No internal democracy among political parties in Pakistan

Political parties in Pakistan have failed to show internal democracy, and learn from past mistakes. This has discouraged the emergence of a new leadership, experts on South Asia said while participating in a conference here.

Washington, Sep 22 : Political parties in Pakistan have failed to show internal democracy, and learn from past mistakes. This has discouraged the emergence of a new leadership, experts on South Asia said while participating in a conference here.

The conference, organised by the University of California's Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, featured a free exchange of views on Pakistan from a number of experts and some others with a serious interest in the region.

Dan Markey of the Council of Foreign Policy said political parties in Pakistan are "frozen in time", and have no specific agendas. They have not learnt from past experience.

Commenting on Pakistan People's Party chief Benazir Bhutto, Markey said that she appears to be less concerned with Pakistan than herself.

He said one of the most significant developments in Pakistan is the rise of an independent media with a 24-hour news and comment cycle.

Michael Krepon, a co-founder of the Stimson Centre, said it was to be hoped that the Pakistani military leadership would learn not to come back every time to "sort things out".

He pointed out that the Pakistan Army's security concerns today are more internal than external. He was of the view that the centrality of Pakistan-US relations would continue with the country's next government.

Robert Hathaway of the Woodrow Wilson Centre said that one had to ask oneself if the Pakistan Army had learnt anything from its many civilian interventions and what impact that has had on its professionalism.

He said that under Musharraf there has been a dramatic escalation in the army's role in the national economy.

Hathaway said that the opposition parties are frozen in the past, and added that each of the two major parties has had two shots at power and failed miserably every time.

If Bhutto or Nawaz Sharif receive another shot at power, what guarantee is there that they will improve on their past? He also pointed out that the US has not learnt "a whole lot" either.

Teresita Schaffer of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said that the Pakistan Army should opt for the elimination of terrorist groups, not their "management and control", which she called a "murky area".

That is the real choice facing Pakistan, the Daily Times quoted her, as saying.

ANI