Political leaders asked to implement democratic norms within their parties.

Byline: Ikram Junaidi

ISLAMABAD -- Participants of a roundtable on Thursday said political parties should ensure democracy within their parties to flourish democratic culture and thinking across the country.

They observed that in Pakistan political parties having less democracy were more popular compared to those which had democracy within.

The 'Roundtable conference on internal democracy of major parties of Pakistan' was organised by Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (Pildat) in collaboration with Friedrich Ebert Stiftung-Pakistan at a local hotel.

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Arshad Dad said democracy had never been a part of the culture of the subcontinent.

'Therefore, unfortunately, democracy could not flourish and even people don't care about the democratic culture in political parties,' he said.

Speakers at roundtable say intra-party elections can promote democratic culture in country

Former minister Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) said his party believed in consultation and all its decisions were taken after getting the opinion of party leaders.

Former Senate chairman and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Secretary General Syed Nayyer Hussain Bokhari said though political parties faced criticism for lack of democracy, party heads were competent and capable to keep unity in the parties.

Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F) Deputy Secretary General Aslam Khan Ghauri claimed that there was democracy in his party and elections were held on a regular basis.

'Fazalur Rheman is the party head because of his competence not because he is the son of Mufti Mahmud. He is competent enough to lead the party and ensure its smooth functioning,' he said.

Senator Mir Tahir Bizenjo of National Party (NP) said elections were held in his party at all tiers. He also said there was no permanent head of the party as they kept changing through elections.

'Moreover, it is a misconception that National Party is not...

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