The only interpreter of the aspirations and ideals of the people of any country is the constitution. The constitution determines the destiny of the country and its people. Our country, Pakistan, is fortunate to have a unified democratic and Islamic constitution in written form. The 1973 constitution was the first constitution in the world in which a new path was set to combine Islam and democracy in the light of the guiding principles of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal and the aspirations of the people. It can be called one of the best constitutions in the world. Unfortunately, sometimes the constitution was suspended through martial law and sometimes the judiciary tried to distort it with its arbitrary interpretations and sometimes political governments bypassed the constitution and straightened their necks. The people were misled that if they follow the constitution, decisions are made at the speed of a tortoise, but if there is martial law and dictatorship, decisions become like horses. This misguidance has justified bypassing the constitution. Hasty decisions take the country one step forward and four steps back. Be it the decisions of General Zia-ul-Haq or General Musharraf, the attempts of political governments to bypass the constitution or the attempts of secret powers to resolve issues outside the procedure, all of these have caused great damage to the country. In the past too, people used to dream of speed, outside the constitution, law and procedure. Even today, people are suffering from the same delusion. The same mistake has been repeated for the last 75 years. The same thing has happened before and the same thing is happening again today.

Nowadays, suggestions are being given to create new provinces again, sometimes at Gate No. 4 and sometimes in Pindi, it is being said that Pakistan cannot run with the current system and big decisions will have to be made. Rumors are also heard that big businessmen are saying behind closed doors that a democratic system cannot run in this country, politicians are not qualified to run the country, it is only the powerful who can straighten this country with their power and force. Big thinkers are arguing against the 18th Amendment with statistics and saying that the provinces have become rich and the federation and powerful have become poor, only by abolishing the 18th Amendment will the problems be solved. Be it the issue of agriculture or the issue of the economy, the situation of law and order or the stakes of foreign policy, the campaign to suppress the voice of the weakest political government is ongoing. Big decisions are not being seen being made in the government chambers, all this is being done by those who are invisible, meaning that everything is happening as it has been happening for the last 75 years. If things continue like this, the result will be the same as it has been for the past 75 years, that is, we will go further back instead of moving forward.

The problem of contradictions is that whether it is the elite or the people, everyone has started to understand that the country will run by theft. Some believe that shortcuts are the best way. Many bigwigs consider extra-constitutional measures as the best solution. Many fools consider the constitution to be a twelve-page book that is an obstacle to their ambitions. The constitution is the holy scripture of any country on which all workers and all elders have to take an oath. From my freedom to the power of officials, everything is rooted in this constitution. The theft, shortcuts or extra-constitutional and legal measures are temporary, superficial and controversial. Permanent, deep and non-controversial measures can only be in accordance with the spirit of the constitution.

In my student opinion, the real problem is that powers are not being transferred to the lower levels. According to Article 140A of the Constitution, these powers must be transferred to the lower levels. Earlier, the federation was a usurper and dictator, it held all the powers. Now the provinces have become the new usurpers and dictators. Now the federation is poor and the provinces are rich. Under the Constitution, the Federal Finance Commission transfers funds. The provincial financial commissions of the provinces are not transferring their funds to the districts. Similarly, under the 18th Amendment, the provinces have acquired their powers. Now the provincial chief ministers have become usurpers and dictators. They are neither handing down funds nor authority. General Musharraf was a dictator, but with a few exceptions, the local government system he brought was a very good model in terms of authority and financial freedom. Until the authority is transferred to the districts, deprivation and backwardness cannot end. The limit is that local government elections have not been held for many years. After General Musharraf left, that local government system has been dismantled. There are no elected governments in the districts anymore, nor do the elected people have financial powers. Deputy Commissioners and the centuries-old slave system have been re-imposed. If the mistakes of the system brought by General Musharraf are removed, the capabilities of the staff in the districts are increased, and accountability and audit are effectively managed, then the country can once again enter the modern world with its head held high.

Today’s ruling party is quite conscious. It has not yet torn the constitutional cover of democracy. They are running the system from behind, but without coming into conflict with the constitution. This attitude is much better than the past, but this temporary arrangement may not be permanent. The real solution to this issue is to give all constitutional powers to the civilian government and effective training to overcome its shortcomings. This is the same as the government, whatever questions there are on its legal and constitutional legitimacy, the only way is to let this government work both in opposition and in power so that there is stability and peace in the country.

Finally, I would like to reiterate this request that whether it is the whisperers in the slave circles of Pindi or the industrialists and traders who incite to bypass the system, their intentions should be rejected and the Constitution should be upheld in the country. Those opposition politicians who present any plan beyond democracy and the Constitution must have their personal and political interests in it. Such conspirators should not be listened to. The country can only progress through the Constitution and the law. Let us all follow this path. All other paths will lead to failure