SHAM DEMOCRACY

Can an industrialist or for that matter a capitalist represent labor class or the have-nots? A peasant or a down trodden person can possibly have no natural affinity, whatever, with the monied class. In such circumstances how come our brand of democracy which is dominated by the filthy rich be billed as people’s democracy? One of the many features of a democracy is that it represents the majority of people. Who are in majority in this country? Who are the persons who sit in the assemblies claiming to be their representatives? Rich or the poor? The reply to this question is quite obvious.
The system which passes for democracy in this country is a sham democracy. The monied few have been exploiting the economically deprived people in every field of life. The priorities of the rich minority rather than poor majority are kept in view even while conceiving annual developmental projects in parliament.
In the late 1960s the then chairman planning commission of Pakistan Dr Mahboob-ul-Haque had said only 22 families rule the roost in the country. Today the figure of the filthy rich who dominate the economy of this country is around 500 families meaning thereby that a handful of people continue to call the shots in so far economy of this country is concerned.
Hasn’t time come when a serious consideration is given either to the introduction of proportional representation or the presidential system of governance in this country? In the present parliamentary system which suits only the elite class there is a little or no chance that true representatives of the vast majority can ever find place in parliament.
POSTSCRIPT: If the weather forecast of the Meteorology Department is to be believed there is going to be heavy downpour in the coming days when pre-monsoon rains are going to lash the parched land. What is worrisome is the fact that these rains might result into devastating floods because of the filth that has blocked the natural water courses and outlets of rain and flood water. Has the department set up by the government to prevent flood disasters done its home work or is it going to be caught napping?