Chitral.. The current happenings in Pakistan have proved beyond doubt that Democracy is not the best system in under developed countries. Since last three days we are seeing examples of the real face of our democracy, on the Grand Trunk road of Pakistan.

The disqualified prime minister is terming his disqualification on moral grounds by the country’s supreme court as an insult to the people’s mandate. What has people’s mandate got to do with proven charges of financial dishonesty? Can any one answer?

The PM is also saying that he was dismissed by judicial orders within one minute! What rubbish. What was the sixty days JIT investigations and the full fledged defense opportunity of his case by the PM’s lawyers stretching over months. Was that one minute?

If a prime minister who has been in office three times before also, can make such an absurd and blatant statement in time of duress, then imagine what would be the mental caliber of his ministers and colleagues running the country. And as if that was not enough, the voters on GT road are seen proudly saying that they would vote for Nawaz Sharif even if he does not do anything for them. Is this the system (democracy) that we should continue to defend. Looking at these leaders and the followers who would play in the next general elections and in all probability get the ‘lion’s’ share, one cannot hope any better time for Pakistan in future.

The answer to the perpetual quagmire that we are in, is a snap switch over from Democracy to Meritocracy. Hanging on to this electoral democracy and expecting any thing better will leave us fighting with situations like the present, forever, maybe with cosmetic change of faces from time to time. We ought to realise, it is not the faces that are our enemies, it is the anti meritocratic system. .. CN report, 12 Aug 2017