Systems of Governance:
For The Cause That Lacks Assistance!
For
The Wrong That Needs Resistance!
And
For The Good That We Can Do!
Imagine holding an entire Nation hostage to
mediocrity! A former IGP of Punjab, Sardar Mohammad Chaudhry, has termed Pakistan ’s
Governance as “The Ultimate Crime” in his book by the same name. When the
Population reaches critical mass and living conditions reach deprivation on a
large enough scale, something is bound to give! The Media revolution and
resultant instant access to information will leverage this reaction and
intensify emotions very swiftly. It is not necessary to dwell over long on the
negative aspects of the State of Society !
Rather a suggested adequate response to 21st Century AD challenges
and opportunities is being presented.
Sensationalism
may be a gimmick to attract attention but it is negative and valueless. Pakistan is not
fraught with factionalism, poverty and religious tension! This is an armchair
and Newspaper account description of Pakistan . The Grass Roots reality
is thankfully quite the opposite. The root cause of dissatisfaction and tension
is lack of economic opportunities; positive development oriented leadership and
management and a restrictive social setup. The superficial outward indicators
arise from goods and services of very poor supply both in quantity and quality.
This is further compounded by a complete lack of equity and justice. These root
causes lead to external indicators such as factionalism and religious
extremism. Once a clear “Way Ahead” and positive outcomes, however trivial, are
provided these negative trends soon melt away and the basic and inherent good
of the Pakistani people as well as their talents, abilities and general good
cheer soon comes to the surface. I state this from practical experience as the
Chairman for a triple ‘A’ (Appropriate, adaptive and applied) R&D NGO for
Rural development and Urban Rehabilitation, with field experience of 25 years
covering a large part of Rural Pakistan and Azad Kashmir, from “Makran to
Muzaffarabad.”
A
complete rejection of the effectiveness and focus of International Assistance
is hardly fair and fails to take into account the many facilities that have
accrued from International Assistance. The Green Revolution is an outstanding
Case in point. Pakistan
would have faced starvation and resultant extreme deprivation without this
intervention. It is we who are to blame; across the board corruption by most
individuals and even Institutions who have had an opportunity; the Line
Managers for incompetence and corruption; the political leaders for lack of
vision and nepotism; the business leaders and Captains of Industry for
exploitation; the poor record of our educators; the delusions of pocket
Napoleons; the egocentric psychosis of megalomaniac wannabe ‘leaders’ and most of all religious exploitation for
economic gain on the part of so called Religious Leadership. All this has
contributed to result in a very tense and volatile Socio-Political situation.
However, this situation can be positively glvanized given Vision, Dedication
and honesty of purpose.
Privatization
of Industry and Institutions as well as Downsizing of Government is not a cause
for unemployment. What was a niche for incompetence placed by nepotism as a
parasitical relationship cannot be glorified as a source for employment at the
cost of productivity and a merit oriented upward mobility, which is a key to
Western Societies development.
Strict
implementation of Labor Laws and the right to form associations, albeit
carefully regulated, to prevent exploitation in Private Banks; Basic Economy
Generation as well as more efficient and decentralized Power Production
including proper utilization of Alternate energy sources in place of subsidies
are a few examples of positive and constructive criticism. The removal by
distance of INGOs and differences in culture as well as attitude towards life
are major hindrances towards affecting a solution to the World’s problems. Of
course a different culture and social setup that has achieved dominance will
view internal tensions within a backwards and degenerated as well as exploitive
society with a big difference in perspective. Added to this is the Dialectic
Materialism as opposed to Egalitarian Focus of Society that presently cleaves
Western and Eastern Society in general and true Islam in particular. On the other hand a wounded and hopefully
temporarily exhausted civilization that is closer to Reality, even if through
inaction, will perforce have a different World View. Collusion with Corrupt
leadership to entrap an entire Nation in order to achieve Geo-Political
dominance will automatically generate anomalies that cannot be solved through
treating perceived policies. Rather the root cause needs to be addressed!
This
is certainly not an attack upon Western Society, the vast majority of decent,
caring and sharing humanity that constitutes the “Silent Majority” that exists
within each and every Society, in every nook and corner of the inhabited World,
one that spans every class and segment of society is the preferred divide as
opposed to the cunning and vicious, reptilian consciousness driven individuals
and groups that conspire to achieve dominion. in order to satisfy their lower
selves, who are the real enemy. They exist in every place and have throughout
history tried to snatch away the fruits of the human labor and the endowments
of Nature in order to fulfill narrow and selfish aims.
We
need a balanced and rational approach infused with dynamism that incorporates
innovation and either supports; releases or taps the tremendous talents and
skills that lie buried within the hearts and minds of the Pakistani People.
“Lead, Follow or Get out of the Way” for ushering in Prosperity rather than
merely targeting Poverty Eradication. Alleviation or Mitigation
The World is beset by a number of problems,
not the least of which are: Hunger; Extreme poverty; Malnourishment;
Illiteracy; Poor health and sanitary conditions; Degraded Ecosystems;
Burgeoning populations; Dwindling and degraded Natural Resources; Vanishing
Biodiversity; Deforestation; Global Warming/ Climate Crash; Gross pollution of
the Atmosphere and Ground Water; Crime and desperation.
Aggressive and vigorous action needs to be
taken at all levels in order to ward off the great dangers that we are faced
with. The state of affairs in the Green Sector is positively not
sustainable! At the present rate we will have completely degraded and/ or
exhausted our Renewable Natural Resources within a matter of a decade or two.
