Daily Times

The demise of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, unfortunately, left Pakistan vulnerable to four fabricated forces. The feudal classes, capitalists, religious stratums and the military establishment high-jacked the entire socio-political and economic structure of the country, compromising the morale of the nation by subjecting them to their own socio-political and economic agendas. These classes overwhelmed the real democracy in the name of egalitarianism, which is the principal reason for the less political training of the common masses during last 70 years. The troika of capitalists, feudalism and religious bodies is strong enough to bound even dictatorial regimes.

The British Raj invigorated above four classes to create a hegemony over the native Indians because India was a British exploited colony, where colonial monarchs used the population, especially the resourceful individuals, by awarding titles, lands, designations and status in return for moving the people according to their welfares. After the partition in 1947, these classes kept on practising their defined and controlled democracy in Pakistan. Political alliances, consisting of political elites and religious political parties tried to destabilise the political regimes and opponents for their turn with the support of the establishment. This behaviour of the political forces is immature enough to destabilise Pakistan internally as well as the principal reason for the downside of the country.

In reality, the history submits absence of any proper political leadership in Pakistan. All that jazz we have now in the name of politics is only an assemblage of blunderers, looters and undignified. Pakistan’s political roots are hydrating immature, visionless political elite and a power-seeking stratum with no record to serve the nation but only to rule. The real politicians can only be found in the pages of history even though they could not continue with their politics because of the supremacy of feudal, capitalist and so-called political, religious leadership. Politicians with feudal backgrounds like Mian Mumtaz Doltana, Feroz Khan Noon, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Malik Ameer Muhammad Khan (Nawab of Kalabagh), Mustafa Jatoi, Akbar Bugti, Benazir Bhutto, etc. compromised their dignity and repute over matured politics despite being foreign qualified.

ZA Bhutto introduced agricultural reforms in the 1970s but forgot to implement them on himself and his companions. He utterly failed to fulfil his manifesto of roti, kapra aur makan. However, the elite feudal class had already disapproved the Ayub’s agricultural policies and reforms, of which he absolutely learnt nothing. Bhutto’s nationalisation policy burdened the national economy and the public institutions. These so-called democratic political and authoritarian regimes are responsible for the unresolved Kashmir issue, water issue, issues with Afghanistan, India, wars of 1948, 1965, division of Pakistan in 1971, Kargil in 1999and the backwardness of interior Sindh, FATA, South Punjab and Balochistan for 70 years.

Currently, the most notorious feudalistic political class includes many Bugtis, Lagharis, Mazaris, Raisaanis, Jamalis, Khoros, Somroos, Nawabs, Sardars. Ironically, the illiterate public crown these corrupt icons.

Feudalistic political figures are the core obstacle to construct a big dam like Kalabagh in Pakistan. They are using the provincial cards to continue with their political games to get the favour of voters. CPEC is another project Musharraf, PPP and Nawaz regimes are claiming its credit for political additions, not for the development of the country.

The provincial governments are spending billions of rupees on advertising their bogus and on papers development projects. In corruption, Pakistan stands on 117 out of 180with 58 percent literacy rate according to the economic survey of Pakistan 2018.

Corrupt landlords, feudals and capitalist political mafia have grown strong in Pakistani society, respective constituencies and ruling forums

The opportunistic politics of political parties like MQM, Pakhtunkhwa Mili Awami Party of Mahmood Achakzai, ANP and the religious political parties like JI, JUI-F, JUI-S, ANP, etc Is dividing the nation, generating hate, racism and provincialism. Particularly JUI-F and MQM have always remained the part of about all ruling parties for political and economic benefits. PTI, with KP model of administration, does not seem to have an unambiguous political portfolio in the rest of the country that can be a reason for the failure of Imran’s manifesto and agenda. PTI must revise and form an inclusive plan for the forthcoming election campaign.

Regrettably, many Pakistanis, particularly mainstream politicians, are involved in white-collar corruption, which is difficult to investigate and appears to be their only development zone as they have developed corruption immunity over the past decades. The recent Panama case, metro corruption cases along with many illegal contracts and fire incidents in government offices like LDA plaza are its worst patterns. Asif Zardari in many cases got clean chit because the record and evidence against him vanished mysteriously. Politics is an occupation for most of the Pakistani politicians; they want to remain in power to maintain their corruption, illegal activities and unlawful wealth.

