IN the upcoming national elections, it seems democracy itself is at stake. The electoral process has been reduced to an “undemocratic farce”.

A reputable pro-democracy civil society watchdog has urged that course correction is needed for transition from hybrid to a normal functioning democracy. It has affirmed the reality that the top political parties are addicted to patronage by the establishment. “Deferring course correction may not be an option much longer. It may be a luxury the country of young Pakistanis cannot afford,” Pildat has said.

Pakistan is dubbed an “electoral autocracy” by certain international democracy rating think tanks. Parties addicted to patronage are busy managing alliances to form fractured governments for the string-pullers to call the shots. Their leaders suffer from a crisis of confidence as their fate depends on keeping the establishment on board. They are content to play second fiddle.

Democracy, security and constitutionalism are the key issues confronting the nation. In the aftermath of the use of force against peaceful Baloch protesters in Islamabad, the issue of enforced disappearances has become part of the national agenda. A critical question arises: what does the state owe to its citizens, especially those who have been marginalised for decades? The plight of the Baloch, embroiled in a struggle for recognition and justice, is a clarion call for immediate attention from the state. It is not just a political issue but a humanitarian crisis. The........

© Dawn