The tremendous population pressure that we are exerting will soon reach crisis
proportions. The era of beg and borrow is now almost at a close. It is a great
shame that when there is plenty of scope for improvement and enhancement, we
are forced to face a situation of need and scarcity. It is not my intention to
expose our National Dirty Linen in Public. The tale is too well known to bear
repeating. The causes of this situation are myriad and are beyond the scope of
the present effort. However, the cures to some of the physical manifestations
are presented for consideration. No claims to excellence are made; rather, an
effort has been made to gather a bouquet of treatment. The effort towards
Devolution was a step in the right direction and should have been supported to its
logical conclusion. Vested interests may hide behind a screen of campaigning
for Provincial Rights and declaring scarcity of capacity within Districts to be
a limiting factor rendering them incapable of being masters of their own fates.
An appeal is made to all right thinking individuals to cast aside the veils of
prejudice and self-interest and take into account the sorry state of the environment
and the fact that over 50 % of our population is faced with malnutrition! If
this was a condition that was inescapable, it could be borne with resignation.
When there is plenty of room for improvement and only a matter of getting our
act together under visionary leadership, it is a crying shame!
A
serious attempt to make a diagnosis in order to arrive at a cure is definitely
the first step towards recovery. Therefore, in order to achieve complete
recovery the diagnosis must surely itself be complete and the prescription
offered must be effective.
Take
into account the fact that despite being guilty of self inflicted wounds, our
society is never the less subject to innumerable conspiracies that take
advantage of our weakness and herd us towards situations that are in consonance
with the designs and aims of these conspirators. As such they cannot be
discounted but rather have to be included in our diagnosis. Is it not possible,
as held by some responsible members of society, that due to “the long history
of dictatorships, we have developed a strong culture for conspiracy theories”
can read that as a result of long history of conspiracy, we have developed a
strong culture for dictatorship!
It
is important to first reveal as to who is referred to as ‘we’. Which part or
whole of our society can be included in this mythical proactive ‘we’? Do we
include the dispossessed; marginalized and exploited yet silent majority,
desperate for some small modicum of relief in the never ending battle for
survival and subsistence? Is the ‘we’ all inclusive or is it the exclusive and
elitist few that are the real actors who determine the course that is set for
the Nation to steer by?
Is
it not possible that the root cause rests upon the failure to establish or
rebuild a vibrant and home made ethos that would drive us towards progress? The
present dispensation is that of a dying colonial establishment assailed by the
masses that were recognized and empowered as a direct response to the socialist
agenda of a political party and is this not the real power base of that party?
The exclusive right, itself divided between so called religious, conservative
middle class; feudals; industrialists and westernized elite hobbling together
to pursue conflicting special interests, fails to attain majority without
vested interest support at the ballot.
If
we are to “fix responsibility” and
“understand why we are where we are” it is important to first understand
where we are in the first place! The social order of yesteryear consisted of
the degenerated remnants of feudal imperialism subject to colonialism whose
successors, the economic neo-colonial imperialists, won the Second World War.
The evolved social context was that of rigidly stratified yet self reliant
microcosms existing within a survival of the strongest and most ruthless
milieu. With increasing awareness and the opening out of economic opportunities,
this framework broke down to create a disjointed free for all attempting to
attain personal self-reliance. In order to attain some form of a harmonious
whole we turned towards the model of British parliamentary system at National
and Provincial levels. With failure to attain National or Provincial
self-reliance the experiment of Local Bodies was tried out twice and on both
occasions on the behest of Military Leaders trying for some semblance of
National cohesion, ostensibly to devolve governance to local self-governance,
surely a contradiction in terms! The truism that any system is as good or as
bad as the people who run it, overwhelms the intrinsic efficacy or otherwise of
any system.
I strongly believe that the best
leaders are those who after they depart the people say “we did it”, the ‘it’
being progress and prosperity. This transient personality and dynasty based
leadership, subject to delusional visions and messiah complexes on the part of
leadership can only serve or disserve in accordance with their inherent ability
or lack thereof. True development can only come about if the skill and drive of
the people is tapped and channelized in accordance with a vision that is
mutually acceptable by all involved or affected.
The promise of “freedom, democracy,
prosperity, and social justice in accordance with the principles of Islam that
galvanized the Muslims of South Asia to launch (the) Pakistan movement”
followed by “strong civil and military bureaucracy hijacked the state as
political institutions were weak and in early formative stage.”
In order to attain the promise and
eschew hijacking, which must include corrupt politicians, we need to consider
the following. Should we not resolve the choice between westernized elitism and
traditional culture? Will this step not include the vast majority of our
populace who may have better leadership; vision; solutions etc. that could be
tapped to achieve progress and prosperity? Secondly, can we establish Local
Self-Governance at the Grass roots level that is the Village or Mohallah and
not the Union and District Council level as
touted by the late regime? In order to avoid replicating the divisive and
competitive system of first past the post rule of the largest minority as a
practical result of the democracy as practiced by us that is a masquerade for
oligarchy or the rule of the rich, with Page-Rank Algorithm Social Network
analysis that uncovers the ‘nexus of trust’ by highlighting the
‘flow-betweeness’ of individuals within a social network. This would quite
easily avoid the self aggrandizement, abhorrent to the principles of Islam,
with a rehabilitated and rationalized, egalitarian Panchayat/ Jirga system
whose leaders are replaced by more deeply representative members who do not
compete or vie for leadership? Can we engage in a dialogue to weigh the pros
and cons of an alternate system that seeks to replace the exploitive structure
with a truly participative and empowered local self-reliance? Given a workable
mechanism and framework can we rethink our ‘Taqleedi” development with rational
measures in consonance with our peculiar circumstances, culture, identity and
history? Can we not establish a response to current challenges and imperatives
based upon a rational development of Islamic society that would have been
emplaced if it was not subverted by opportunists, plagues and external forces?
Do we have to go through the rigors of re-evolving a modern society by
repeating the mistakes of others? Do we change the system or just the faces?
