Transformation of Democracy into Kleptocracy in Pakistan By Muhammad Yasir Kasuri The word democracy has become very common

from last many years in Pakistan. An excellent definition of democracy has been given by Abraham Lincoln as he defines democracy as the Government of People, by the people, for the people. This is the system in which the citizens of a country elect their representatives and send them to the Parliament or assemblies so that these representatives will work according to the wishes of common man. The main objectives of these representatives are to make policies for welfare, betterment, wellbeing and interest of the common man in a country. Democracy is the better system in a country but unfortunately in Pakistan the elected members who were sitting in assemblies misused the democracy from the day of independence to till today. Our elected members or dictators misused the votes of the citizens of Pakistan. In my opinion the democracy in Pakistan has been transformed into the Kleptocracy (Rule of thieves, thugs and Decocts). 80% of the population in Pakistan think that most politicians are corrupts. They are exists to increase their personal wealth and the political power on the expense of the wider population. In Kleptocracy rulers typically treat their country treasure as though it was their own bank account, spending the funds on the luxury goods as they see fit. Many Kleptocrates also secretly transfer public funds into their secret foreign accounts so that they can enjoy their luxury life if / when they are eventually removed from power and forced to leave the country. If we have a look on the history of Pakistan for the day of independence, the Kleptocrates are ruling on us. Especially if we analyse the last five years, Kleptocracy was running on the name of democracy. The ruling class major focus was to increase their personal wealth and power. Bribe was treated as gift to influence the recipients conduct. Top positions of different institutes were awarded to the kins and kiths to having made an income possible. From the last five years a clan of Kleptocrates looted Treasury as it was their personal bank account. Nepotism, favouritism was common act. Grafting was a usual act by the government officials / rulers. These so called politicians have transformed politics to trade. They are traders who use their power to generate wealth. A common man cannot get into the parliament or assemblies but these Kleptocrates easily elected by fooling the common man. In this Kleptocracy system if you have a seat at the table, you are in for a feast. The people who are benefitting from the status que are not willing to change it. These so called politicians are also not willing to change it. They will not do anything which bring the short term pain for them or even if it produced the long term gain. They want to make as much money for themselves. They want to get re-elected even if they have to sacrifice their values, norms, morality and even country to. This system can only be changed when these Kleptocrates have no alternative and the circumstances will force them to change. The elections 2013 are just on our door step. It is an opportunity to change our destiny and to get rid of these Kleptocrates. Now we have to decide that we want to let these Kleptocrates rule on us for next many years or to throw out these rotten eggs from the parliament by using the power of vote. Even all the candles are diminished and went out, there is still the candle of hope exist to enlighten the darkness. There are still lot of politicians in Pakistan who are not Kleptocrates. They have the vision and pain for this

country and fulfil their responsibilities and perform their duties sincerely. Vote for those who have the ability to bring out this boat on the shore from the storm. Let me conclude this by two lines for these so called politicians you can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. A message for the citizens of Pakistan Yahan jabr hi musallat rahay ga. . Agar shoreeda-sir koi nahi aye ga. !