Whiff of fresh air
by
Javed Hafiz |
Imran Khan and Marvi are weak at political wheeling-dealing
The political temperature in Pakistan is again rising. Pre-election activity in Azad Kashmir has been feverish. It looks like a forerunner to the elections in Pakistan. The government had to concede to the public demand of setting up commissions to probe the Abbotabad assault and Syed Saleem Shahzad murder case. Two separate cases of cold-blooded murders of perceived criminals in Karachi and Quetta by the security agencies have also been in the focus. I look at these developments positively. In very few developing nations would the media or the common man have the courage to record such incidents on candid camera and then rally public opinion for the accountability of the culprits. In the new Pakistan this is happening and the number of holy cows is fast shrinking. President Zardari, like his predecessor, is upset with the media but cannot do much about it. A bold and vibrant media is part of this emerging power equation in Pakistan.
Of late, President Zardari and Nawaz Sharif have been using sharp invectives against each other. This was preceded by an outright vulgar war of words between Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah and former federal minister Babar Awan. Indications are that people are sick and tired of such crude politics. A new poll indicates that Zardari’s popularity is down to 11 per cent and that Imran Khan is emerging as the most popular leader with 68 per cent approval rating. This survey has been conducted by the Pew Research Centre and therefore has credibility. Most significantly, 92 per cent of the Pakistanis do not approve of the direction the country is heading. In case the government loses elections in Azad Kashmir, Nawaz Sharif is likely to push for early elections in Pakistan.
However, the moot question is whether the election results in Pakistan would necessarily be in consonance with such political surveys. I personally think that the elections results would not be exactly the same as the poll results. Just to elaborate my point, Imran Khan and his party cannot get 68 per cent of the total national vote. There are a number of reasons for that. Firstly, such surveys are usually conducted in the urban segments of the population and therefore their national authenticity becomes questionable. Secondly, Imran Khan and his party are not well organised at the grass root levels, in the rural side in particular where a majority of the voters reside. On election day what matters is whether a political party can transport its potential voters to the polling station and feed them a meal or not. The three mainstream parties and Jamate Islami can do that but not Imran Khan.
Another new leader to make headlines is Marvi Memon, who has resigned her party membership and the parliament seat on a question of principle. Marvi belongs to the Muslim League segment propped up by Musharraf. But military dictators have given Pakistan, perhaps inadvertently, some good leaders like Zufikar Ali Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Whether Marvi could rise to a national stature leader remains to be seen but she has created a stir in Pakistani politics. Daughter of former minister and Senator Nisar Memon, well-educated Marvi is like a live wire. She is always in the forefront to espouse the causes of the downtrodden. Whether it is a strike by the clerks or a sit in by the nurses, Marvi is always there physically to support them. She had vehemently opposed her party decision to join the government recently. During the recent budget session, she voted against the finance bill, deviating from the party line.
“I tried to prevail upon the party leadership to change their decision, but in vain. Now the only honourable course open for me is to resign from the PML membership and also as a member of the National Assembly on the occasion of vote on the budget,” said Marvi amid loud desk thumping by the PML(Nawaz) members who are now performing as a real opposition party. Marvi’s dramatic resignation has embarrassed the Choudries of Gujrat tremendously. At the same time, PML(N) has offered her membership. She has become the darling of the TV talk shows. The problem with strong and popular leaders like Imran Khan and Marvi is that they are weak at political wheeling-dealing. However their personal integrity is impeccable and appeals to the middle class educated voter. The poor and uneducated, unfortunately, vote on clan lines or for those candidates who can help them with the local administration.
Nevertheless , these new leaders are like a whiff of fresh air in the traditional feudal politics of graft, cronyism and corruption. |
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