After a decade long period of rule, the government couldn’t avert the escalating graph of despondency. Neither the rule of law, administrative accountability enforced nor elimination of social ills, terrorism and corruption materialized. However, the politics of allegation and counter allegation was well exercised, which is worth observing. Sometimes foreigners were accused of evil practices sometime international community, the government remained the icon of achievements. High ranked public officials senior politicians involved in bank scandals and corruption, Taliban involved in severe human rights violation, were not brought to book and it seems not to be government’s concern or priority.
Afghanistan passes through multitude of problems, namely bad governance, ignorance, male-administration, insecurity, grave human rights violation, widespread corruption and weakened law and order. Free and fair election is deemed a way out to these all existing problems seeking unbiased support from every segments of Afghan society following a peaceful transition. The leadership elected subsequently, must diagnose properly the immediate problems of this piece of land whilst devising an implementable solution to them.
As Afghanistan advances towards April 5 elections, the electoral campaigning accelerates; every contender rests not making huge claims of aversion of fate of Afghans, if being elected. The whole undertakings reflect enthusiasm, warmth and civic participation as if every second person is going for presidential runoff. Nonetheless, another aspect of campaigning, worth mentioning, is countless pledges made to draw attention of Electoral College. Some contestants rely to mere extension of assurances of wellbeing, security and welfare to their voters if elected. Others talks of substituting the democracy with caliphate or presidential with parliamentary.
Some political parties propagating revival of Islam and preservation of religious dogmas installment of religiously motivated teachings their greatest responsibilities, might complicate the worsened situation. Politics exercised on religious ground is quiet malicious and devastative and is a conspiracy to destabilize Afghan society. It is better politics should be practiced on the grounds of civic welfare, given that the use of religious sentiments and religiously polarization of society will never serve Afghan’s interest.
Formerly during an election campaigning the presidential runner Abdur Rab Rassoul Sayyaf, promised establishing a caliphate-like government system, winning April 5 elections. Addressing a huge gathering of supporters including thousands of religious scholars and students in Kabul, he hailed Islam as the right code of life. He urged people to follow religious teachings. Sayyaf said he would pay more attention to promoting the Islamic law if he won the presidential race.
The claims sounds stunning but impracticable, seeing the ground realties; there manifold sects in Islam which derives variant inspiration from Islamic history. They identically, offer different interpretation to the like historical incident. For such a daydream to crystallize, a broad based and agreed consensus is needed which can only be achieved, taking every sect into confidence. Moreover, the government of Taliban claimed to be the guarantor of Islamic Jurisprudence, worth seeing that witnessed extensive human rights violation. It is democracy that is universally accepted as protector of human rights.
Democracy certainly grants solitary solution to these all harms, provided it is exercised without ifs and buts. The right to lead a life without seeking an influence from other fellow being is the greatest safeguard, democracy guarantees. The leadership elected will be put to test, to drag the whole country out of multifaceted troubles by putting democratic assurances into practice with due consideration. The anti-state elements and insurgents are trying to enforce their forged version of Sharait, where the element of violence will be dominant; hence are undertaking consecutive attacks to defunct the ongoing system of governance which will neither be acceptable nor implementable in this part of the world.
Consequently, the insurgents certainly intimidate civilians from polling process by warning of ill-consequences, must be discouraged. The government must work out a coordinated security plan to keep the insurgents away from residential enclaves and polling stations. The insurgents might use variant alternatives to give a blow to electoral process bringing the system at standstill. To nullify all these concerns, the government must come forth with full fledge preparation doing away all the apprehensions.
Law and order and security concerns remains to be another obstacle on the way to successful election and the country. The government must enforce rules that will make it possible for Afghans to live together without conflict. Harmony promoting education and equitable distribution of resources and services narrows down the differences whilst paving the way for peaceful coexistence. There is a documented existence of law and with negligible application or prejudicial application serve none interest.
In our beloved country, seemingly, the militants and none-state actors have grown to an extent that easily evades the loosely held net of law and order and turn triumphant. The government of Afghanistan instead of relying on international community must work out genuine means tackling maintenance of law and devise legitimate and standard procedure of prosecution. The government must stress the strategy must address alternative development, eradication, investigation, interdiction, prosecution, incarceration and then the so-called soft-side programs of awareness, treatment and rehabilitation.
Amidst uncertain economical and socio-political circumstances transparent election followed by peaceful transition of power earn centrality to avert the status quo. In that pursuit the role of government and its concerned departments exercising neutrality, security maintenance, provision of impartial environment stand vital and preliminary.
The government and public officials must realize, the dream of a vibrant, progressive, developed Afghanistan can only materialize, provided a handsome amount of budget is allocated for education, health, infrastructure and governance. We must admit it that a healthy, literate, well governed and welfare democratic Afghanistan is a secure and developed Afghanistan.