Framers of Pakistan’s Constitution were visionaries who knew that Democracy (with all its flaws) was and would be in future the ideal form of Government for their beloved country’s progress and development. Their vision however did not anticipate recurring attacks on Democratic form of Government by the nation’s army. To give the Nation credit, after every Dictator’s rule be it Ayub Khan or Yahya Khan or Ziaul Haq or most recently Musharraf the Pakistani people have always brought their Nation back home to Democracy. This gives hope to all concerned about the well being of this State.

Recently however we have seen in Pakistan a new ‘Guerilla Warfare’ on Democracy. As the poison of Islamic Fundamentalism spreads from Afghanistan to Pakistan the fundamentalists have begun to challenge the “constitutionality” of Democracy as a form of Government for Pakistan – an Islamic Nation.

The preamble to the Constitution of Pakistan chooses Democratic form of Government “as enunciated by Islam”. The exact words are:

“to exercise its powers and authority through the chosen representatives’ who, in turn, are bound to fully observe ‘the principles of democracy, freedom, equality, tolerance and social justice as enunciated by Islam”.  

According to Maulana Sufi Mohammad founder of Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) an elected legislature is alien to Islam and therefore it can be argued in a ‘Constitutionally’ set up Court of Justice that Pakistan must renounce Democracy as an elected legislature is “Unconstituional”. The “as enunciated by Islam” at the end of Preamble works as a precondition to all that which the Preamble states.

This is definitely the most serious attack on Democracy that Pakistan has ever faced. The fact that Maulana Sufi Mohammad has some public support only makes it grave.

Note: Tehreek-e-Nafaz-e-Shariat-e-Mohammadi (TNSM) is a Pakistani militant organisation with Wahabi and Deobandi leanings that strives at implementing Sharia in Pakistan. In 2002 it was banned and declared a terrorist outfit.