Ah, Love!
Could thou and I with Fate conspire?
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire!
Would not we shatter it to bits-and then.
Re-mould it nearer to the Heart's Desire!
To grasp this sorry Scheme of Things entire!
Would not we shatter it to bits-and then.
Re-mould it nearer to the Heart's Desire!
Omar
Khayyam.
The impotent efforts on the behalf
of the Ecological Preservation proponents are not enough to stem the tide of
oblivion that threatens to engulf the sordid remains of what is a noble attempt
on the part of Nature to bring Order to Chaos. What can an ordinary Citizen do
in the face of Vested short-term interests and pressure groups fuelled by black
money often made by the immoral proceeds of activities that are directly
contributing to the very problems enlisted above?
Over the years Governments and Politicians have
contributed in well intentioned schemes that have failed to have maximum impact
and have resulted in a great deal of waste and indebtedness. More emphasis has
been placed upon infrastructure than economy generation. Opportunities and jobs
have not been created. Resources have been over-exploited.
It might be pertinent to enlist the
underlying problem areas that have to be concentrated upon in order to overcome
the very real threat of Eco Disaster! Subsistence, non-irrigated agriculture is
the rule rather than exception. Use of unstabilized fertilizers in inefficient
manner is causing atmospheric pollution, below grade water pollution. The use
of canal water from dams is the direct cause of secondary salinization and
sudden decline in fruit trees and is raising soil pH, thereby restricting
available nutrient uptake by the plants Soils are depleted and yields are low.
Poor cultural practices and lack of storm water drainage contribute to loss of
precious topsoil in large quantities every year. Forests are heavily exploited
and not sustainable at less than 4% of the area. Infrastructure in the shape of
roads is less than sufficient and usually in a state of disrepair. Water supply
is mostly self-arranged; this is usually a burdensome task. A few schemes in
the area provide water to the doorsteps of about 30 % of the inhabitants.
Springs and running streams are available but highly polluted. Recharging of
shallow aquifers is slow and restricted. The area is increasingly facing water
scarce months and lower rainfall in one of the two seasons that formerly
prevailed, i.e. delayed winter rains. Electricity is practically unavailable to
most households due to load-shedding and line losses/ inefficiency/dishonesty.
Sanitation if present though not hooked up to central or efficient systems even
in Islamabad .
Solid and liquid waste is a major pollutant. Poor maintenance standards of
vehicles available to commuters are causing air pollution by emission of toxic
fumes. Schools and Basic Health Units are lacking in facilities and
under-staffed, both in qualitative and quantitative terms. Livestock is poor in
quality and exerts pressure upon the existing resources. Local inhabitants
resort to clearing of trees and burning of grass at particular seasons, to
ensure more availability of grass to their ruminants. This grass is usually
harvested in winter to supply winter-feed. Thus, overall, rural infrastructure
is poor. However, rudimentary infrastructure does exist but is poorly
maintained and grossly under-utilized.
The
above factors need elaboration to bring home their importance. The Petro-Based Economy seems to be the
root cause of many of our problems. Degradation of the Eco-System; Global
Warming and Pollution of the Atmosphere and possibly Climate Crash leading to a
return of the Ice Age can be directly attributed to the Petro-based Economy.
The Geo Strategic maneuvering of the 21st Century is very much
hinged upon the control of dwindling Oil Resources. The ugly faces of religious
differences and racialism are mere window dressing to the actual reasons of
conflict in the Middle East, Iran ,
Pakistan , Afghanistan and soon Central
Asia . Entirely too much desperation and suffering results from the
callous pursuit of materialism, which reaps a bonanza of material returns by
fuelling the Armaments industry, that most criminal of human activities! A
small fraction of the expense undertaken at preserving their hold upon Oil
Sources would adequately pay by seeking breakthroughs in Solar, Fuel cell,
Ethanol, Methane, Thermal and other sources of low-cost power. Water, the most precious resource is
estimated to be short by 40% by the year 2025 as, according to the UN, 3
billion people or 40% of the World’s projected population will be facing acute
and chronic water shortages. Recycling; Desalination; Water Harvesting; Aquifer
Recharging; Lined Channels and Drains; Conservation Irrigation and a host of
other measures will have to be taken in order to curtail the deleterious
affects of water shortages. Food is
yet another source for major concern. As according to the World Bank, per
capita acreage of cultivated land supporting food production dropped by almost
50% between 1961 and 1997. It is projected that by the year 2050 this figure
will fall further by 40% or more. Already around 800 hundred million people go
hungry every day with more than half of them severely malnourished. Intensive
food production with higher and better quality produce is the only recourse for
a hungry and desperate world. The Bio-Technology revolution, with stringent
checks and balances, is more than likely to provide a solution to this critical
problem. That is provided that rationalism and egalentarism prevail over
materialism, whether dialectic or otherwise. Sanitation is essential to continued and healthy existence. What
manner of civilization will tolerate the constant degradation of its biome?
Solid and Liquid Waste can be readily treated by the Biotechnology Tools at our
command today. It is imperative that resources and technologies are marshaled
in order to stop further befouling of the nest that supports our existence. Bioenvironmental Management, the
absence of which is deemed a problem, is capable of providing an amazing range
of solutions to most of these problems. Hunger; Extreme Poverty;
Malnourishment; Poor Health and Sanitary Conditions; Degraded Ecosystems;
Dwindling Natural Resources; Vanishing Biodiversity; Deforestation; Global
Warming; and Gross pollution of the Atmosphere and Ground Water. Population Control is obviously a
number one priority for any rational human being. The proponents of religious
intervention with claims of divine intervention are simply too absurd to be
considered as a barrier to achieving some semblance of control over a problem
that eats into whatever advances are made to support its growing demands by
rapidly increasing that demand to outstrip supply. The Holy Quran states “They
are themselves the perpetuators and yet they say the Allah (SWT) has done it!
