Daily Times

In Pakistan, for decades, the citizenry has been dismissed as not being ready for democracy. Rather than holding those in power to account for their role in breaking the social contract and unravelling already fragile safety nets. Yet the time has come to admit that it is, perhaps, Pakistan’s top political leadership that is fairly ill-prepared to deliver on this front.

After all, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is a billionaire. His father, Asif Ali Zardari, does not lag far behind with assets totalling a cool Rs.758 million. Between them, they co-chair the PPP; a party founded on the socialist fundamentals of “roti, kapra aur makaan”. Maryam Nawaz is reportedly worth Rs845 million. While the relative ‘pauper’ Imran Khan has a meagre Rs38 million to his name. All these assets are grossly undervalued and the real worth of our political elites is far greater than the wealth declarations show.

There is nothing wrong with this, per se. As long as this has been procured or inherited by fair means, not foul. That being said, it does, however, raise important questions as to just how in touch with the common (wo)man these political bigwigs can truly be. Pakistan, after all, is a nation where officially 30 percent of the population live below the poverty line; the latter translating into Rs3,030 per adult per month. Or put another way, some 55 million are struggling to sustain themselves on a daily basis.

Yet this is not only about money. Immense privilege is at the heart of the matter. Though one has to wonder about the merits of, say, an Oxford education. Especially when it took the PTI supremo, by his own admission, some eight days in Lahore’s Central Jail — under the last bout of emergency rule — to understand first-hand the plight of the poor and the non-deliverance of justice. Which lends credence to the argument that the latter can never be guaranteed by those who know not what it is to suffer.

Yes the electoral process continues and it is a transformational moment for Pakistan. But the super rich remain in control of political parties as well as the electoral game. To contest and win an election costs millions and therefore the ‘electables’ are what parties seek. In other words, the system is geared to favour the rich and provide them with avenues of personal and familial enrichment. And even when these top dogs ‘deliver’ for the ordinary folk, it is a hand-out; a reward for the clients or worse a means to collect rent.

Thus in order to ready the Pakistani citizenry for democracy, the country must first come to terms with dismantling prevailing power structures that benefit the privileged. Of course, this is not a phenomenon peculiar to here. It is, rather, the nature of the global capitalist beast. And the only way to counter this is through real grassroots action. Which is why the three-day sit-in outside Bani Gala this week was so important. For it signalled to all political players, not just the PTI, that the workers have had enough of being lorded over by the elite.

We hope the latter has heard this message. Loud and clear.  *

Published in Daily Times, June 22^nd 2018.