Topic: 2025 – Authoritarianism and Democracy
Country: Pakistan
Delegate Name: Owen Krueger
In 2022, Pakistan’s now disgraced and now former Prime Minister Imran Khan attempted an authoritarian takeover of the Pakistani democratic processes. Khan attempted to dissolve the democratically elected Parliament in order to avoid a vote of no confidence and cling to power. Pakistan is extremely grateful that this action was bravely ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. This action stopped this attempted authoritarian from disassembling Pakistan’s democracy. This is far from the first time in which Pakistan has encountered authoritarianism, with 3 military coups taking place in Pakistani history after independence in 1958, 1977, and 1999, respectively. All of these examples demonstrate how Pakistani history has left our nation with the ability to stand with confidence and say that the authoritarianism that is rising in the modern world is a tragedy in the making and must be slowed, if not stopped. Pakistan, being a representative parliamentary democracy, will be the first one to say that democratic systems have made a major positive impact on our great nation, and the Delegation of Pakistan wishes that all nations around the globe are able to experience the same free and fair democratic systems.
It is important to also acknowledge that in Pakistan’s many encounters with authoritarianism, it has recovered or combatted these spells with no international assistance, and Pakistan endured, Pakistan has thrived, and most importantly, we are still democratically free. Pakistani democracy also faces many other pressing issues in that our elected officials and government have addressed. These issues range from economic turmoil to foreign incursions within its borders and devastating terror attacks. All of these issues have had their effects on the state of Pakistani democracy, but have been grappled with by the Parliament and the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
These wondrous benefits, which Pakistan has experienced from its democracy and defeating authoritarianism, have come about in a global ecosystem in which Pakistan has received little assistance from the international community in combating these threats and the active dismantling of Pakistani democratic institutions. The main and if not only reason Pakistan made it through these times of turmoil was the strength of its institutions and the strength of the Pakistani people. Therefore, the Delegation of Pakistan is extremely invested in the course of this committee. Pakistan seeks to find a solution that the international community can agree upon that protects global democratic systems while also promoting national sovereignty and the right to self-determination of global people. Pakistan, through its history with authoritarianism and democracy, can concur that these goals, along with proper structures in government like the Pakistani bicameral legislature, fair electoral systems, and Supreme Court, have all worked to protect and recover democracy in Pakistan. Pakistani elections and Parliament have worked together to ensure that Pakistan is governed in a democratic manner in which the people decide who governs them, and the Supreme Court of Pakistan has successfully protected the nation from one coup and rescued it from one unelected military dictator in 2022 and 1999, respectively. The Delegation of Pakistan wholeheartedly recommends these ideas to be considered by this committee and encourages the international community to utilize these ideas in order to assist in the creation and protection of democracies around the globe so that all nations and peoples can reap the benefits of democracy and self-government, which Pakistan and its people have experienced since independence in 1947.
Works Cited
Snellinger, Amanda. “Pakistan: A Political History.” Asia Society, 2019, asiasociety.org/education/pakistan-political-history.
“Pakistan – History.” Encyclopedia Britannica, www.britannica.com/place/Pakistan/History.
United Nations. “Democracy.” United Nations, 2021, www.un.org/en/global-issues/democracy.
Saifi, Sophia, and Rhea Mogul. “Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan Ousted as Country’s Leader Following Vote of No-Confidence.” CNN, 9 Apr. 2022, www.cnn.com/2022/04/09/asia/imran-khan-voted-out-pakistan-prime-minister-intl-hnk.
