"Are We Really Free? The 4 Pillars of True Democracy Explained"

"In the 78 years since the creation of Pakistan, this nation has seen both moments of pride and periods of pain. In good times, we celebrated it; in difficult times, we prayed for it. But today, we stand at the brink — where the truth can no longer be ignored. Our state institutions have crumbled, not gradually, but openly and collectively. What remains now is not just a political crisis — it is a test of our conscious, our unity, and our will to rebuild."

Certainly! There are three main pillars of democracy along with a forth critical component media, which is often called the fourth estate for its influential role in a democratic setup.

🏛️ 1. Rule of Law:

The main principle in the democracies is the Rule of Law, which is the principle that the law is above all people, including those in authority. All people, both high and low-ranking, are required to be answerable under equal provisions of law. Independent judges or judicial system makes justice not only to be done but also to be seen to be done. Laws need to be applied evenly so that every individual should enjoy protection. A democracy without rule of law becomes anarchy or dictatorship, where laws favor the strong. In a true democracy, if a prime minister is found guilty of corruption, they must face justice just like any ordinary citizen. 

⚖️ 2. Separation of Powers

In order to avoid any abuse of power, that may happen within the democratic system, power is divided among three arms of government:

•           Legislative (Parliament): They make laws.

•           Executive (Government): Enforces the law.

•           Judiciary (Courts): Interprets the laws and applies them.

This division provokes checks and balances where none of the branches gains control and misuse authority. One branch will keep check on another and this is the key that helps a nation survive and prosper in its democratic process and be the balance of power. If the executive tries to pass an un-constitutional law, the judiciary can strike it down.

🗳️ 3. Free and Fair Elections

Democracy is built on the will of the people, which is expressed through elections. Every citizen has the right to vote without discrimination. Elections must be transparent, monitored, and free of fraud or coercion. All political parties and candidates should have equal opportunity to campaign and access media. Losers of elections must accept the results, and winners must not use power to suppress opposition. Peaceful transitions of leadership one to another are realized through regular, credible elections which show healthy democratic process.

 

📰 4. Free and Responsible Media (The Fourth Estate)

While not officially a branch of government, the media is important in democratic societies. Exposes corruption, holds leaders accountable, and informs citizens. Reflects a mass opinion and replicates the voice of the voiceless and weak. Helps prevent misinformation by providing facts and multiple perspectives. Journalists are supposed to be uncensored, unbiased, or not controlled by the government. Media, however, should also be ethical and responsible, not trying to produce sensation or a bias that splits society with wrong interpretation. Democracy is enhanced when there is a free press that can explore cases of corruption scandals or cases involving abuse of human rights, which ensures transparency.

Last but not the least,

🕊️ Human Rights / Civil Liberties / Freedom of Speech

A democracy is meaningless if it does not protect the dignity, freedom, and rights of its people.

• Freedom of Speech and Expression
• Freedom of Religion and Belief
• Right to Education and Healthcare
• Protection of Minorities and Marginalized Groups

In a democracy, human rights are not negotiable, they are the main basis of equality and justice. In a democratic state, people are expected to criticize the government and not to fear that they would be persecuted.

These pillars are not mere concepts but practical necessities of any nation which claims to be a democracy. In case one of pillars is weak, the democratic system is unstable. All of them, Rule of Law, Separation of Powers, Free Elections, Human Rights and Free Media, should equally and mutually reinforce each other in sound democracies.

“A democracy is not built in a day — it is maintained every day through vigilance, justice, and the voice of its people.”

 

"Without These 4 Pillars, Democracy Fails. Are We Too Late?"

We were told that only corrupt politicians are a threat for nation, but unfortunately, not a single institution in our country has the moral spine to stand up for our rights.

How all institutions collapsed, collectively!

