In Pakistan, political slogans convey the facts of life and are sometimes revealing the hidden information of meaningful nature. Post partition number of slogans had made their way in our society. Ayub Kutta Hai Hai, during the days of former President Ayub Khan became quite famous even after his resignation and exit from active politics, was seen on many walls.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP’s) famous slogan "Roti, kapra aur makan" has stayed with us for four decades and it still inspires the low-income cadres of the party who form the nucleus of the party. Another popular PPP slogan, "Bhutto family hero hero, Baqi saray zero zero,” bluntly conveys that only the Bhuttos count in the party as the rest don't have a value more than a zero. This has made number of old PPP stalwarts and uncles of slain Benazir Bhutto, angry and finally out of the party.

"Qadam bharao Nawaz Sharif, Hum tumharay saath hain," means move ahead Nawaz Sharif, we all are with you, also gained popularity when the PML-N leader was being moved ahead and take on his rivals during IJI days. Some analysts say that it also was an effort to create the Nawaz Sharif cult in our peculiar dynastic politics which is the blood of our main stream political parties.

MQM, in our national politics have coined number of political slogans to create the room for Altaf Hussain. The activists of any political party wouldn’t work on their own unless they have been instructed to do so and MQM “fighters” are die hard lovers of deaths, as their slogan is “Hum ko Manzil Nahee Rehnuma Chaheya” means we don’t need to achieve our goals; we need only a leader, is the guiding light for them! You have not seen such an idiotic or funny slogan all in your life which says that a leader is needed rather than the goals set by the party. Another view is that it is such a useless slogan, means leader is having precedence over the targets. Or some analyst say that Muhajir community linked with MQM will not accept any target without Altaf Bhai.

This is a real question to identify the “targets or goals” of political parties of Pakistan especially MQM which portrays itself as the representative of 98% oppressed class of Pakistanis!

I would like to extend this slogan little bit more on to the political parties of Pakistan. Let’s start with founder of Pakistan. If this slogan would have been there before partition in 1947 and common people used to say, “Hum ko Pakistan Nahee Quaid e Azam Chaheya” means we don’t need Pakistan; we need Muhammad Ali Jinnah only. If it would have been the case then most likely, Quaid e Azam himself, should have asked his lovers to stop chanting this slogan.

No one in pre-partition India had raised any such slogan – we don’t need independence of India; we need only Gandhi. Even the man with whom Altaf Hussain is inspired in his early political days – G M Syed; his followers, with so much love for Syed, didn’t raise any such slogan.

This slogan is mostly the brain child of dictators. Military dictators are the true reflection of MQM’s this slogan such as Yaha Khan proved it with his actions that he doesn’t need Pakistan but his own self was more important than the country. Same is true in case of Musharraf when he was demolishing the institutions and tribal Pakistanis as he felt that his own personality (or his prolonged tenure of govt) is more important than Pakistan or Pakistanis.

Jo Quaid Ka Ghaddar Hay Wo Maut Ka Haqdarr hay, means anyone who betrays Altaf Hussain; only deserves death punishment was quite common among MQM activists during the days of 1992 Karachi Army Operation & there after. As there’s no election mechanism within MQM, the loyalty with Altaf Hussain is trend-setter in the party to gain benefits, national or provincial assemblies’ seats tickets or minister ships portfolios. I believe that within this context this slogan appears to be a practical approach for MQM activists!

Beside that, Karachi residents are aware of few other slogans such as MuhajirouN kay teen Ghaddar – Mir Jaffer, Mir Sadiq, and Mir Khalil ur Rehman. This means there have been three traitors within the Muhajir community, Mir Jaffer (who betrayed Muslim Indian ruler Siraj ud Daula during war of Plassey), Mir Sadiq who betrayed Tipu Sultan and the founder of Jang group, Mir Khalil ur Rehman. Probably it is assumed that Jang group had betrayed Altaf Hussain by not publishing his photo at his desired place. This was chanted by MQM activists when Jang group of news papers had refused to publish Altaf Hussain’s photo on to the front page of daily Jang, an Urdu newspaper, near the main headline.

It is still in memory of many Karachi residents that they have seen number of banners hoisted in district central where a welcoming note for Altaf Hussain birthday celebration mentioning him as Mohsin e Insaneeyat Ko Salgirah Mubarak means happy birthday to the well wisher of humanity. Whole world knows that this title in Urdu language is meant for last Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallahu Alihay wassallum (peace be upon him) and no one attributed after him for same!

Until recently, MQM’s new slogan Karachi Kis Ka – MQM Ka, means who is the owner of Karachi - that’s MQM, had raised major concerns for other communities residing in the city such as Pathans, who own most of the transport business in the city.

Probably such slogans are true in case of “political” parties like MQM as they are not having any defined goals to achieve or they have violated their own early claims such as quota system removal or Bihari’s repartition. Except now days to “get rid of Taliban” to save their Karachi which they had made “kingdom of terrorism” since last two decades!

Or the leader himself is vision-less and he can’t see beyond himself. He feels that he would be the founder of MQM forever and after him most likely his daughter would take care of MQM, like all other feud-political parties functioning in Pakistan.