The constitution of Pakistan demands that each political party undertake its party election after specific intervals to affect democracy at the grassroots level and promote civic culture within the political groups. Over the years, several political groups together with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), the Awami National Party (ANP), the PML-Q, and MQM and others had made a mockery of this constitutional verdict by organizing bogus and fraud elections. The PPP’s Central Core Committee never dared to choose a non-Bhutto or apart from Zardaris, as Party head over the past five decades while the Presidency never refugeed out of the Sharif family in the case of PML-N. Similarly, the Wali Khan family had always been the sole inheritors of Bacha Khan’s legacy and the PML-Q and PML-Functional are being labelled by Chaudharies and Pir Sab Pagharo. JUI-F was ever the personal property of Fazl-Ur-Rehman and Shaikh Rashid is the lifetime head of his one-man party. Similarly, the MQM’s senior hierarchy had been revolving around a cabal of senior leaders and their blued eyes. Although, the PTI Chairman opted to remain the lifetime party head of his self-created civic group, yet there were high hopes that the Pakistan Tahreek-e-Insaf might introduce a new political legacy in contradiction with its adversaries in this aspect. However, the selection and announcement of Barrister Gohar Khan as the new Party Chairman by Imran Khan, which was blindly stamped by the party leaders deepened the impression of authoritarianism and dictatorship within the group. The reports suggest that all seats including provincial heads and secretary General were already decided by top leadership days before the flimsy party polls. This strategy is not much different from rest of the political groups in the country while effectiveness and reality of this mechanism would be evident in the future.Historically, party election gives birth to demicratic principles allowing party workers to participate in decision making process and fostering inclusivity and transparency within the party structure. It promotes legitimacy and accountability to party leadership along with promoting healthy internal democratic practices and minimizing factionalism.promoting healthy internal democratic practices and minimizing factionalism. Although, there is much more in the interest of country, nation, public and the democracy, all those principles and strategies do not suit feudal, power grabbers and authoritarians.
Democracy of its Kind
