The withdrawal of Sharif party from the newly constituted government make Pakistan’s democratic destiny more complexed.

It may turn into re alignment of political forces and even strengthen the hands of Musharaff who was rejected by the public.

The main reason behind withdrawal is said to be reinstatement of dismissed judges by the Musharaff government earlier. But the real reasons may vary. Next week the finance minister goes to submit first ever budget by the new government. Current socio political issues may not go in the way of moderate-liberal Shariff against popular Zardari party’s objectives.

As we go through the history and real Socio-economic conditions of Pakistan could understand and what would be the real agenda for the government(s) has to do.

It past with 25 years of military rule composite of 50 years of existence, the ‘Land of Holiness’, an admired part of Islamic world because of its possession of nuclear warheads and required technology, Pakistan, with its 160 million population, challenges its historical bound neighbor, India hegemonic and regional overheads.
However, today it faces a dilemma between democracy and stable ‘peaceful’ co-existence of poverty and affluence for a cross section of minority elite.

Pakistan’s experiment with truthful democracy survived for a decade in the post Zia era. Both Zia’s follower and opponent ruled in alternative with frequent elections. In 1999, Mush raff, then commander-in-chief captured power with a bloodless coup.

He as a reluctant ruler governed the state with all capacities except Chief Justice of Supreme Court (some times via proxy) for the past eight years and became ‘reliable’ friend of the unipolar power US in the post 11 Sep. 2001attack.

Now he has taken over as ‘real’ constitutional head and expects to rule further even without any stable or able government. Whether it is Nawaz or Benazir it is difficult to coup each one against the other, since he enjoyed overall power so far.

Of course, not alone political solutions lacks with clarity but also entire system, which is pulled up by various socio-economic imbalances prevalent till the date.

The reason behind the political turmoil in Pakistan is said to be the socio-economic imbalances prevalent across the country.

Just look at some of the key figures below:
Total population in thousands 155400- 2005
Percentage urban population out of total population 34-2005.
Adult literacy rate 15+ years, total (percentage) 53- 2005
Per capita GNP ($) 736-2004
Unemployment in percent 7- 2005
GDP per capita 550-2003

Total expenditure on health (per capita) 13-2003

Why it is like that? While, going through some words of Sharif M Shuja written in News Week, 2000; the feudal prototype in Pakistan consists of property owners with large joint families possessing hundreds or even thousands of acres of land. They seldom make any direct contribution to agricultural production. Instead, peasants or tenants who live at subsistence level do all work.

The landlord, by virtue of his ownership and control of such vast amounts of land and human resources, is powerful enough to influence the distribution of water, fertilizers, tractor permits and agricultural credit and, consequently exercises considerable influence over the revenue, police and judicial administration of the area. The property owner is, thus, lord, and master. Such absolute power can easily corrupt, and it is no wonder that the feudal system there is humanly degrading.

In the agrarian sector, it is the landowner who is excluded from the production process, while in industry; domestic technology is almost absent or kept at bay. Industrialisation over the past five decades has, to a large extent, been established and operated with foreign capital, technology and raw materials. As a result, native technology has remained stagnant and the rest of the economy is not integrated with industry.

Today, Pakistan depends mostly on foreign aid for industrial raw materials and spare parts. This dependence has caused severe weakness to its economy. Coupled with these shortcomings, nationalisation in the industrial sector has brought further injuries. Many industries, after nationalisation, suffered substantially. Consequently, the industrial policy has not only failed to create a sound industrial base and employment opportunities, but has instead increased unemployment.

The Pakistani economy is basically reliant on a drip feed of foreign loans from multinational agencies, most notably the World Bank and the IMF. Both bodies have indicated that they are deeply concerned by the army takeover and are likely to withhold loans. Pakistan has a foreign debt of more than $30 billion and rapidly diminishing foreign currency reserves.

Today, unbalanced economy leads to imbalanced democratic stability in the country where other friendlier countries confused to help it out!
It has to get rid of vast military funding at first and increase domestic industrilisation and thirdly to strengthen democratic norms and try to less religious influence in every corner of country.

These are the agenda waiting before the new government for a long-term prosperity of the country. Let Pakistan people as well who are interested in the stability of region work towards the agenda.