And Allah (SWT) is swift in Punishment (Sareeh ul Iqab)! Health is obviously a highly prized and valued adjunct to life
itself. Bio Medical and Natural remedies to old and new man made problems in
the health field are very much a possibility. Literacy is so basically important for fulfilling the inherent
talents and latent possibilities within humanity that it should be a crime to
deprive anyone the right to a basic education. Ask most people today if they
have heard of “Naimat-e-Abdi”, “Sarmadi” or Naimat-e-Uzma”;
“Quwattat-e-Moassara” whether positive or negative; Tawajjuh-e-Muntaqilla” and
they will reply in the negative. Yet these are the very aims of what humanity
should strive for. This is a direct result of abandoning our own Culture,
traditions and Divine Guidance! What we have emplaced is a system that is
unaware of the latent potential inherent within Mankind! Equal Opportunities are vital to a
healthy and thriving society. No social system can bear the strains of bondage
and slavery for too long a period without crashing down upon the heads of
unjust and exploitative society. The very secret to dynamism is upwards
mobility and equal opportunities afforded to most of the population. Justice is perhaps the single most
important factor that needs urgent consideration and constant attention. It is
justice to Nature to institute Bioenvironmental Management; it is justice to
provide equal opportunities and a share of essential commodities to each and
every living organism that inhabits the Globe. It is justice that fuels and
propels humanity towards excellence and prosperity. Exploitation and
deprivation must be made things of a shameful past that needs to be buried
before it buries humanity The
Current Financial State of the common man and women is perhaps best
illustrated by the cost of living versus income. Annual Estimated Expenses of an average HH of 7 Members Rs. 2,66,189. Annual Estimated Income of an average HH Rs. 1,55,800. Difference between Expense and Income:
Rs. 1,10,389.
|
Annual Estimated Expenses of
an average HH of 7 Members(Rs.)
|
|||||
|
#
|
Item
|
Unit
|
Unit Price
|
Total Consumption (Kg)
|
Total Expenditures
|
|
1
|
Flour
|
22 Ounce/ Person/Day
|
650/kg
|
1757
|
57,104
|
|
2
|
Ghee
|
120 gram/ Person/Day
|
200/kg
|
306.6
|
61,320
|
|
3
|
Pulses
|
75 gram /person/Day
|
150/kg
|
191.6
|
28,740
|
|
4
|
Rice
|
250 gram /Person/day
|
95/kg
|
175
|
16,625
|
|
5
|
Sugar
|
140 gram/ Person/Day
|
54/kg
|
350
|
18,900
|
|
6
|
Clothes
|
Two suits/year
|
750/suit
|
14 suits
|
10,500
|
|
7
|
Medical
|
Lump Sum
|
15,000
|
||
|
8
|
Utilities
|
Lump Sum
|
3,000
|
||
|
9
|
Tea
|
Lump Sum
|
6,000
|
||
|
10
|
Spices
|
Lump Sum
|
4,000
|
||
|
11
|
Milk
|
Lump Sum
|
20,000
|
||
|
12
|
Transport
|
Lump Sum
|
25,000
|
||
|
Total
|
2,66,189
|
||||
|
Annual
Estimated Income of an average HH (Rs.)
|
|||||
|
#
|
Item
|
Unit
|
Unit Price
|
Monthly Income
|
Total annual Income
|
|
1
|
Labor
|
Daily wages
|
250
|
6,250
|
75,000
|
|
2
|
Dairy
|
2.5 kg/day
|
50
|
3,750
|
45,000
|
|
3
|
Poultry
|
6 eggs/day
|
5
|
900
|
10,800
|
|
4
|
Livestock
|
Cow/ Goat
|
1
|
-
|
25,000
|
|
Total
|
1,55,800
|
||||
Household Income and
Expenditure Annual Gap 2,66,189 –
155,800 = 1,10,389
The Actors: The
people who fall into the categories of users, managers and regulators of the
usage of Natural Resources may be classified as follows: Local Communities: The Local Communities that inhabit the area
delimited as a Village or Mohallah Council, may be sub classified as: Land-less households with members
engaged in labor or service, either locally or outside the area. Next, some Land
owning small to medium households with members supplementing incomes by
resorting to labor, service or small retail business, either locally or outside
the area. Then there exists perhaps
a large land holding household or two with members supplementing incomes by
resorting to service mostly outside the area. These households consist of 6 to
8 members roughly evenly balanced between the two sexes; the three age groups
vary as most in the young and roughly even in the middle and old age groups
with a slight bias towards the middle age group. Education ranges from scarce
in the older age groups and increases as age decreases. Quite a few households contain
Middle to Intermediate qualified young men and women. Higher education is not
absent but consists mainly of non-technical degrees. A sense of deprivation and
frustration prevails due to high cost of living and lack of access to
facilities, employment, credit and opportunities. All this has led to erosion
of social cohesiveness and a sense of rivalry and competition is prevalent.
Intolerance and hostility are growing with increasing economic and social
pressures. The poorest of the poor have been ignored and marginalized.
Local
Administration: This is based outside the Villages or
Mohallahs in the District Administration. The Devolution Plan called for Village/
Mohallah Development Councils and Citizens Community Boards operating within
Union Councils consisting of elected Councilors from amongst males, females and
minorities. The next tier
consisted of Union Councils leading on to Tehsil and District Councils. In case
of single Tehsil Districts, like
Abbottabad, this third tier was absent.
