Editorial
Pakistan's presidency
Constitutional amendment is cause for fresh hope
HOPES for a strengthening of democracy in Pakistan have not exactly taken a quantum leap through the adoption of the 18th amendment to the country's constitution. But they are to be regarded as a significant step considering the political legacy Pakistanis have, to their great discomfiture, regularly been heir to. With as many as four military rulers upsetting the chances for democracy since its creation in 1947, Pakistan has been caught in a vicious cycle of political despair brought on by the depredations of its non-elected leaders. Now that President Asif Ali Zardari has signed away his vast powers, powers he has had no hand in the making of, and has thus reassured Pakistanis that parliamentary democracy may be finally back on track, there is reason to feel somewhat confident about Pakistan's future.
Those who have observed Pakistan in the past many years cannot have failed to notice the repeated battering it has taken on a number of fronts. The war in Afghanistan, a direct offshoot of the tragic events of September 2001, has created conditions that now have Pakistan wage war against militants in its own territory. Add to that the political instability that remains a factor despite the return to elected government through the elections of February 2008. More importantly, the nine years in which General Pervez Musharraf presided over Pakistan's fortunes have left a visible mark, one that is hardly reassuring. His high-handedness over such matters as dealing with the Supreme Court left a bad taste in the mouth. Beyond and above all this, the inordinate enhancement in authority the presidency has seen since the overthrow of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government in 1977 by army chief Ziaul Haq has periodically undermined the powers of elected governments in Pakistan. Heads of state have conveniently employed such authority to eject elected governments from office.
There is little question that the 18th amendment to the constitution is a landmark on Pakistan's pot-holed road to democracy. But it is no guarantee that the country will henceforth have a smooth ride to political pluralism. The army remains a potent factor. Besides, the country's politicians are yet a fractious lot. Much will, therefore, depend on how much of an accommodative spirit Pakistan's politicians can demonstrate toward one another. The presence of opposition leader Nawaz Sharif at the signing into law of the amendment gives hope to Pakistan. That hope must not diminish.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. 
Related News
India’s ‘push-in’ strategy violates international law
9 hour(s) ago
Editorial
Why build roads through a reserved forest?
20 June 2026, 13:00 PM
Editorial
An alarming report on children’s exposure to climate risks
19 June 2026, 19:07 PM
Editorial
Why is safe water inaccessible for millions despite rising spending?
19 June 2026, 08:00 AM
Editorial
BB must confront bad loans’ true scale
18 June 2026, 18:38 PM
Editorial
Comments