Dictators have ruled Pakistan since 1958 - it is not that democracy cannot work here, it is simply not allowed to. Those who held tremendous influence and power prior to the creation of Pakistan in 1947 were the feudal lords, the tribal chieftains and later on the militant mullahs. In India the first thing which was done was to get rid of feudalism, because feudal lords because of the control over acres of land would always be in a position to get the support of those on their lands - the people would not have a choice but to vote for the person on the lands they live on. In the absence of feudalism the people had greater freedom to choose whom they wanted vote for. In Pakistan the feudal lords had insidious influence on the country's politics. Democracy was and could never be in their interest.
What they did not factor in was the subsequent industrialisation of the country - this meant movement of labour off the lands into the cities. As factory workers they discovered that at the end of each month they would get paid - which was something completely novel to them. The feudal lords were losing their hold on people who had begun migrating to cities.
Two things the feudal lords did not like - the fact that people were getting jobs and the second thing which irritated them was they were getting educated. Some joined the civil service giving them a position of authority.
Being a Leftist in Pakistan means to be anti-industrialisation anti-education, being a Rightist means religious fanaticism and pro-business. The primary mullah party the Jamaat Islami was against the creation of Pakistan because it had a monster mosque franchise from Karachi to Dhaka. Each mosque collected funds in the name of alms and transferred the money to Jamat Islami's main office in Lahore. The creation of Pakistan would mean the break up of the franchise and thus loss of funds. Pakistan was formed and the mullahs had not reconciled to this change for a long time for this reason they were and have always remained upopular. Nothing would please the mullahs more than the fact that Pakistan and Bangladesh were to re-unite more so that mosque franchise could be revived.
The tribal chieftains prefer the member of their tribes remain backward and ignorant - because they are afraid their long standing hold on them would come to and end. To retain the status quo the armed forces play a pivotal role.
For the present the system may continue for some years, but will not last. There is nothing to stop growing awareness. People will be forced to abandon the old system in which they exist and will eventually change. But that remains to be seen. Nothing short of a bloody revolution which will overthrow - the armed forces, the feudal lords, the militant mullahs and all the tribal chieftains will bring about the desired change, because it is unacceptable for things to go on the way they are.
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