pakistan whether it is exclusive or inclusive.
Bushra Gohar, Vice-President of ANP Women Wing, dispelled the impression youth are not engaged in politics. She said though the meaningful role of youth is missing, they are active in politics since partition. “Unfortunately, student’s politics was banned during Zia regime which casted out the youth from participating in political activities, that’s why young leadership is not available,” she said, giving examples of Afrasiab Khattak and Mian Ifthikhar Hussain of ANP who emerged as national leaders after availing the platform of student politics.
Highlighting further on youth development issues, she pointed that it is a bitter truth that we as a nation are confused about democracy. “We are in a phase between whether to run democracy in Pakistan or to make the country a security state. Our syllabus doesn’t teach constitution of Pakistan, so our youth does not know about the basics of our democracy.” She said youth is only engaged in casting vote but we have to take them beyond this.
She maintained that one reason of violence in the country is the lack of forums where youth can express their views. Difference of opinion should be there, as it provides base for development. Narrative of dictatorship and security is scaring us all the time and media is playing negative role, she said and added: “We are following a destructive way”.
Osman Saifullah, PPP-P Senator, said that People’s Party is the only party, which practices what it preaches regarding youth. “We are criticized on many forums regarding our chairman Bilawal Bhutto, who is the youth.” He said Pakistan is different from other countries as our leadership and government is run by those who are in their 60s and 70s. He emphasized that youth should be involved in decision-making, as they will have to face the consequences.
Stressing the need for crafting development agenda by the youth, he said communication mechanism has changed from one way to two-way. He said technology should be used by the governments to engage public and especially youth and youth need instantaneous reaction and response. “Youth needs technology while government has procedures and protocols to reach to them and youth is not interested in all those.”
He said youth should be given access to public data. Currently, obtaining public data is cumbersome. Pakistan is a nuclear country but the government does not know about the count of its citizens, he said and added that youth should decide its own role and they should be given opportunity.
Dr Fauzia Hameed, MQM MNA, said that 43% of our population is youth and if we encourage them, we can prosper Pakistan. MQM is the only party which started from its student wing, later social and lastly political wing was created.Criticizing the education system, she said our education system is too much divided and provides no opportunities to the youth. “Matric student cannot compete a Cambridge studied student, so we have already created a class of haves and haves-not”. She was of the view that entry test should be abolished for getting admission in universities. Further, she added, our second and third generations are studying the same syllabus as our forefathers did. Our syllabus is not according to modern trade.
Talking on youth’s lack of interest in politics, she said that youth is not interested in politics due to absence of role models and also the general overview of the politics in Pakistan is hindering the entrance of youth in politics. Religious extremism is also detracting the youth of country.
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