Month: May 2014

  • The Trouble with Caretaker Government

    The Trouble with Caretaker Government

    The idea of holding free and fair elections under a neutral caretaker government sounds attractive for two reasons: a level playing field for all contestants and an administration which is entirely neutral safeguarding the integrity of the ballot. Both these assumptions, even though well-intentioned, have adverse implications for the future of democracy. Appointment of a […]

  • Roots of 2007 Judicial Crisis in Pakistan

    Roots of 2007 Judicial Crisis in Pakistan

    Compared to other democracies, Pakistan has never been a shining star in upholding the principle of the independence of the judiciary. The reasons for this underperformance are similar to those found in many developing countries and include poverty, backwardness and lack of trained and qualified judges to impart justice to large sections of the population. […]

  • An Exit Strategy for the Military

    An Exit Strategy for the Military

    Military regimes are quintessentially patriotic and unforgiving on the question of national ideology. While they mean well for their country, their understanding of the complex political issues is always limited and their record of performance often falls short of declarations. Military regimes see democracy as a means of managing political turbulence, and not as an […]

  • Commonwealth Mechanisms for Democracy and Human Rights Compliance by Member States

    Commonwealth Mechanisms for Democracy and Human Rights Compliance by Member States

    This briefing paper was presented by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative (CHRI) http://www.humanrightsinitiative.org/ at the Commonwealth People’s Forum, held in parallel with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala, Uganda in 2007. It covers the first ten years of CMAG’s history. The Commonwealth has a number of compliance mechanisms which monitor the progress of human […]

  • International Migration: Challenges and Opportunities

    International Migration: Challenges and Opportunities

    The growing Diaspora of expatriate populations across the world and their multiple but mutually reinforcing identities and allegiances are a feature of globalisation. This is reinforced by the fact that governments in developing countries are reaching out to their respective overseas communities, especially in the rich countries, for investments and transfer of knowledge for human […]

  • Muslim States and Democracy

    Muslim States and Democracy

    A large number of countries in the world like being called democracies on the basis of holding periodic elections in the presence of international observers and on the laws that they enact through their functional cabinets or parliaments. Many also claim to be governed by the rule of law, stating that they are guided by […]

  • The Essence of Democracy

    The Essence of Democracy

     For years, democratic elections and constitutional liberalism have formed an intrinsic part of western political culture. But in many countries, although multi-party elections are becoming the norm, respect for the rule of law, separation of powers and fundamental freedoms are on the retreat. The rise of illiberal democracy is therefore a cause for concern. Today […]

  • The Industrial Revolution Goes On

    The Industrial Revolution Goes On

      Industrial revolution is synonymous with economic growth. It was not a single event fixed in history. Industrial revolution continued to shape the attitude of societies toward life and transformed the way in which small communities survived through subsistence living on pastoral lands. Over two centuries since it began, industrial revolution embraced many technological innovations […]

Translate »