Political Joker 2013

By Barrister Amjad Malik

On 23 December 2012, Dr Tahir Ul Qadri addressed a mammoth gathering on returning to Pakistan seeking public support to March and move towards Islamabad to postpone elections. The man was teaching public the norms of constitution and how to bring accountability first and politics on a ‘cup of tea’, but funnily after spending a huge amount of money on publicity. His charity Minhaj ul Quran is doing well in house and overseas in west and whether ‘donors’ were aware that the money for charitable causes will be spent on ‘surgical’ operation of the rotten politics of Pakistan is ‘not into my knowledge’. But one thing is for sure, that its old murree brewery ‘rum’ in a new bottle of saving state not politics.  

Let’s see pros and cons before making a judgement. Muhammad Tahir ul-Qadri aged 62 is not new to politics of Pakistan. He was once a Member national Assembly of Pakistan(MNA), a sufi scholar and an imam of sharif run ‘Ittefaq mosque’ a former professor of international constitutional law at the University of the Punjab, and a briefcase supporter of referendum of General Musharraf’s style of governance to rid Pakistan of corruption. He founded The Minhaj University as well as an international relief charity, ‘Minhaj Welfare Foundation’. He was also the founding chairman of the political party ‘Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’. He was no longer involved in politics after resigning from member of Parliament seat, and preferred to do his preaching (Allah tauba) in Canada where figures are not known but i must say thousands must have converted to Islam on account of his character, sayings & doing and hidden blessings (unconfirmed). 

TQ is inciting for mammoth revolution, inviting army & judiciary’s involvement to rid Pakistan from corruption first and then hold elections and last but not least he prefers to do this solo through street power. He is a good orator no doubt about it but like imran khan referred this election as a battle of ‘Badar’ what a foolish comment, similarly, Dr TQ is making a big mistake by referring to his coffin march as a ‘karbala2’ battle. No way nearer to the struggle of those pious men and women who laid their lives so that one day we honourably could take pride of being Muslims. So let’s leave this dirty politics of Pakistan to the remits and limits we live in and he can refer it as ‘Debang2’ after khan’s Debang1 at the same cinema but not karbala please.

 Accountbaility is a good slogan easy to be manipulated by establishment. ‘March’ is to have a fair & representative across the board caretaker set up which may achieve some tangible results but not to have election in the short term will ruin Pakistan. Pakistan is run by nexus for almost 65 years of its life. Military & judiciary with the aid of civil bureaucracy and puppets ruled Pakistan and what we got, ‘Nothing’ is the answer as zero plus zero is always zero. No military dictator could bell the cat the so called ‘corruption’ but having said that no stake holder is willing to offer for accountability. Judges wish for Supreme Judicial Council their own brothers to judge the Generals opt out for court martial only and say no to civilian oversight , Journalist, lawyers, Doctors, you name any class hence no judge and general has been penalised since the constituon has take shape. Justice sheikh Shaukat was pre 1973 case and whether any 3 star general ever tried for corruption I do not remember if any has been barred during active service.

 ‘Extensions’ to civil sector bad joke but to army personnel is a good omen as personalities are higher than the institution is name of the game and no one truly understand the meaning of Article 5 of the constriction of Pakistan that everyone is duty bound to protect the interest of Pakistan. Well Doctor’s idea is good but style is bad and process he wishes to adopt is ‘funny’ so how we can muster accountability, governance and boost economy is a million dollar question.

I understand that two big parties are worried of the sudden influx of establishment to override their decision to hold new elections via non elected entities. But that can too be streamlined by proper representation at the caretakers, and by letting the election take place where Election machinery do their job fairly and try to robustly discourage fake credential, duals, fake degree holders, tax evaders, morally corrupt and those stand disqualified at the altar of Art.62. I am afraid Dr Tahir ul Qadri too carrys question mark on account of his Canadian nationality (if he has one). Once we have a new set up then voter priority must be for those who can pave way for accountability process across the board, economic growth and governance in Pakistan. If we remain enslaved to IMF then independent foreign policy is a dream.  Only then problems may be solved or we can go nearer to solving them. 

I remember 12 October 1999 when a general came with his two dogs without big moustache and a prayer mat unlike his predecessor General Zia Ul Haq this time to bring enlightened moderation and strict accountability with his seven points agenda for 3 years. Though he left after nine but left shamefully after giving NRO (National Reconciliation Ordinance) pardoning die hard criminals of their guilt and shaming our then most respectable judge of the country Mr. Justice Iftikhatr Mohammed chaoudhary. He is now in exile regretting of his both actions but he never answered to people why he meagrely caved in before his masters when Gen Ayub Khan forewarned his followers that we need ‘friends not masters.  

So lesson of history is that Pakistan was made by these so called ‘illiterate’ to some by a strength of ‘vote’ though they were not graduates, and that same will be saved by the Pakistanis who have a stake and a heart to do anything for their homeland. Stake holders must decide once for all that are they are ‘ready’ to face the accountability sword across the board or they still will prefer naming and shaming each other as ‘political class’ is an easy target but experience shows that slavery is promoted in Pakistan by non political forces. Atomic power was inaugurated and tested by two civilian premiers but I leave that to the public to judge.  If they are ready then let the ‘ballot’ decide the priorities for Pakistan, let the process continue, let the institutions churn out the best of the best and leave this nonsensical talk of referring it ‘balder’ or ‘Karbala’ as neither they are saints by character nor their worship is sacred as those disqualified must not play with the emotions of their supporters if sporty and followers if ‘joker’.

 Lets defeat the mindset and liberate Pakistan from the clutches of the western power led entourage and build it a Pakistan of Quaid e Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah a Barrister, a founder and a statesman. Let’s make a contribution so that his soul rest in peace.

 When I am writing these lines its the daughter of east Benazir Bhuttoo’s death anniversary. May her soul rests in peace and I hope one day his murders will be unearthed to face the wrath of God, Only one day. I must say BB Pakistan misses you after 5 years of ppp led govt.  

Barrister Amjad Malik is a chair of the Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK).

 27.12.2012