1.      1.Judiciary and Constitutional legitimacy:

There is a long tradition of the Pakistani judiciary validating unconstitutional acts, a fact that has compromised the democratic rule in the country. The infamous one is the application of the so-called Doctrine of Necessity by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to legitimize military coups, beginning with the Chief Justice Muhammad Munir decision in 1954 which permitted the dissolution of the first Constituent Assembly in Pakistan. This precedent has been quoted severally to seek a legal cover of a military takeover and dictatorship which watered down the rule of law, and the supremacy of the constitution. Most recently, playing with the superior judiciary through the 26^th Constitutional Amendment and with the restructuring of the judiciary as a whole have created apprehensions over further weakening judicial independence. Among the abuses that have been witnessed when it comes to the judiciary, is the disqualification of parliamentarians on moral basis and the interpretation of constitutional qualification in a manner that has shocked certain quarters in society.

2.      2.Executive Obedience and Un-Constitutional Orders:

On the one hand, the judiciary focuses on making executive actions consistent with the constitutional mandates; however, on the practical side, there are many cases when the executive branch slowed or even attempted to avoid the Supreme Court decisions. This gives rise to an everlasting conflict between constitutional requirements and executive action. Nevertheless, judicial opinions in the courts still reassert that failure to adhere to court determinations is a breach of the constitution and that the executive has no option other than to obey them.

3.      3.Funding and control of media pressure:

Media is highly regulated and influenced by funds from, state regulatory, and security organs. Regulatory powers that in many cases impede freedom of expression have been centralized in governmental institutions such as the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) as well as proposed entities, such as the Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA). Advertisement revenue that helps the government discourage critical reports in advertisement serves as a means of spurring self-censorship in media houses who may close down through lack of such revenue. This influence lessens the media's scrutinizing position and discourages people in trusting the press as a free agency.

4.      4.Parliamentarians and Popular Will:

Many parliamentarians face accusations of operating contrary to the will of the people, whether due to alleged corruption, influence by unelected “deep state” actors, or manipulating constitutional provisions to disqualify political rivals. The political environment has been destroyed by controversial disqualifications and legislation that some perceive as undermining democratic representation and political rights.

5.      5.Civil Liberties under Colonial Laws:

In Pakistan, civil liberties have been limited by the colonial laws still existing, including the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), Section 144 CrPC, and Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance (3 MPO). These legislations were initially meant to be used to control colonialists and they still are being used to suppress protest, freedom of assembly, and criminalization of political speech. An example here would be Section 144, which is often misused and used randomly to prohibit protests and political activities, and oppress the voice of opposition and curb any democratic process.

 

6.      6.Public Trust and Institutional Quality:

Public confidence in Pakistan’s institutions is very low. Surveys reveal widespread distrust in the judiciary, legislature, executive, and police. Weak governance, perceived corruption, and lack of accountability have led to a crisis of legitimacy that threatens the state’s foundations. Global governance indicators rank Pakistan’s institutional quality near the bottom internationally, reflecting significant challenges in ensuring transparent and equitable governance.

7.      7.Institutional Quality and Public Trust:

There is a lot of lack of confidence in Institutes in Pakistan. They indicate that there is a massive lack of confidence to the judiciary, legislature, executive and police. Underperforming governance, reputed corruption, and disregard of accountability have caused a delegitimization crisis that can endanger the state itself. In the World Justice Project (WJP) Rule of Law Index, Pakistan is ranked 129th out of 142 countries. This ranking reflects Pakistan's overall score of 0.38, which places it at the bottom of the South Asia region and among the lowest in the lower-middle income countries. The indicator shows lowest quality of institutions globally, which indicates that there are a lot of issues when it comes to maintaining transparent and fair governing.

8.      8.Historical Sacrifices and Current Standing:

Despite the immense sacrifices of ancestors who fought for independence and sovereignty. Today, the country face, problem of institutions that are weak, so that none of the pillars completely stand to protect the rights and demands of democratic principles. This denotes the struggle that the country has had in achieving its ideals of inception, to the pressures of the interest groups with vested political, military and economic advisers, which chart the course of the country.

Summarizing the above-discussed factors, it is possible to note that the independence of the judiciary, the abuse of executive power, control of the mass media, political interference, and colonialist repression are some of the factors that negate the civil liberties and democracy in Pakistan. The restructuring of the institutions that are able to show resilience in defense of citizens rights should involve wholesome reforms, transparency, oversight and new commitment to constitutionalism. This study builds on the past and present developments and legal judgments, governance ratings and media analysis to present an empirical understanding of where Pakistan is, after so much sacrifice in the past.