EVEN after the 26th Amendment to the Constitution has been passed, nothing substantial has changed. Yet, there are already murmurs about another amen-dment being planned.

Though I am not an expert in legal or constitutional matters, being a citizen of this green land, I have some free advice for those who matter.

To ensure and strengthen the democratic process, the federal government should redefine the eligibility criterion for those planning to contest parliamentary elections, making it compulsory for candi-dates to be residents of the constituency from where they plan to contest.

This will help the electorate approach the elected. Also, those elected would be aware of the genuine issues and grievances of the people at the grassroots level.

Moreover, the Constitution should also be amended to ensure the continuity of development projects. A change of government should not affect any ongoing project initiated by the outgoing gover-nment. Any initiative already taken for public good should not be the victim of political power game or gimmickry as it will have negative results.

Eventually, these are the kind of amendments that might actually bring about some positive change in the lives of the people who have been waiting for a meaningful change in the country.

Tarique Laghari
Khairpur Mirs

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2024