Particular Interest Groups mostly dominated these Councils. This is
truer for the higher tiers. Members were
supposed to man Citizen’s Community Boards and Village/ Mohallah Development
Councils. This is the immediate target group in so far as administration is
concerned.
Union Councilors. Capacities were low and skills were
absent. Interaction and cooperation was poor.
Responsibility was not taken and balancing forces quickly curbed and
blunted initiatives. Meager resources
were wasted and miss-spent and facilities were under-utilized. Non-productive pursuits and a general free
for all in exploitation was the order of the day.
Provincial & Federal
Governments: The tier of Government that has
had the most say in development and governance, through most of the existence
of Pakistan
Development Agencies/ NGOs: A growing
number of Development Agencies and NGOs are very much evident in the Rural
Areas. These are usually not locally based or even locally staffed. Social
Mobilization, Women’s Development, Micro Credit and Enterprise , Human Resource Development/ Capacity
building, Small Projects Implementation and Natural Resource Management are
some of their more significant activities.
Particular Interest Groups: These consist of various social, political, economic and religious
groups. Members of regular, formal or informal associations are finding an
increasing share in influence. These consist of Community Based Organizations
and emerging Cluster Groups; Service related associations or relationships and
Sectarian groupings. Some are bound together as mutual interest groups linked
through often, illegal ties, for instance an alliance between Contracts
awarding authorities and contractors. Nepotism and illegal gratification
prevails and strict accountability needs to be enforced through desperate
necessity, caused by the sheer multiplicity and astronomical proportions in
resource drainage.
True
Representation: True
democracy or the rule of the maximum number of the populace is not served by
eliminating those who garner less support than others. Does this not signify
the disenfranchisement of large chunks of the populace? Certainly not! Throughout history people have
battled to preserve their freedom from aggressors, few have realized that once
freedom and justice are won it can “only be secured by eternal vigilance,
eternal probity, eternal good will, and eternal honesty of purpose. That would
be the hardest lesson of it; peace would be a severer test of mankind even than
war.”[1]
We too fought and sacrificed to
achieve Pakistan
and soon lost our way in the march towards freedom and prosperity. Apart from
the dishonesty and outright loot that accompanied ‘Freedom at Midnight’ we
completely failed to establish a polity based upon our own culture and history.
Having fallen from the heights of Islamic values at a very early stage and
slipped into decadence to lose our freedom, we were not capable enough to renew
our vision and take the progress of time to a logical outcome. The brainwashed
upholders of Western culture and political systems ensured that the great wound
that has divided our society was never attended to. Our politicians and
ideologues failed to provide the Nation with an alternate vision. The great
Poet of the East, Dr. Allama Iqbal provided sufficient wisdom and direction
from the very inception to the direction of our Nation State. However the
immigrants and non local bureaucrats entrenched themselves and deified the
Quaid-e-Azam to twist his words in such a manner as to achieve their own
dominance. Perhaps the greatest damage done to Pakistan came from the debacle
of Kashmir; the opening of Khokrapaar; the entrenchment of the ICS officers and
the English groomed Military class due to which we inherited a direction that
has resulted in disaster. We are now faced with multifarious problems, in order
to solve them we must arrive at consensus regarding a system of Governance as
well as the structure of organization or framework within which we operate. The
present outmoded system of elections as well as the demarcation of Provinces
and Districts/ Constituencies to suit Particular Interest Groups and Vested
Interests and their desire to carve up the Nation into smaller pieces for their
own nefarious designs has to be vigorously resisted.
The
West claims to have inherited the Democratic System from the Greeks notably as
expounded by Plato and Socrates. What was it that they really believed in this
regard? Plato’s Discourses, specifically The Republic, expounds as follows.
Firstly “States are as the men are; they grow out of human characters[2].
Political changes originate in divisions of the actual Governing power; a
government which is united, however small, cannot be moved.”
Plato
claims that there are five major constitutions of States
Aristocracy (Government of the Best).
Wives
and children are common as well as all education and the pursuits of war and
peace. The best philosophers and the bravest warriors are to be their Kings.
Governors when appointed will take their soldiers; place them in houses as
described by Plato being common to all and containing nothing private, or
individual. None were to have any of the ordinary possessions of mankind; they
were to be warriors, athletes and guardians, receiving from the other citizens;
in lieu of annual payment, only their maintenance and they were to take care of
themselves and of the whole State.
Timocracy (Timarchy) (Government of Honor).[3]
Government of honor[4],
soldier class, ambitious for military glory and authority rises out of
aristocracy. Fear of admitting philosophers to power turning to passionate and
less complex characters, which by nature are more suited to war than peace. Men
of this stamp will be covetous of making money. They will be miserly because
they have no means of openly acquiring the money that they prize; they will
spend that which is another man’s on the gratification of their desires,
stealing their pleasures and running away like children from the law. They have
been raised by force and not by gentle influences. This is a mixture of good
and evil form of Government, herein one thing predominantly seen – the spirit
of contention and ambition due to the prevalence of the passionate or spirited
element. People who form this type of Government have more self assertion and
are less cultivated. They are good listeners but not good speakers. They are
rough with the weak and courteous to the noble. They are remarkably obedient to
authority. They love power and honor as well as physical activities. They
despise riches when younger but as they grow older are more attracted by wealth
and are not single minded towards virtue.
Succeeding
generations will not be as worthy as their predecessors and will fail to
protect the citizens having lost the guardian power. Thus a new Government will
arise lying in between Oligarchy and Aristocracy. This type of Governance being
a mean, it will partly follow one and partly the other and have some of its own
peculiarities.
Oligarchy (Government of the Rich).
