Institutional Conflicts and the Crisis in Decision Making

In any human society, individuals have to fulfill their social responsibilities. However, to settle their collective issues, they repose their trust in national institutions. It is then incumbent upon these institutions to fulfill society’s needs according to national priorities. If these institutions fail to perform their duty, a crisis is likely to emerge in society and, hence, is a manifestation of a faulty national system.

Our country is also facing a similar dilemma. Though we have institutions like the parliament, the executive and the judiciary, yet these institutions are not fulfilling their responsibilities properly. Presently, instead of solving the basic problems of millions of Pakistanis, these institutions are creating many crises. They are complicating problems, creating hindrances in any efforts in improving relations with regional countries, and are simply furthering the imperialistic agenda. Instead of settling national issues, certain elements, now dominant in these institutions, are only aggravating national crises.

The institution of parliament is responsible for legislating according to society’s needs. Political parities present in the parliament have to understand the needs and requirements of the masses so that the institution can execute effective legislation. Legislation of this kind can definitely resolve our existing problems. Unfortunately, our parliament does not have the capacity to do this and the primary reason is the inefficiency of our political parties. It seems that these parties have no other mission but to follow the policy of conflict and mutual distrust. This phenomenon is very tragic. It is quite strange that some parties that have representation in the parliament, instead of resolving constitutional and legislative problems there, are trying to use another institution to achieve their objectives.

Similarly, the institution of the executive is responsible for coming up with effective strategies to implement law and maintain order in the country. However, we observe that bureaucracy abuses its power, becomes biased in favor of one institution and works only for its vested interests. Instead of eradicating problems, it aggravates them. Due to the incapable political leadership and inefficient bureaucrats, problems seem to be increasing at an enormous pace in Pakistan.

The third institution is that of judiciary. It is responsible for making decisions according to the constitution and legal framework. Simultaneously, it has to maintain an effective system of check and balance. Decisions must be taken after due consideration is given to ground realities. The context or the bigger picture has to be kept in mind while giving verdicts, so that the decisions push a society towards social coherence and not towards a state of anarchy. During the last six decades of our judicial history, we witness that instead of national interest, the doctrine of necessity was formulated to fulfill the American imperialistic agenda. Every time this doctrine was tailored to suit the needs of the time. It was always detrimental to national integration and discord among different factions plagued the society at large.

Along with these institutions, media and religious seminaries also claim to be important foundations of our society. If we evaluate their role in the society, then, to date, instead of doing something for national interest they always did something which was ultimately in favor of the American interests in the region. The basic role of media in the society is to keep the people informed and to help them live a better social life. But, media in our country has started to project some individuals and their coverage of the events and national happenings is nothing but a display of their bias. One can analyze to discern that their prejudice is because of their vested interests. Our media is also known for imposing its opinion on the entire society. If society does not check this phenomenon then it will lead to further deterioration in this already chaotic situation.

Religious seminaries have to impart religious education in a manner that they produce people who have the required capacity and insight to resolve social, economic and political problems in the light of Holy Prophet’s life. But, instead, our religious seminaries do nothing but spread extremism and factionalism in the society. Religious leaders are supposed to impart Quranic education with complete independence and freedom of intellect. But, in Pakistan, they seem to work on the dictation of agencies and have a repute of moulding and presenting Islam according to the political needs of the US. Their decisions produce more social disorder, disharmony and keep away the masses away from the true teachings of Islam.

We need to think about this grave scenario where each institution is not doing the needful. Rifts among institutions, parties and religious factions push a society towards chaos and anarchy. Our national institutions seem to have locked horns with each other, oblivious of their responsibilities towards the people of this country. The system, which ought to work like a backbone of all these institutions and should give them unity of purpose, is dilapidated. Now, more than ever, we need a comprehensive change in our collective sphere of existence.

Let us all pray that the Almighty Allah blesses us with the wisdom to think, analyze and understand