Nawaz Sharif is allegedly involved in corruption estimated Rs 300 billion; Dr Asim more than Rs 400 billion, Sharjil Memon and fellows convicted in Rs six billion. Senior politicians like Raja Parvez Ashraf, Yousaf Raza Gillani (former PM), Makhdoom Amin Faheem (Late) and Hamid Saeed Kazmi etc. also have serious corruption charges. Swiss banks are stashed with more than $200 billion of Pakistanis money, including many politicians, but no government is willing to bring the money back. Many Pakistani politicians including Ishaq Dar and Asif Zardari have properties worth billions of rupees in the UAE and UK but are paying no taxes properly in Pakistan, which on the other hand is another criminal offence.

The PMLN recently used the Parliament, FIA, FBR, NAB, SECP, Police and many other national and provincial institutions as a tool to overcome and pressurise the accountability process against them. The anti-establishment and judiciary policies, speeches and statements of the PML-N leadership, ministers and leaders are on record. It was all to manipulate institutions agreeing to their own benefits. To cover their fiscal maladministration, Sharif regime adopted the policies of getting heavy loans and privatisation of national assets like PIA, Pakistan Steel Mills, etc.

The injudicious economic policies of Ishaq Dar proved these politicians ineligible for their offices. The Supreme Court remarks about the administrations of Punjab and Sindh particularly are shameful for the provincial governments of both of these provinces. The situations in FATA and Balochistan are also despondent and unsubstantial because of worthless and corrupt political administration of the country. Strikingly, Sharif family is currently indulged in moral corruption to hide economic and political corruption.

The corrupt landlords, feudals and capitalist political mafia have grown strong enough in Pakistani society, respective constituencies and ruling forums. The interior regions of the provinces and tribal areas are the portraits of their cruelties and hegemonies. Furthermore, Police and public administration are under their command, which leaves no option fora layman to live a respectable independent life.

The ‘feudal lords’, even at present, have their own rules, laws, prisons, traditions, systems, codes and punishments. They assume themselves above the law, and political regimes cannot contain them because of political alliances, vote bank and partisan purposes. These feudal politicians, categorically the ‘lords’ of their areas, use jirgas and panchayats forums in order exploits and overcome the masses treating them as slaves. This is one of the primary reasons for the backwardness of Balochistan, FATA, interior Sindh and Punjab.

The mainstream political parties are playing provincial cards for political gains, compromising federal unity and integration. PPP Sindh, PTI Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PMLN Punjab and tribal lords of Balochistan consider only their respective provinces and localities. The current behaviour of so-called Pakistani politicians is extremely alarming for the national unity. They are consciously dividing the nation to fulfil their political agendas.

What’s more, allegedly, many politicians are behind the extremist and terrorist groups. They support them to get political assistance and practise fascist ideologies particularly to win the general elections. On the other hand, many political parties have militant wings; MQM, ‘Peoples Aman Committee’ of PPP and many others use their militant wings to snub political opponents. They have also been found involved in land grabbing, ransom and looting to collect funding are common practices of these militant wings.

That is not all; the rivalry politics is generating hatred among the common masses. The speeches and statements against other provinces by the politicians are injurious for the future existence of Pakistan. During past 70 years, these political entities could not develop a uniform political structure in the country due to which the instability in departments like police, revenue, public administration, health and education system is supportive for their political stability as ‘ignorance is a blessing’. The weak system is their strength. A nonprofessional cannot get justice, police help or social benefits without the will and support of the respective lord or politically influential character.

In fact, the conventional politics is the root cause of the socio-political and economic decline of Pakistan. For the political hegemony, so-called corrupt political mafias have high-jacked the State of Pakistan with the help of manipulated democracy. This is political terrorism and the foulest example of a ‘forced State within State’. Minus traditional political culture will be a huge challenge in the forthcoming general elections. These elections must be an opportunity to keep the hope alive for Pakistanis to eliminate the conventional political culture and prove Pakistan an ‘enlighten Pakistan’.

The writer can be reached at busharathistorian@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, April 16^th 2018.