Musharraf8217;s 8220;democracy8221; is unworkable

Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who announced his plans this week, does not look any more likely to succeed than his two military predecessors.

Gen. Ayub Khan in the 1960s and Gen. Zia ul Haq in the 1980s tried to create a brand new political culture from nothing, and both failed.

In both cases Pakistan returned to democracy but one dominated by a political elite known for abusing power for their own benefit.

The first consequence of Gen. Musharraf8217;s plans was to unite Pakistan8217;s two erstwhile warring mainstream political parties. Between them the Pakistan Muslim League of Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan People8217;s Party of Benazir Bhutto ruled the country during its era of democracy which lasted for over a decade.

The anxiety of the two parties is understandable since they will be banned from fielding candidates in next year8217;s municipal elections under the general8217;s 8220;devolution of power plan8221;, which all candidates must contest as independents.

The general also wants to lower the minimum voting age from 21 to 18 in a move that 8220;will bring more dynamism to politics.8221;

Under the plan, the structure of the new system would be based on local constituencies in which up to 18 members would be elected. Members of these union councils would then elect members of two higher councils in each Pakistani district.

Gen. Musharraf8217;s plan is driven by the view that, if more powers are given to representatives from the grass roots, constituencies at the municipal level will have more freedom to decide on local policies and spendings.

8220;The basic issue is empowering the impoverished,8221; says Gen. Musharraf. 8220;I have promised to establish the essence of democracy and not sham democracy.8221;

While many accept that there was widespread discontent during the tenures of Mr Sharif and Ms Bhutto, they criticise the general8217;s plan as another ambitious effort by the military to create a new political order that is bound to fail.

8220;The one fundamental problem with this plan is history. Nowhere in the world have you ever had the perfect political order being manufactured and placed on societies, and Pakistan with its periodic interventions by the military has never had an opportunity to go through such an evolution,8221; said a senior western diplomat.

Critics point towards a low literacy rate of just over a quarter as one factor which helps the elite of dominate. Low literacy rates also keep at bay prospects for alternative leadership emerging from the middle class, which remains a peripheral force.

According to Aftab Shahban Mairani, former defence minister and a leader of the PPP, the plan unleashes the danger of growing local nationalism in Pakistan8217;s four provinces, three of whom have witnessed separatist campaigns in the past8230;

Excerpted from Musharraf8217;s new order risks adding to past failures8217;, by Farhan Bokhari, Financial Times8217;, August 21