Form
of Government which teems with evils and is a government of the rich and by people
intent upon making money. A Government resting on a valuation of property, in
which the rich have power and the poor man is deprived of it. In a State where
riches are honored and virtue and the virtuous are dishonored. It is a system
wherein the poor cannot hope to enter Government. Men become lovers of trade
and money, they honor and look up to the rich man and make them rulers and
dishonor the poor. It is no longer one but two States one of the rich and one
of the poor living in the same place and always conspiring against each other.
They are incapable of fighting wars and their fondness of money makes them
unwilling to pay taxes. The same person has too many callings all in one.
Democratic (Government of the People).
When those who were once rich lose
their wealth due to being spendthrifts or dare not risk their capital for fear
of loss and there by lose it. They then hate those who have wealth and ferment
revolution against them. When the rich are killed, or withdraw from fear, the
seemingly self righteous individuals make everyone equal. They promote freedom
and frankness and where freedom is, the individual is clearly able to order for
himself his own life as he pleases. Here human nature is allowed to develop
into many varieties. Here equality is dispensed to equals and unequals alike. The
forgiving nature of democracy allows many an evil to flourish and is soon
subverted to Oligarchy or Tyranny.
Tyranny (Government of the Strongest
Individual).
This is the worst disorder of a
State and needs no further elaboration.
Misc.:
Lordships
and Principalities which are bought and sold and some other intermediate forms.
Structural Deep
Democracy (SD2).
Those who claim that Islam has not
enunciated a clear method of Governance are lacking in insight and knowledge.
Vested interests soon usurped power and cast the true methodology of Governance
into obscurity. Islam promotes participatory and egalitarian systems of
Governance by consensus as opposed to exclusivist, highly competitive
oligarchies (rule of the rich) disguised as democracies or representative
Governance. It has been clearly declared by the All Mighty Allah “Wa Ta’seemu
bay Hublihah hay Jumeea , Wa
In a population of one hundred (or
any number) if they are five candidates and forty percent abstain from voting.
If twenty five percent vote for one, fifteen percent for another and the rest
(twenty percent) are divided between the remaining three candidates. The person
who garners twenty five percent of the votes is deemed to be successful. Is
this not unfair to the remaining seventy five percent? This system soon
degenerates into voter buying, conflicts and rivalries and promotion of divide
and rule policies on the part of external and internal vested interests.
Technocratic responsibilities are undertaken by those who are unqualified for
these positions and the question arises as to why they vie for election and the
holding of power. Can we divorce human psychology from practical matters? As
referred to before those who are under the sway of the lower or animal self
commanding to evil, the ‘Nafs-e-Ammara Bil Suu’, are usually at the forefront
in seeking election and dominance in direct opposition to Islamic injunctions.
For those who object to this statement by citing the example of so called
“Religious Parties” in the fracas that is called Politics, are easily answered
by the words “Beware Lest The Nafs assume the garb of Piety”. This situation is
the worst condition that a person can fall into, in other words that of being
wrong and yet convinced of being right and that too with Divine Sanction.
As an alternate, a system that
uncovers the Centrality or Nexus of Trust within Society is called for. The
fairly or unfairly competitive atmosphere that prevails within society has to
be eradicated if we are to exist as a society. The questionable intents of
those who pitch themselves into the Political arena; the vast expenses incurred
upon elections; voter buying; coercion; subversion by local and foreign
intelligence agencies; the ill will generated by competition and the
requirement to recoup expenses incurred by those who win, show ample need for
reform. Page Rank Algorithm is one such method for uncovering centrality. This
algorithm is used to rank web sites. As a graphic illustration in the society
of one hundred voters cited above with the same turn out, each voter is
required to select a minimum of five individuals. At the end of the exercise
the results go through various software of statistical and social network
analysis. A graphic illustration of selection and grouping is made. The person,
who received the most votes, and also the trends of voting as well as
interconnectedness of each voter, is graphically displayed as an interlocking
grid or network. The center most five individuals in the network are selected
to form an executive committee to run the affairs of the community. They are
free to form sub committees of those qualified for various activities pertinent
to that society (agriculture, trade etc.). Accountability is inbuilt into the
system as a repeat of the exercise immediately reveals whether the committee
members have lost the position of trust due to any reason or retained it by
excelling. This method relieves society from division and promotes cohesion.
Here consensus and taking society along is rewarded and the opposite is soon
exposed and disposed.
Conventional solutions of
reorganization of existing institutions would entail preparing plans for them.
The solution offered is not conventional and as such does not run along these
lines. The plans are for new mechanisms to replace existing overstaffed,
incompetent, out of date Ministries, Departments and other organs of governance.
For meaningful and
positive change to take place, a different approach will have to be used. Take
the example of a large and rambling structure with many rooms and halls. The
structure is obsolete, has ill served the inhabitants, assailed from within and
without and is falling down. Is it possible to remodel the existing structure
with all its baggage? Is sudden change viable? Does it not entail disruption of
existing governance which, despite all its shortcomings and sins of commission
and omission, yet serves to employ thousands of Pakistani citizens and (mis)
regulates day to affairs, no matter how inefficiently?
The beauty of the proposed
change is that it is non-disruptive, evolutionary and in complete conformity
with the Spirit of Islam. The All Mighty Allah, being the Divine Creator, Best
Knows His Creation and shows us an evolutionary path towards progress. This is
true physically, mentally, economically, socially and spiritually.
We are all agreed that the
current setup is totally unable to deliver progress and prosperity. We also
know that there is a fundamental gap in Governance at the very basic level of
society that leads to a free for all dispensation, exploited only by the Power
Elite for their own purposes. Are we also aware that there exist Statutory Laws
enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan to cover this gap? I refer to the
Local Government Ordnance. Here Governance is supposed to be devolved to the
Village/ Mohallah level as a prerequisite to Union ;
District; Provincial and National representation, which precede elections of
Minority, Female and Senatorial seats.
