(04/01/08, Letter to the Editor, printed in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Pakistan looks to democracy
By Qamar Ahmad
Duluth, Georgia

As a Pakistani immigrant in the United States, I keep tabs on the political scene in Pakistan.

The political process is back on track. A democratically elected prime minister is in place. The judges are no longer under house arrest. Yet this is only a partial solution. To be a sustainable democracy, Pakistan will need to restore the constitution of 1973 as a start. This means doing away with dictatorial powers of the president of Pakistan, granting full citizen status to religious minorities and enforcing the law without religious, political or social discrimination.

Only then can we start marching toward fulfillment of the dream of founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, who saw Pakistan as a secular and just democracy.

Editor's Note:  The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is the largest newspaper south of Washington, D.C., and east of Houston.