Daily Times

The future of Pakistan looked bleak that evening. There was blood in the streets and fire all over the country. Angry mobs had poured into the city centres, furiously burning down the state properties to ashes. At other places, people got together and cried stridently, cursing the administration and wailing for help at the same time. Those who stayed at home were glued to their television screens, their hearts racing and tears flowing down their eyes. Benazir Bhutto had been shot to death, stone-heartedly, in the middle of an election campaign on that evening, an election that she was probably going to win. With her assassination, the hopes for democracy vanished in the air and a deep fog of uncertainty filled the sky.

In that murky environment, when each passing moment brought more bad news for Pakistanis, there was only one thing that could be seen clearly in the country: rage of the people. There was nothing that would calm them down, nothing would sooth their pain. They were ready to burn everything that tried to stop them, until one person spoke up. Calm, composed and peaceful, Asif Ali Zardari said unambiguously to the people in a press conference that his party was going to participate in the elections and would refrain from any activity that could weaken the federation. With that announcement, he had taken the first step towards long term political stability in Pakistan. It also seemed through his speech that his political ideology was, after all, not very complicated, mainly consisting of two major attributes: political reconciliation and an uninterrupted democratic process.

No, I am not talking about the infamous National reconciliation Ordinance. And yes, I know many of you would like to differ from me (big time), and would formulate your own list to save the country. That list, I am certain, would include affective governance, improved economy, ending war on terror and abolishing corruption from society (in nine days!). I totally agree with every item in the bucket; however, in my opinion, the significance of all these issues becomes secondary when people of various provinces living in a federation do not want to stay together anymore. Understanding this fundamental point, a few months after the formation of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led coalition government in Islamabad, Zardari took oath as the president of Pakistan in 2008 (and surprised all of us).

Being the head of the ruling coalition and the president of Pakistan, he had a unique opportunity to lessen the differences between political parties and promote a culture of tolerance between them. He may also have realised that the parties in the absence of effective and genuine leadership had been unable to connect with the people who yearned for a collective and comprehensive effort to get the nation out of its predicament. In the last few years, he had noticed the culture of dialogue was systematically replaced by coercion and violence. The situation in Balochistan had ballooned out of control after the murder of Sardar Akbar Bugti. In Karachi, the massacre of May 12, 2007, had added further fuel to the fire. After that incidence, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) had refused to negotiate with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf was going to work with the Scotland Yard to declare it a terrorist organisation. On top of that, there was the baggage of the PPP’s own past that he had to carry, which included the rivalry (to be politically correct) with Sharifs of Lahore and a semi-military operation in Karachi.

Nonetheless, Zardari had decided to surprise everyone, including his own party, without making tall claims. As a departure from the politics of the past, he let the PML-N form their government in Punjab even when they did not have a simple majority. His message was loud and clear: the PPP under his watch did not believe in ‘horse trading’ (except in Balochistan, which is an entirely different story). As the single biggest political party in the province, the PMLN was able to form a government only with the direct support of the PPP in the beginning, and later with the help of a legally questionable unification block of the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid. This gesture of goodwill was later reciprocated by Mian Nawaz Sharif in 2010 when he was disinclined to form a federal government once the PPP’s partnership with MQM and Jamiat Ulema Islam-Fazl had fallen apart. The PPP, at that time, had to join hands with the PML-Q in the centre for the rest of its term.

Today, after five years of what was once declared as chaos, every major political party is willing to negotiate with another. Imran Khan has emerged as formidable opposition in Punjab for Sharif, a political victory that he could not seize during the dictatorial rule of General Pervez Musharraf. Furthermore, both Sharif and Khan are quiet on the subject of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), each willing to see it as a potential coalition partner in future. Finally, some of the exiled leadership of Balochistan is back and participating in the general elections, which is a clear sign of hope and optimism.

No doubt, our ride under the leadership of Zardari has been rough, full of tragedies and disappointments. But, who can disagree with me that the roots of almost all democratic institutions have grown deeper and stronger for the first time in the last five years? The judiciary has asserted its independence (sometimes more than needed); executive has been made more accountable (although, a lot still needs to be done); and media (the fourth estate) has been formidably proactive and vocal. Parliament has successfully passed three major constitutional amendments and has balanced the constitution in favour of the elected government once again.

With all these achievements in hand now we are ready to enter into a new phase of nation building. Its foundation — the democratic institutions — has been strengthened in the last five years, however, its administrative structure is still very weak. We need a team that can remodel and upgrade that administrative block in the next term. Today, we have the power in our hands. We are ready to vote and make history tomorrow. Best of Luck Pakistan!

The writer is a US-based freelance columnist. He tweets at @KaamranHashmi and can be reached at skamranhashmi@gmail.com