Oh boy! It really got my adrenaline flowing in November when I heard an acknowledged TV anchorman gleefully say, “The party’s over!” at the critical juncture when TV was erroneously announcing that the MQM had asked President Zardari to resign and it seemed he’d had it. And sort of like history repeating itself, I even read the statement in an American newspaper. The fact is that this statement has a very interesting history in the annals of our country. For those of us who remember, Mr Bhutto first shouted this phrase, written in a letter signed by the American Secretary of State, as he waved this letter in front of a huge crowd when the Nau Sitara movement was in full swing against him. He wanted to show he had proof of a conspiracy and he retorted, “The party’s not over!”
Alas! Shortly after that Ziaul Haq arrested him, declared Martial Law, extirpated the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), abrogated the constitution and manipulated the judicial murder of the prime minister. Ziaul Haq was at the height of his power. He followed up the slogan of ‘Nizam-i-Mustafa’ with his Islamisation policy, a vocal section of the population hailed him as ‘Mard-e-momin’ and overtly there was universal condemnation of Mr Bhutto and all he stood for. The general ruled for eight years with total power. Ziaul Haq’s victory was complete. There was neither hide nor hair of the PPP during all that time. It really seemed like the party was over.
Strangely enough, today it is Ziaul Haq who is almost universally condemned and his rival, whom he had ignominiously executed (rather assassinated) as a murderer, is idealised. Who could have imagined such a turnaround 25 years later? Apparently, the martyred leader was right after all: “The party’s not over.”
Going back into history again, then there was Benazir’s tumultuous return in 1986. Of course the subsequent elections were rigged, let’s not have any pretences about that and accept, as the American government reported, “They reflected the political trends in the country.” Thus, Ms Benazir was elected to token power for her first term in 1988, but Ghulam Ishaq quickly put paid to that and removed her on corruption charges after less than two years. During that time, there was talk among the above-mentioned vocal segment, that since Zia had not been able to discredit the PPP by suppression, the opposite tactic, electing them into power, would enable the people to see the ‘dhumadhum mast qalandar’ they unleashed and that would discredit them permanently. “The party’s over” was uttered by a certain bureaucrat with much satisfaction and was echoed by many. But, subsequently, in the Islami Jamhoori Ittihad (IJI) (ala General Hamid Gul) and PPP musical chairs during the nineties, Benazir was again returned to premiership in 1993. Now the vocal segment said, “What Zia couldn’t do to discredit the party, Zardari will do!” Thus, when Benazir’s government was again sent packing, this time with umpteen cases against her and her husband, there was much rejoicing: “The party’s finally over.” Thereafter, during General Musharraf’s reign of error, laws were passed, judgments given to ensure that neither Benazir nor Mr Nawaz Sharif — who during this time had also joined the extirpation club — should ever return. Alack and alas! Political realities being what they are, General Musharraf had to undo what he had done and the only way he could think of to do this was the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). As for the party — well, in retrospect, remembering all the slurs and accusations heaped on Benazir during those earlier days, it gives one pause for thought to find that today she’s regarded almost like a martyred saint, even by those who used to criticise her. Thus, though the party was over for one courageous and visionary lady, it still continued with its fare of blood and sought another host.
In fact, now there are two main parties going stronger than ever and the quasi-Islamists, who actually are the main instigators of the undemocratic mindset imbued in some segments of our society, are weaker than ever before, almost isolated in their own institutions, still scheming and spreading their slander, holding on fanatically to a dream that they feel is morally and spiritually right. I will not call it a false dream; everybody is entitled to believe what they want, the only proviso being that nobody is entitled to harm others. Of course justice requires punitive action, but that makes it more important that justice should be fair and across the board, not aimed at two political parties. The reader can interpret these ramblings any way he or she wants. The point I’m trying to make is that certain ways of thinking are in accordance with the times and certain ways of thinking are not, and those that are in accordance with the times will only gain strength and those that aren’t will continuously weaken. No matter how many battles the latter win, eventually they will lose the war! That is why when at that seemingly vulnerable juncture I heard this biased anchorman happily say, “The party’s over!” I, frankly being biased in the other direction, felt happier than he did. There was another TV compere called Lodhi I remember, who had cried when he gave the commentary on Zia’s death. Then after Benazir’s first ouster he suddenly returned to the screen and smiled broadly. Unfortunately, I don’t know why he disappeared so fast after that.
Imran Kureshi is a published author and he can be reached at [email protected]