Blog: Mgt111 GDB No. 1 solution Spring 2012

The values of freedom, respect for human rights and the principle of holding periodic and genuine elections by universal suffrage are essential elements of democracy. In turn, democracy provides the natural environment for the protection and effective realization of human rights. Background (Preamble): Issues: 1. Violation of Human Rights in Pakistan. 2. No Fair election. 3. Dictatorship. 4. Now State of emergency to save political power. 5.Ban of Media. Today the top politicians of Pakistan are busy in saving democracy. What one wonders is which democracy are they engrossed in saving. Democracy is defined as a form of government in which all citizens of the state have an equal say in the decisions that affect their daily lives. Abraham Lincoln defined democracy as ‘by the people, of the people, for the people’. Here in Pakistan whenever elections are held, the party that loses immediately starts saying that the elections were rigged. Those voted into power are generally clueless about governance and statesmanship. If the political leaders fear that the army will take over the country how do they propose to save democracy and which democracy will they have saved. Whenever there has been a military coup we have never seen the citizens taking to the streets in protest. In fact they have heaved a sigh of relief. Living in palatial residences, being nurtured into politics by military despots does not breed leaders. There are hardly any political leaders in this country who don’t have skeletons in their cupboards. And they are so scared of any establishment baring these skeletons that they stick to their well versed mantras. A democratic country generally has two major political parties in the parliament, one in power, and the other in the opposition. It’s the work of the opposition to ensure that the party in power delivers good governance and works for the welfare of the citizens. In which democracy has the term ‘friendly opposition’ been used to describe the working of the opposition? Pakistan has sunk to the bottom among the nations of the world while the politicians have been busy in ‘saving democracy’. Nobody wants to come here, let alone invest over here. Inflation has crossed all limits and the citizens for whom democracy is being saved are living from hand to mouth. There is no hope in sight, light at the end of the tunnel that the nation can see or hope to see that will alter their lives. Lives can be changed; the nation can be pulled out from its misery if we can find honest leaders. Leaders who will work relentlessly for the people; deal with a firm hand to end corruption; not get busy in amassing their own wealth. If a nation prospers and it has honest hard working leaders who put the needs of their citizens above everything else; democracy will not have to be saved. It will flourish and bloom on its own.


Another Solution

FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS AND PRINCIPLES OF POLICIES
Constitution 1973

ANSWER:

Pakistani government and civil society have take steps towards the implementation of universal human rights over recent years. The quality and characteristics of democracy is slowly improving now. Pakistan has entered in many of key human rights treaties with other such institutions and recently accepted the UN Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the UN Conventional against Torture.
Judiciary is more independent than before. Media become free to dispose and criticize the government matters and actions and become progressed so fast.
Human rights are an indivisible part of our foreign policy.
Pakistani Parliament become so powerful and had a first female speaker.
There is particularly high rate of violence against women but now government is taking steps for providing the fundamental rights to the women and children.     
The 1973 Constitution contains
Fundamental Rights and Principles of Policies which give basic rights to citizens. Some of the articles pertaining to human dignity and respect given in constitution are as follows:-

• Security of a person,
• Safeguards as to arrest and detention
• Slavery, forced labor prohibited
• Inviolability of dignity of man: privacy of home shall be inviolable and safe.
• Freedom of movement: Every citizen have right to move freely and reside and settle at any place in Pakistan.
• Freedom of assembly: Every citizen shall have right to assemble peacefully.
• Every citizen shall have freedom of trade, business or any other profession but these must be lawful.
• Every citizen have right to freedom of speech and expression, but it must be within lawful limit.
• Every citizen has a right to freedom to announce his religion and to manage religious institution.
• No person shall be taxed for the income that he spent for his religious propagation and maintenance.
• Safeguard as to Educational Institution in Respect of Religion. The principle of secularism, as opposed to religious extremism, violence and terrorism. All citizens are equal before law and all are protected equally by law.
• Democratic pluralism and equal rights for all without discrimination on the basis of race, religion, ethnicity, gender and political belief, sex, place of birth.