How hopeful are you about the future of democracy in Pakistan?

[MenInG]

Some of the recent events have shaken my belief in the future of democracy in Pakistan but am sure my views could be biased because of my political beliefs but what do others think?

 

[daytrader]

Democracy is a joke in Pakistan and recent events prove that. PDM parties, that have hijacked the people's mandate are declaring yesterday's ruling by Dost Zardari as a win for 'democracy'. Can there be democracy without people being involved?

 

[Savak]

In Pakistan only notocracy exists. Everyone in the system has a price. Hard for any country to prosper in such an environment

 

[PakLFC]

Never mind democracy that has only harmed Pakistan. I just want a successful Pak even if it is under Presidential rule. Western style democracy does not suit Pakistan.

 

[Angrez Pakistani]

Pakistanis have never believed in democracy and in return never had any principle Democratic forces in the country. For Pakistan the idea of democracy is not organic enough to merit any sustainability.

 

[Champ_Pal]

Democracy is not just about people voting in elections to choose their leader.

To be a true democracy, discrimination based on religion, sexual orientation must stop. Any law favoring or targeting a particular group must be removed. The future of democracy in Pakistan starts with this.

 

[MenInG]

Democracy is not just about people voting in elections to choose their leader.

To be a true democracy, discrimination based on religion, sexual orientation must stop. Any law favoring or targeting a particular group must be removed. The future of democracy in Pakistan starts with this.

Well those are the basics.

If you dont have that then you cant dream of any other sort of democracy.

 

[moghul]

Massive public support behind IK, now in Punjab too, gives me some hope. Army is still not behaving, that's still a concern. Don;t think the top brass of Army care about the country at all.

 

[daytrader]

Massive public support behind IK, now in Punjab too, gives me some hope. Army is still not behaving, that's still a concern. Don;t think the top brass of Army care about the country at all.

I think the Pakistani public is becoming more aware since the recent turn of events which is a good sign for future generations. Once theseselder party leaders like Zardari and Nawaz pass away, there won't be any party loyalties and we should be able to move on from the current feudal system.

 

[wasim-fan]

At this stage, the only hope for Pakistan is for establishment to install Singapore style really smart technocrats and give them 10 years to rebuild the country. The political system and politicians don’t have the intellectual depth to mange the situation.

 

[MenInG]

At this stage, the only hope for Pakistan is for establishment to install Singapore style really smart technocrats and give them 10 years to rebuild the country. The political system and politicians don’t have the intellectual depth to mange the situation.

A benign dictatorship?

 

[The Bald Eagle]

US seeks $101m budget for Pakistan to ‘strengthen democracy, fight terrorism, stabilise economy’

The US administration has sought a budget of $101 million for Pakistan to “strengthen democracy, fight terrorism, and stabilise the country’s economy”, US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu told a congressional panel on Tuesday.

Lu’s statement came as he presented a written budget request for South and Central Asian Affairs to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

He said that Pakistan was facing “ongoing challenges and opportunities”, in light of which, the requested funding would strengthen democracy, fight terrorism, and stabilise the economy by supporting economic reforms and debt management.

“The President’s Budget requests a straight-lining of our $101 million Pakistan budget,” Lu said. “That money would be used to strengthen democracy and civil society, to fight terrorism and violent extremism, and to support economic reforms and debt management to help stabilise Pakistan’s economy.”

The US has consistently pushed Pakistan to uphold democratic values. Last month, the US House of Representatives adopted a resolution by an overwhelming majority in the US Congress, expressing concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Pakistan. Islamabad responded strongly, rejecting the concerns as unfounded.

Similarly, Washington has repeatedly emphasised its “shared interest” with Pakistan in addressing the critical threat that terrorism poses to the entire region.

Budget request to prevent Islamabad’s ‘overreliance’ on Beijing

The president’s budget, according to the budget request document, was seeking a total of $1.01 billion in foreign assistance for the South and Central Asia region to “compete with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), counter Russian and Chinese disinformation, and prevent terrorist groups from threatening the US security”.

Of the total amount, the US announced it would redirect additional resources to South Asia, and to that end, the president had requested $585.7 million for the region, representing a 4.8pc increase over the 2023-24 budget.

Commenting on Pakistan’s economic relations with China, Lu said that the US was seeking to prevent Islamabad’s “further overreliance” on Beijing.

Responding to a lawmaker during the hearing regarding Washington’s plan to balance China’s “strong and growing influence” in Pakistan, Lu said that the US would supersede Chinese investments.

Source: Dawn News

 

[Red-Indian]

US seeks $101m budget for Pakistan to ‘strengthen democracy, fight terrorism, stabilise economy’

The US administration has sought a budget of $101 million for Pakistan to “strengthen democracy, fight terrorism, and stabilise the country’s economy”, US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu told a congressional panel on Tuesday.

Lu’s statement came as he presented a written budget request for South and Central Asian Affairs to the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

He said that Pakistan was facing “ongoing challenges and opportunities”, in light of which, the requested funding would strengthen democracy, fight terrorism, and stabilise the economy by supporting economic reforms and debt management.

“The President’s Budget requests a straight-lining of our $101 million Pakistan budget,” Lu said. “That money would be used to strengthen democracy and civil society, to fight terrorism and violent extremism, and to support economic reforms and debt management to help stabilise Pakistan’s economy.”

The US has consistently pushed Pakistan to uphold democratic values. Last month, the US House of Representatives adopted a resolution by an overwhelming majority in the US Congress, expressing concerns about the state of democracy and human rights in Pakistan. Islamabad responded strongly, rejecting the concerns as unfounded.

Similarly, Washington has repeatedly emphasised its “shared interest” with Pakistan in addressing the critical threat that terrorism poses to the entire region.

Budget request to prevent Islamabad’s ‘overreliance’ on Beijing

The president’s budget, according to the budget request document, was seeking a total of $1.01 billion in foreign assistance for the South and Central Asia region to “compete with the People’s Republic of China (PRC), counter Russian and Chinese disinformation, and prevent terrorist groups from threatening the US security”.

Of the total amount, the US announced it would redirect additional resources to South Asia, and to that end, the president had requested $585.7 million for the region, representing a 4.8pc increase over the 2023-24 budget.

Commenting on Pakistan’s economic relations with China, Lu said that the US was seeking to prevent Islamabad’s “further overreliance” on Beijing.

Responding to a lawmaker during the hearing regarding Washington’s plan to balance China’s “strong and growing influence” in Pakistan, Lu said that the US would supersede Chinese investments.

Source: Dawn News

What a weird budget request - $101m to strengthen democracy and civil society! Is it just straight out money for bribes to fight Chinese influence? China certainly spreads the bribe money around liberally and doesn't have to account for or show it to anyone except internally.

 

[The Bald Eagle]

What a weird budget request - $101m to strengthen democracy and civil society! Is it just straight out money for bribes to fight Chinese influence? China certainly spreads the bribe money around liberally and doesn't have to account for or show it to anyone except internally.

Yep they have been bribing Pakistan since the cold war days