Why not a well thought out constitution?

Zakkk

I agree with your post as long as you do not involve faujis, in any shape or form, in this process of reformation. The political structure of country as well as that of a party changes through an evolutionary process if left on its own. Had we let NS or BB complete their terms without interferring from ISI, the process of natural selection would have eleiminated both of them out of competition for good. And now these incompetent thieves have become heroes after military meddled in civilian affair. A constitution that is not changed through a democratic process is as robust as the men who forced those changes in. These changes do not reflect the will of the people and no matter how much they make common sense to you, are bound to fail.

I thought you guys had one in the Koran!

Long ago, the mice held a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the cat. Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he though would meet the case.

``You will all agree,`` said he, ``that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy approaches us. Now, if we could receive some signal of her approach, we could easily escape from her. I venture, therefore, to propose that a small bell be procured, and attached by a ribbon round the neck of the cat. By this means we should always know when she was about, and could easily retire while she was in the neighborhood.``

This proposal met with general applause, until an old mouse got up and said, ``That is all very well, but who is to bell the cat?``

The mice looked at one another and nobody spoke.

Ref PaagalInsaan! #19

Is the Koran the cat or the Pak Army?

Urstruly: I agree with your premise, I make no excuses or defence of the Army, however one reason for it`s relative success under Musharraf is that Musharraf co-opted the reform movement in his initial days. Also I would disagree with the assumption that with time the system would have cleaned itself up. While One would hope that would be the truth, if the PPP or PML-N had completed one full term in office they would have done everything possible to ensure their re election. Unlike The ``Agencies`` who mainpulate subtly political parties tend to rig elections very openly and very shamelessly. If That had happened in 2002 under Nawaz Sharif and he had succeeded in his coup against the COAS, I doubt there would have been much left of Pakistan to talk about..


PaagalInsaan: Good point!!

#19
I do not know if you have heard of the addition to the age-old fable that you recited. Let me tell you:
The silence was broken by one mouse who said, ``hey we may not need to bell the cat we can research into sensiong devices. It will take a long time given our technology but it is worth a try.``

The naysayer mouse kept up his refrain ``who will bell the cat?`` for he could not see the value of research and development. Or is it that he was using it as an excuse to justify his inability to think!

Moral of the story: ``do not stop thinking and looking for other alternatives.`` and ``those who live in stories of yore merely wish to show that they cannot change and keep up with the times!``

# 17 No one disagrees with democracy. The only reason for writing this piece is because we believe in democracy. But unless we take pains to understand and define democracy, we will behave like that ``technologically retarded mouse`` that PaagalInsaan reminded us of.

re: #9 by AdamSmith
I apologise for my outburst. I think it was unwarranted.
Your point about general mood of the public deciding policies is well taken. I agree that this article and the like in other forum are useful in creating public awareness but pray tell me: how many in Pak read English? The English elite in Pak wants democrazy and secularism and would like the Army to go to the barracks but what about the majority who may not share this view? What about the Urdu press and the common man in the street?
I hope some day it will dawn on Pakistanis that democrazy will come when they want it. It is they who decide what they can have.
Sridhar

Constitutions are made by lawyers, politcians and philosophers. You don`t have to be a newspaper reader for that, you have to believe in certain concepts which have been around since the dawn of man. Justice, reciprocity, transparency and consensus are all concepts engrained in every successful society.

for a constitution to suceed, it needs dedicated adherants who belive in it, and at times will bear arms for it. so it will work if its organically grown and is truely accepted by the people who proclaim a nation (at least a leading group who will fight for it). else, its not workable.

americans were a willing nation, and the constitution came from debated, and they fought a civil war over it. indians are still fighting a civil was over it. so, where are the warriors in pakistan? who really cares for the constitution enough to bear arms?