Structural
Deep Democracy or SD2 as named by Mark Rostt, the originator of this method,
uses PageRank as a centrality algorithm to analyze votes to determine the
center of TRUST and CONSENT in a human trust network.
PageRank
is an algorithm that allows the participants to determine who the best leaders
are, eliminating the popularity game of conventional populist-democracy. SD2
uses PageRank to select the top three or five to lead such an organization with
one of them as the executive and then keeps those leaders accountable with
frequent rank recalculations. This creates a small and efficient locus of trust
and accountability.
PageRank
allows members to vote their conscience without wasted votes and analyzes the
deep structure of votes to find the coordinators that would be most likely to
represent the values of the community as a whole.
The
philosophy of SD2 is "Deep Democracy" - which centers on the idea
that minority opinion should be respected. SD2 takes this two-steps further -
not only will leadership be replaced if it doesn't respect minority opinion,
but minority opinion can actually be decisive.
Our Political scenario almost always
has aggressive "strongman” types - who are more than willing to bully and
steam-roll peaceful people. "Strongman tactics can often impress ignorant common
people, and can often lead to "strongmen” acquiring leadership positions
with populist-democratic selection processes. SD2 is ELITIST and non-populist -
SD2 is designed to MARGINALIZE would-be bullies and "strongmen” oppressors
and give spiritual/intellectuals a selective advantage. This is ensured by
uncovering the *flow-betweenness* ranking within an interactive grouping.
If this method were used in the very
basic population grouping of Villages or Wards (urban) it would be true
Devolution to empower such organizations to ensure self-rule and
“Localization”. With inspired Leadership and an agreed minimum agenda,
self-reliance through basic economy generation can be ushered in and maintained
through a rapidly evolving “Globalization” via the IT Revolution.
This should serve to unmask the
charade of “Devolution” to Union Councils, which are not the Grass Roots! This
exercise has merely served to ensure that all the inherent flaws, drawbacks and
evils that existed at Provincial and National Levels are transferred to Union and District Levels as well as creating tension
between the two. The effort towards Devolution should have been
taken to its logical conclusion to the real Grass Roots at Village or
Neighborhood level. Vested interests may hide behind a screen of campaigning
for Provincial Rights and declaring scarcity of capacity within local
populations to be a limiting factor rendering them incapable of being masters
of their own fates. An appeal is made to all right thinking individuals to cast
aside the veils of prejudice and self-interest and take into account the sorry
state of the environment and the fact that over 35 (50) % of our population is
subsisting below the poverty line! If this was a condition that was
inescapable, it could be borne with resignation. When there is plenty of room
for improvement and only a matter of getting our act together under a
reappraised and visionary program for attainment of Prosperity that is in
conformity with 21st Century requirements and capable of overcoming
the challenges we face as a Nation. If present trends are taken into account we
are likely to face stressful conditions in the near future, conditions that
will persist for a long period of time. Fortunately humanity is even today
quite capable of rising to meet these challenges in an adequate manner. All
that is needed is to harness and tap the vast potential that lies within our
Human and Natural Resources.
An egalitarian alternative that is more
suited to our culture and religion as compared to the elitist “First across the
Post” practice of traditional democracy as practiced by us. At population levels of 2000 and below it is
very much feasible to use this positive method of revealing the first five
individuals who are central to any social group. In case of the objection
arising that such complex solutions are impossible to implement, and that is an
undeniable fact, we can resort to relatively simple technology. This can be done by using a simple hardware
and allied software device that firstly recognizes the voter or selector and
then allows input of selecting only five out of the total number of individuals
within that social network excluding him/ herself (inbuilt into the
software). Selection of less than five
is directly compensated by the software.
This type of computer, locally manufactured
and operating in National and Regional languages will be a powerful tool for
Sustainable Development through Networking and connectivity. Translation
Software in Regional languages and the National Language will ensure instant
and effective communications between the populace and promote economic affairs
tremendously. Electronic and Mobile phone based commerce and access to Data and
Knowledge Banks will ensure that we no longer pay for our ignorance. Speech to
Writing and vice versa Software will ensure inclusion of the illiterate. Some
of the many uses will be Page Rank based Elections; Local, Regional and
National Data and Knowledge Banks; E-Commerce through wireless connectivity;
Revenue Data and Financial Spreadsheets; Education through standardized
Curricula and Lessons and so on.
Can we aim at sustainable natural resource
management and efficient resource utilization for the economic uplift of the State
through employment generation to increase household incomes? This can be ensured through asset creation
and increase in basic production while keeping environmental protection and
ecosystem regeneration as central to the effort. It should be mandatory to form and strengthen
grassroots institutions by following a process approach of social mobilization
for empowerment so that both the public and private sectors efforts towards the
well being of communities may be supported, accelerated, fostered and sustained. At present the ‘Needs Based Approach’ is
touted by the proponents of the West, whereas, the requirement of the day is
adoption of an ‘Assest Based Approach’! Organizational vision, mandate,
objectives, strategy and inputs should revolve around this concept that ensures
community participation and sustainability in the entire development
process. This entails preparation of
Participatory Development Plans (PDPs) of localities by developing the capacity
of Community Members and enabling them to identify, prioritize, plan, implement
and manage the assets, human and natural, of the entire population and build
upon them. PDPs in line with
Agri-Ecological Regions should become the basis for allocations of resources
from public and private sectors organizations that focus upon the establishment
of a sound base and network of grassroots institutions as recognized and
uniform forums to identify, prioritize, plan, accelerate, implement, manage and
monitor development initiatives on a sustainable basis. The V/ MCs should be community institutions
with total membership of a recognized geographical location that joins to
pursue solutions to local issues through collective participation, shared
leadership, effective communication and collaborative decisions. Representative Character of the VCs should be
established through a process of Page Rank Algorithm based analysis of
Structural Deep Democracy (SD2). This
system ensures universal participation to uncover Centrality (Nexus) of Trust
within a given Social Network.
