Need for progress
by
Javed Hafiz |
Cries of change have become louder and louder
Until the fall of former Soviet Union, political parties had been classified into three broad groups: left representing socialists, right consisting of religious parties and conservatives, and centre standing for the liberal lot. That broad classification still applies to a majority of countries except perhaps Pakistan. One is at a loss to label the political entities that are thriving in Pakistan. This confusion is worse confounded when a naïve but powerful person like Mulla Sufi Mohammed brands political parties, democracy, constitution and elections as un-Islamic. Where does one place leaders of this ilk who want to dictate, by fair or foul means, peaceful or violent?
For the sake of this analysis, I would classify the current political forces in Pakistan into three main categories; the progressive, the retrogressive and the opportunistic. Progressive forces believe in supremacy of the constitution, rule of law, a potent parliament and plurality of political opinion. On the contrary, the retrogressive groups are prisoners of the past and believe in coercing others to their way of thinking. Their world view is narrow and bigoted. Plurality of opinion is not permissible in their political code. The opportunists have no hard and fast political views. In a democratic set up they pose as champions of democracy and in a military dictatorship, they vow to get the ruler elected in his military uniform, many times over. Selfish political interests dictate their affiliation.
In these columns and in TV discussions, I have been supporting peace agreements in Swat in order to end the miseries of innocent people caught in cross fire. This time around the peace agreement was given an added legitimacy by the support of all elected MPs of Swat and approval by the National Assembly. Mulla Sufi Mohammed got all he wanted on a silver platter. However, his subsequent statements show that he may have got more than he could handle. His pronouncements that the superior judiciary in Pakistan is un-Islamic are unfortunate, to say the least.
Progressive forces in today’s Pakistan are those willing to challenge the status quo and struggle for justice. The lawyers’ movement, of which all Pakistanis can be proud, is a good example. Free and strong media is an asset for progressive leaders to put across their point of view. Aitzaz Ahsan and Ali Ahmad Kurd emerged as outstanding leaders for their own steadfastness and projection by the media. Recently journalists Ansar Abbasi and Absar Alam returned residential plots, given by the government, as they saw a professional conflict in accepting the plots. There certainly is no dearth of such good people in Pakistan.
However, in this land, as elsewhere, the opportunists have, more often than not, prospered. A good recent example of crass opportunism is NRO issued by General Musharaf to prolong his rule while laundering the sins of some politicians. The coalition government in Islamabad is an interesting group of PPP (secular pro-poor), ANP (secular-nationalist), MQM (ethnocentric) and JUI (religious, sympathetic to Taliban). Why should JUI be part of the government allied to international coalition against Taliban?
People of Pakistan have generally voted for leaders with credibility of standing up to the establishment. These leaders, they believe, are capable of denting the status quo. A good example is Z .A. Bhutto leading the PPP in 1970 elections. Some simple and illiterate sections of society believe that Taliban today are capable of denting the status quo and ensuring justice. They do not know that Taliban can take Pakistan to the medieval ages and isolate it internationally. What Taliban project as Islam are actually Pashtun tribal traditions. Islam does not discourage female education or their right to work. It is heartening to note that the major religious party Jamaat-e-Islami has criticised Sufi Mohammad’s statement.
Cries of change become louder and louder when prevailing system does not deliver. The ruling party claims to be pro- poor but has actually lost touch with the downtrodden. Perhaps the Taliban threat would coax it to improve the decadent governance and deliver on its promises. Opportunists of various shades, civil and military, have ruled Pakistan, most of the time. They were focused on their own gains and have brought little relief to the ordinary people.
In a scenario when people feel alienated from the political system favouring opportunists, fundamentalists have a field day. Exploitation of voters, uncertainty, unbridled economic and social change promote fundamentalism. In a period of flux and uncertainty, people need an anchor which is often religion. However, religious extremists in power can take Pakistan to the edge of precipice. In a society where there are various interpretations of Islam, imposition of one interpretation can be an unmitigated disaster.
People of Pakistan want their fields and factories to flourish. They want to be partners in national decision making. They yearn for education and jobs. They long for good governance ensuring justice and merit. They want a level playing field. They want an inclusive system, alive to their aspirations. All this is possible only in a progressive Pakistan, a Pakistan envisaged by Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
Javed Hafiz is former Pakistan’s ambassador to the Sultanate. |
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