Daily Times

Pakistan People’s Party, the largest political party of the country with a sustained and significant support base in all parts of the country, has turned 42 and the journey continues. People’s Party is undeniably the most effective political outfit with a decidedly anti-establishment hue to emerge from the indigenous political discourse in the history of this country. The roller coaster politics of Pakistan has been through many upheavals since that chilly last day of November in 1967 when the party was founded. People’s Party too, has inevitably turned many colours to readjust to the changing ground realities and has earned thumping accolades as well as biting criticism for its policies and practices. The foundation day of the People’s Party offers a propitious opportunity to take stock of the past, present and the future of the party currently in power.
People’s Party emerged from the political void created by our first encounter with the military adventurism of the Ayub regime. Equipped with the dual promise of democracy (the Westminster model) and socialism (the opaque and populist Afro-Asian brand of the 1960s), Mr. Bhutto rode the crest of unprecedented popularity in the then West Pakistan. The 1971 debacle tolled the bell for the Yahya regime and People’s Party was entrusted with power in the remaining Pakistan. The formidable task of “picking up the pieces” of a country battered in military, political and economic terms was undertaken in earnest and with a fair amount of success. The Simla Accord restored a semblance of peace with India. The passage of a largely consensual constitution furnished a rudder to the ship of the nation. The bid for nationalisation initiated a process that dovetailed with the economic aspirations of the have-nots. However, the federation module made shipwreck on the rock of provincial autonomy. Similarly, the half-baked nationalisation was stymied partly by the powerful stakeholders and partly by the inept stewardship of the enterprise. People’s Party’s first stint in power is stamped by the transformation of a territorial conflict with a neighbouring state into the raison d’etre of the nation itself, the initiation of the nuclear programme, the accommodation of the religious diction in political discourse, precipitating the flight of capital and the beginning of our Afghan imbroglio. The whole inventory reads like a roster of continued political debate. However, the defining feature of the party, right up to the “judicial murder” of Z.A. Bhutto, was its incremental departure from its original economic and political ideals. The forced removal of Mr. Bhutto from the political scene marked the end of the first phase of the PPP as a political party and the beginning of a political cult that may appear to revolve around the Bhutto family but in fact is rooted deeply in the dreams and aspirations of the people. Under Benazir Bhutto, PPP may have undergone a metamorphosis from a left leaning to a liberal democratic centre-left outfit, but it has successfully engendered a pattern of political dynamics interweaving two distinct strands, i.e. unwavering commitment to the people and a series of courageous sacrifices by the leadership. While conceding the chequered record of successes and failures, People’s Party continues to signify the basic contradiction in the body politic of this country, the democratic dispensation embodying the economic and political aspirations of the people as against the national security narrative supported by the retrogressive forces of all hues and colours. Reassuringly, given the present political spectrum, the party seems wedded to carrying on in the spirit of national reconciliation and a pluralist polity. g

Eid’s joys and sorrows

On Saturday, Eid-ul-Azha was celebrated across Pakistan. On
this day, Muslims all over the world commemorate the obedience of Hazrat Ibrahim (PBUH) to God by sacrificing goats, sheep and cattle as a mark of respect. The remarkable unremarkability of this Eid being celebrated on the same day through the length and breadth of this country needs noting. When it comes to celebrating Eid, Pakistan has seen its fair share of controversies — usually related to the sighting of the moon. Traditionally, all the provinces have managed to celebrate Eid on the same day with the exception of NWFP. The local government and religious parties of this region are of the view that they should celebrate Eid on the same day as Saudi Arabia, irrespective of whether they (or their Ruet-e-Hilal Committee) “see” the moon or not. This Eid-ul-Azha the Chairman of the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee Pakistan, Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman was able to confirm the sighting of the Zil-Haj moon and for the first time in recent memory Pakistanis have celebrated Eid together. This is not only a positive development but also a logical one.
While Eid is a time of good, old fashioned festivity, this year it could not have come at a worse time. The present rate of unemployment coupled with the economic downturn has translated into major inflation. It has been impossible for most people to buy (inevitably high priced) sacrificial animals and fulfil their religious obligations. This Eid also brings its own set of problems, the biggest one being that of waste management. Each year, inedible animal parts are thrown out on street corners and sometimes (if we are lucky), on garbage heaps. Two things need to be done. First, the civic authorities need to come up with an efficient and timely method to remove the animal remains and second, there must be a public awareness campaign to educate the general public about their waste disposal responsibilities.
We already have debates raging on the recently announced plans by the government to introduce a five-day working week. This Eid we had four holidays. The question to be asked is: Are we really that hardworking and efficient as to deserve four holidays and a five-day workweek? In a country where productivity still lags behind large parts of the world, an increase in the number of holidays would serve as a detriment to the prosperity of the nation. The consensus to celebrate Eid together is welcome and needed. But neither the government nor the people should ignore the ever-prevalent problems that are associated with Eid, i.e. waste disposal and getting back to work, the first posing health hazards and the second wastage of the better part of the coming week waiting for people to get back from their celebration. *