Saturday, June 23, 2018

Democracy in Pakistan: Headlines vs Trend-lines

With the country's parliament completing its second term since 2008, is Pakistan truly on the road to democracy? How do the headlines compare with the trend-lines? Are there any significant potholes in this road to democracy? Are the persistent negative headlines justified? Do oft-repeated dire forecasts about Pakistani state's survivability make sense?

Do Pakistani political party leaders practice democracy within their own parties? What accounts for attempts by the political party leaders and candidates to resist full financial and other disclosures? Why did they try to escape accountability by passing Election Act 2017?

Who are the "electables"? Why are political parties trying to recruit them to run as their candidates in the coming general elections scheduled for July 25, 2018? Can such "electables" bring about much needed reforms in the political parties? What are the downsides of putting up electables in terms of widening political participation and voter turnout?

Viewpoint From Overseas host Misbah Azam discusses these questions with Sabahat Ashraf and Riaz Haq (www.riazhaq.com)


https://youtu.be/Tx8hKH0Ae8U





Related Links:

Haq's Musings

South Asia Investor Review

Pakistan Elections Act 2017

US DoD 1999 Forecast: "Pakistan Disappears By 2015"

Democracy's Disappointing Report Card

Nawaz Sharif's Report Card 2013-18

CPEC Transforming Pakistan's Least Developed Regions

Pakistan: The Other 99% of the Pakistan Story

How Pakistan's Corrupt Elite Siphon Off Public Funds

Bumper Crops and Soaring Credit Drive Tractor Sales

Panama Leaks

How West Enables Corruption in Developing Countries

Declining Terror Toll in Pakistan

Riaz Haq's YouTube Channel

3 comments:

Riaz Haq said...

While #Pakistan political party leaders award "tickets" to the status-quo "electables", a young 28 year old upstart Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez beats #Congressman Joe Crowly, leader of #DemocraticParty in #NewYork primary to win nomination #Elections2018

https://www.axios.com/joe-crowley-loses-his-new-york-primary-1530063288-7f4deab8-36c4-4a1d-a2d0-1ac10ca7d494.html


Rep. Joe Crowley, the fourth-highest Democrat in Congress, has served since 1999. That all ended tonight when his 28-year-old challenger, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, beat him in their primary for New York's 14th district.

This is a huge deal. And it's perhaps the biggest upset we've seen since David Brat beat then-House majority leader Eric Cantor in 2014. Crowley's defeat is the clearest example yet that the Democratic Party's progressive wing is only getting stronger under Trump.

Why it matters: This upset will have national implications for Democrats and it will force the party to renew their conversations about future party leadership. Just like we saw the strength of the Tea Party in 2014 with Cantor, progressives are starting to win their fight to reshape the Democratic Party in 2018.

Riaz Haq said...

Ex #PPP leader and ex finance minister of #Pakistan Dr. Mubashir Hasan on elections scheduled for July 25. "This election is not about real issues. Instead, it's a contest between rich politicians with stolen wealth & property overseas..." #Elections2018

https://www.riazhaq.com/2018/05/british-government-lists-pakistan-among.html

https://twitter.com/haqsmusings/status/1013562358466113536

Riaz Haq said...

While the majority of people surveyed consume news regularly, 38% said they often or sometimes avoid the news – up from 29% in 2017 – the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism said in its annual Digital News Report. Around 36% – particularly those under 35 – say that the news lowers their mood.

https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/more-people-are-avoiding-news-trusting-it-less-report-says-2022-06-14/
-------------------

Positive News | Good journalism about good things - Positive News

Positive News is the magazine for good journalism about good things.

When much of the media is full of doom and gloom, instead Positive News is the first media organisation in the world that is dedicated to quality, independent reporting about what’s going right.

We are pioneers of ‘constructive journalism’ – a new approach in the media, which is about rigorous and relevant journalism that is focused on progress, possibility, and solutions. We publish daily online and Positive News magazine is published quarterly in print.

As a magazine and a movement, we are changing the news for good.

https://www.positive.news/