|
Pak Parliamentarians lost the plot
Barrister Amjad Malik writes on MQM, and PML(N) stand off
Politics of personalities seldom pays off, however, politics of issues does but Pakistani leaders are stuck in between personalities and issues. This hybrid is causing a strain on voters and supporters what to do and due to lack of alternative, media hype is adding to the pressure and their anxiety. 12 May killing is a relevant subject for Pakistanis, and it must be rightly investigated, but so as drone attacks and its effects and or killings at Nishtar park in Karachi and or even operation against MQM. Politics of issues has never been in business in Pakistan. Thousands of cronies revolve round dummies and veneer them as their saintly figures. In such circumstances dissent is an unforgiveable sin, and when might is on your side then dissent is punishable to death by a bullet and in those circumstances freedom of speech, thought and conscience and casting a free vote is a dream come true.
The flurry of exchanges between both sides (PML & MQM) is unwanted and unbefitting to the political norms in any democratic society. The way Altaf responded to the calls of former premier Nawaz Sharif and then the lower tier forgetting all boundaries show that political culture is decaying in Pakistan. It’s a good omen that they both realized sooner before war of words turn into war of guns. Now either media and judiciary with the aid of establishment both civil and military help Pakistanis to make a fair choice and promote and foster a better ‘leadership hunt’ or become stake holders as they do and claim their share at the first available opportunity. Choice is there. Politics of Pakistan is not deep rooted enough to survive the first wave of the tyranny and that is the very weakness the politicians have failed to encompass and accept it as a challenge at the first available opportunity. Dictatorship hesitates if a million voters and supporters are ready to die for the party and their leader willing to die on the suppression of their mandate. Here drawing room politicians who may only create a storm in a cup of tea but may not offer their chest for bullets to the coming dictator are themselves fearful of the elections in their own parties. Some whisper in foreign ears of the royalty and kinship and others avoid, but all are scared of election(s) in their ranks the very basis of democracy and the first step to check military dictatorship. So who will bridle the unbridle power of tyranny which is not confined to military dictatorship alone. Civilian autocrats top the ranking too.
MQM will have to review their politics too if they ever wish to advance to other areas of Pakistan as they have a fascinating manifesto but always is high jacked when crunch came, and 12th May is one of those weaker moments. On 15 May 2007 Damien McElroy on in Daily Telegraph in their title story, ‘Running Karachi-from London’ wrote, “the man in charge of Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, was at his usual command-and-control post at the week end, a sofa in north London.’ News story further sent shock waves to the readers when he wrote, “As his fiefdom descended into brutal violence, with the deaths of at least 40 people reported amid the worst political bloodshed Pakistan has witnessed in years, Altaf Hussain directed his followers by telephone from a safe place more than 5,000 miles away”. The article in last lines quoted, “When asked why Mr Hussain was not deported to Pakistan before he was granted citizenship, a British diplomat said: "He has not committed a crime on British soil." These remarks are worth pondering for karachites so as Britishers.
To me world is closely knit into global village and media’s role is greater than we ever envisaged. The images we saw in Karachi on 12 May 2007 pose a serious question to Pakistani elite to de-weaponise Karachi to promote free exercise of the democratic right of vote. Rule of law, free press, and democracy cannot go hand in hand with blackmailing and rule of bullet. Things are changing, Pakistan is changing, but Pak leaders are in denial of this change and either is unwilling to submit to this change or not willing to run with the flow, failing to move an inch. Message is loud and clear that violence is no more and oppression is history. British Govt was warned in 2007 that if at this juncture it neglects to check the perpetration and penetration of violence from ‘London hub’ directed at Karachi or somewhere else, it will not be able to absolve its duty to protect British public if tomorrow that violence breeds violence and bounce back and its effects reaches to the shore of London. They did not pay heed to those saner calls and readers witnessed that their neglect has caused Dr Imran Farooq his life. It may cost many more, before reaching to a saturation point unless British Govt acts fast and as a policy end these ‘safe heavens’ as a ploy to seek international gains. I am still of the view that, analogy of ‘Long term military dictatorships, shorter civilian rules, where accountability of politicians takes place on the name of corruption’, still is a nightmare for political elites, some of whom may genuinely wish Pakistan well. But bitter reality is that it still remains the destiny of Pakistan. Alas, it is all because of these leaders who do not think when they open their mouth. Can they change this destiny that has confined Quaid e Azam to wall portraits?
Barrister Amjad Malik is a chair of Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK)
30 December 2010
|