Sophisticated software will graphically depict a 5 member Executive
Committee (Jirga/ Panchyat) to run the affairs of the Community. This process ensures that Elite Capture and
Vested Interests are distanced from the development process. An additional benefit is of social harmony that
excludes competition from elections thus obviating clash of interests and
creation of animosity. Further the
exercise should be carried out through the use of simple electronic voting
machines ensuring simplicity and transparency of the exercise.
Accountability is in-built in the system as
repeat exercises will automatically uncover whether the present committee
members have retained or lost their positions of “Centrality” within the social
network. The V/ MC elected members act
as an Executive Body and a primary level support organization in its
geographical proximity.
It will harness the willingness of people to
integrate their thinking, resources and energies that leads towards empowerment
and prosperity. The establishment of mutually competitive small time potentates
is no solution to our problems. Persons
who are responsible for development and expend funds must reside in an area
that is small enough to be within easy access of the inhabitants of that area. Secondly they must be of a level and stature
that is approachable by the people. Formation of Village/ Mohallah Councils is
more in consonance with the problem of addressing a plethora of issues that
confront the “Bewildered Poor” on a daily basis.
We now come to the crux of the issue that
confronts us, that of an enfeebled polity divided amongst themselves. What are
they ways and means to provide foolproof National Defense in the modern era? To
my mind the problem can be resolved in a twofold manner. First and foremost, as
you will undoubtedly agree, is Economic Prosperity. The means to provide
Defense in this technological era is possession of adequate National wealth and
a vibrant base of productivity! The aims of the reforms covered in this paper
are entirely devoted to achieving just such a strong base. When the loopholes
in revenue collection are effectively plugged sufficient revenues can be
collected even from the present dismal state of the economy. When adequate
checks and balances are introduced the spending of these revenues can be
directed towards the welfare of the populace thus motivating them to ensure a
vigorous defense of their liberty. Secondly, and most importantly, the enemies of
today are likely to rethink their antipathy when confronted by an upwardly
mobile populace living in harmony with Nature and thus heading towards even
more progress and prosperity. Such a Nation is bound to attain the Help of The
Gracious Creator of the Universe in attaining Glory!
When a Nation is embroiled in either
Conventional or Non Conventional Warfare, it is the unstinted support of the
local populace that will ensure a strong Logistical base from which the Armed
Forces can operate. If the populace is faced with a complete breakdown in
logistics and communications the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces
is severely curtailed. Will they be able to engage the enemy or will they
perforce have to ensure the survival of the populace. What use will be any
success on the battlefield, if at all achievable, if the populace has been
reduced to famine and a complete disruption of their way of life? What about
the morale of the troops if their immediate loved ones are living or subsisting
in penury or if they have been reduced to famine and infighting between
themselves for survival? I am sure that we will all agree that a solid support
from the civilian populace is indispensable for success on the battlefield. Repeated
crises have revealed the fact that we as a society are inadequately organized
to respond in a befitting manner to mitigate the horrendous results of
disasters. Indeed our response often results in further worsening rather than
ameliorating the sorry state of affairs that arise from such situations. The
2005 Earthquake; terrorist strikes, possibility of War and countless other
tragedies result in widespread confusion and panic resulting in despair and
despondency. One such issue is that of
rapid, coherent; coordinated and comprehensive response to emergencies whether
natural or man-made. In case a vigorous
and dynamic organization is emplaced at the lowest of all tiers, such a
response can be expected. The Councilor
or Union Council Chairman does not reside in the immediate vicinity of all but
his/ her own neighborhood. Additionally,
if only one person is empowered to represent the populace he or she cannot
represent all but only the largest minority especially in the case of a
fragmented society such as ours. In case
that person is him/ herself a victim of tragedy, immediate vacuum is the
immediate consequence
If, on the other hand, we have a local
populace that is equipped to meet the challenges posed by adverse
circumstances, we can be assured of a dynamic and adequate response. An entirely
self first with no concern for others attitude as prevalent in our society will
reap a bitter harvest in the face of tragedy. On the other hand a Caring and
Sharing Society as envisaged in our Religion will be able to raise up meet the
challenge and provide a befitting response!
Organizational Structure:
The
current state of Nationalism and the demand for new Provinces is nothing less
than an attempt by Leaders with less than National Status to carve out fiefdoms
for their own exploitation but is based upon discontent with maladministration
on the part of Sub Nationalities. Efficient administration that at the same
time avoids fractionalism should be based upon Agri-Ecological Zones within the
boundaries of Pakistan .
There are different ways that have been used for delimiting these zones.
However, to my mind the best method has been used by the Soil Survey of
Pakistan,. This little known Organization has put in some of the best Surveys
based upon Districts which are however classified as “Restricted” for reasons
best known to those who have imposed this classification. Their classification
is depicted below:
1. Northern
Dry Mountains
2. Western Dry Mountains
3. Wet Mountains
4. Northern
Irrigated Plains (a & b)
5. Southern
Irrigated Plains
6. Barani
Lands
7. Sandy Desert
8. Sulaiman
Piedmont
9. Indus Delta
10. Dry
Western Plateau
This
makes a total of 12 sub divisions, the further a and b divisions in the Irrigated
Plains separates Sindh from the Punjab and is
the only contiguous exception.
Sardar
Taimur Hyat-Khan (Former Cavalry Captain, Pak Army)
92-301-5456088: 1, Gulistan
Colony, College Road ,
Wet Mountains Eco Zone , Pakistan
Comments
Post a Comment