HYDERABAD, April 25: Former foreign minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi has strongly called for introducing democracy in political parties and changing the pattern of governance.

He said that intolerance of dissent would have to be given up, adding that it is time to break old idols.

He was giving a lecture on “stable democracy — guarantee to peace” organised at Sindh museum here on Monday by Mehar Garh, an NGO.

Mr Qureshi said that the country needed change and “if we don't change our style of governance it would have harmful consequences for us. I feel Pakistan can't afford experiments any more,” he argued.

“Being head of the family a true statesman and leader always hugs those showing dissent because difference of opinion that is not acceptable to him today may guarantee his survival in future,” he said.

The former foreign minister said: “We need politics and political leaders who take everyone along, he remarked. And when we don't have democracy at home how could be talk about democracy for others”.

He said that as foreign minister he observed that the international community doubts everything about Pakistan. “We have to convince world community that we don't have distortions”, Mr Qureshi said. He was appreciative of civil society and rights organisations for playing a dominant role for democracy and during last 60 years our nation did not live with its head high. Our weakness are exploited by external forces. “As a result, we were disgraced,” he said. Pakistan's history is replete with extra-constitutional measures and adventures.

The PPP dissident said that four military interventions abrogated constitution or held it in abeyance and such actions were given legitimacy in the name of doctrine of necessity. He said, there is a big difference between democracy and democratic attitude as polls don't mean democracy.

He said that level playing field is not provided to political parties and results are often pre-determined and even future are managed. People still talk about autonomy and independence of Election Commission.

He opposed condition of graduation for a parliamentarian as it is people's rights whom they want to elect. There were people who obtained degrees from seminaries and universities that are non-existent to get elected. “Today, people whisper that HEC bashing is due to same reason”, the chief of Ghausia jamaat said.

He emphasised the need for setting a right direction of the country and believed that survival of Pakistan and federation lay in democracy.

He warned that any adventure against democracy would lead to disaster. “Had we accepted majority there would have been no Bangladesh and if such behaviour remains unchanged then I am afraid of situation prevailing in Balochistan”, the former foreign minister said and called for addressing Balochistan imbroglio through dialogue.

“We might not be getting their point correctly and that may be causing frustration among them”, he said. So, he said, democratic culture needs to be promoted because democracy is something all about mentality.

He talked about world's dictators — Adolf Hitler and Mussolini — who got themselves elected but their mindset remained unchanged. “We have to tell the world that we give constitutional protection to religious minorities and we have no distortions only then it would start believing or giving them respect”, he contended.

Mr Qureshi underscored the need for imparting political education. He referred to academies for foreign and armed services officers but regretted that no such mechanism existed for politicians. Democratic dispensations are often derailed, he said. He added that people of Nagarparkar needed potable water and anti-snake bite vaccines.

“Still we have to take a way forward. Our society needs a catalyst for change. Civil society organisations and NGOs can play this role”, he said. Education and democracy are supposed to be interlinked in a society and education strengthens institutions. He said that national allocations for education make everything clear. Education is essential for human development and brings about change, he said.

He called for improving the standard of education if we have to strengthen democracy and investment would have to be made in human resource capital, for education is a vehicle of change. He said that feudalism could not be measured with a piece of land and only education could defeat it.

Similarly, he said, peace is an attitude and terrorism could not be tackled through weapons alone and we need to change our mindset otherwise we won't succeed. “Islam doesn't permit terrorism and we must spread this message as our religion doesn't have any space for it”, he said.