Public expectations were high as the Musharraf era came to an end in 2008 and Asif Ali Zardari and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) came to power through democratic elections. The transition to more responsive government, however, has been challenging given political frictions and extremist violence as sectarian and ethnic tensions continue to destabilize the country.
Political Situation
The PPP-led government continues to face serious challenges, including shortages in food and energy, a troubled economy, an insurgency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (formerly known at the North West Frontier Province) and Southern Punjab, and external pressure from the U.S. to root out the Taliban and its sympathizers. The security situation in Pakistan continues to worsen with an increasing number of sporadic bombings throughout the country. Moreover, ethnic strife has led to targeted killings in Karachi and sectarian violence against religious minorities also continues to threaten the fabric of Pakistani society. The 2010 attacks in Lahore against the Ahmadis during religious services and at a Sufi Shrine resulted in hundreds of people injured or killed. Under Pakistani law, Ahmadis are considered a non-Muslim minority group.
The Pakistani Army is debating plans to launch an offensive into North Waziristan after beginning operations in South Waziristan last year. In addition, anti-American sentiment persists due to U.S. drone attacks in FATA, opposition to the Kerry-Lugar aid package and the recent indictment of Pakistani-born American citizen Faisal Shahzad, accused of attempting to set off a bomb in Times Square. Although India and Pakistan have resumed bilateral talks, tensions over the 2008 Mumbai attacks have still not been alleviated.
In April, the Pakistan parliament passed the 18th amendment, a positive sign of democratic progress in the country. The 18th amendment includes sweeping changes to the political system in Pakistan. It removes the president's powers to unilaterally dismiss parliament and gives the parliament, prime minister, judiciary and the provincial governments greater autonomy under the constitution. The amendment also renamed the North West Frontier Province as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
There is, however, continued instability as the Supreme Court cleared all charges against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Chairman, Nawaz Sharif, authorizing him to run for public office, while also deeming the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) unconstitutional. The NRO, passed by former President Musharraf granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of criminal activity between January 1, 1986, and October 12, 1999. The NRO ruling and a Supreme Court newly strengthened after the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry have threatened President Zardari's already fragile grip on power.
Current Activities
NDI is actively engaged in democratic development in Pakistan, working with groups seeking to improve democratic institutions. Since 2002, NDI has been working with political parties to help them develop modern, inclusive, effective and transparent political organizations. Currently, with funding from the Royal Netherlands Embassy, Royal Norwegian Embassy and the British High Commission, NDI is implementing a three-year program focused on four components: modernizing party secretariats, developing a training of trainers for party activists and increasing youth and women's political participation.
NDI is using an intensive consultative approach engaging senior level party leaders and executives on a frequent basis. In collaboration with NDI, the party leaders are working to develop recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the central party secretariats in ensuring the respective party is election-ready. The issues being addressed include strategic planning, organizing, budgeting, fundraising, membership recruitment, public outreach and training party activists in preparation for elections.
In addition, the Institute is working with members of women and youth wings to strengthen their roles within the party and to develop and implement advocacy strategies to increase their inclusion in party decision making and policy development. NDI works with a core group of program participants to reinforce their party wing structures and internal processes in order to make them more efficient, participatory, transparent and accountable. In December 2008, NDI women's program participants from five political parties developed a National Action Plan, to address key challenges and obstacles preventing full participation of women in their political party affairs. Party specific advocacy campaigns and activities were conducted to provide women political activists with greater influence within their party, to ensure their representation on party decision making bodies and increase their inclusion in party activism and leadership.
- Pakistani political parties develop rules to strengthen democratic practices»
- PML-N leader calls for women's quota for general seats»
- Extremism limits women's political participation and weakens democracy»
- National action plan to boost women's power in Pakistani political parties»
- Women from different political parties join forces to strengthen women's political participation»
NDI also works with young party members from eight parties to increase their knowledge of democratic practices, strengthen their political competencies and give them opportunities to gain political experience by using their new skills within their parties. Program activities are created to ensure participants' have developed the skills to play a useful, responsible and active role in and for their party.
Finally, with funding from the Glyn Berry Program of the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade's Global Peace and Security Fund, NDI is implementing a program that is strengthening parliamentary caucuses. This program provides technical expertise to parliamentarians, members of provincial assemblies and political party leaders on how to become more effective and united in parliament and provincial assemblies. NDI is assisting elected representatives to identify the challenges they face to be effective parliamentarians. The Institute is assisting parliamentary caucuses to develop recommendations on how to acquire the resources required to fulfill their role and to suggest amendments to parliamentary rules of procedure. Furthermore, NDI is working with parliamentary caucuses to improve their internal operations by developing suggestions on drafting internal caucus rules, allocating resources for constituency-based activities and holding regular parliamentary party meetings.
