Knowing the weakness of the political situation at least some in the government are seen to be most anxious to inject their own politics in which people should be required to choose between democracy and development. This theory was uttered on the floor of the parliament consecrated as the supreme seat of the people’s representatives. Likewise, ministers and others of the government have been telling us everyday over and again how competent they have been with development activities. Those in power now seem to be coming to realize that they cannot justify their existence in power under any kind of democracy. So the unelected members of the parliament and the government are looking for a way to defend themselves as the government of development.The member who introduced this theory last week in the parliament with an air of great wisdom and foresight is the supporter of the government like all other members of this unique unelected parliament. Mr. Moinuddin Khan Badal is not to be blamed. His own honest political brief is such that he cannot be an honest supporter of popular election politics, human rights or democracy. There are others like him who have no popular support but who behave like the think tank of the government.Nowhere developers and contractors are found to be political leaders. Under communism also developers and contractors are not the political leaders. As developers also they need people’s support, unless they claim themselves to be occupier of the country. The political leaders are for providing overall political leadership and sense of direction to comprehensive development activities for the people and the country. The people made their choice in favour of people’s democracy for people’s development through their liberation war as against occupation politics. Those who are asking the people to choose between democracy and development must know more about the people’s liberation war and the people. We have not freed ourselves for reestablishing Pakistan type occupation politics. During General Ayub Khan’s rule extensive developments took place in East Pakistan. Our parliament building was part of many development works of his days. Many roads, buildings and bridges were built to buy loyalty. But that did not stop our people to rise against his authoritarian rule. It was said in those days that false bridges were shown to have been built on paper and then shown on paper again to have been washed away when the country was flooded. We are now also told of many development works which will be found motivated by corruption or non-existent. However, it is not understandable what kind of development activities they have for showing to make the government popular. On the contrary, the people have to be deprived of their vote and the opposition suppressed or bought off. The country’s lawless and crime infested predicament has resulted from the failure to make democracy work. In doing so the government is relying on the weakness of the opposition but forgetting that it is a different matter to treat people as powerless. What we are witnessing is the end of election politics and beginning of occupation politics. This is not peaceful politics or politics that will prevail.
