Daily Times

Last week a video went viral on social media, eventually making its way to mainstream media and triggered a nationwide debate. The video clip shows Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and his new wife bowing and supplicating on the threshold of the shrine of the 12th century saint and mystic, Baba Faridudin Ganj Shakar, in Pakpathan, central Punjab.

The ensuing debate is as divisive as our polity and society regarding Imran’s visit to the shrine and his activities there. Both mainstream opinions warrant explanation but should not be treated without keeping in mind the timing and intention of the act.

If faith and belief is a private matter between an individual and God, and if the objective is internal and spiritual satisfaction, then it should be kept within confined premises. Therefore, an individual should not be criticised on how his or her belief and spirituality are conducted. Thus, Imran’s visit to the shrine and the manner of paying homage by bowing in front of a shrine should not be problematized and equated to committing blasphemy.

However, the motive behind this act can be questioned and analysed politically because of Imran’s stature as a public figure, as can its timing and propagation in the public domain. It is not a secret that Imran is aspiring and contending for premiership to head a government. Reaching that position requires support of electorates through a mundane process and clear agenda implemented in return for votes.

The fundamental question is, does Imran lack that agenda or political program? Does he needs to whip up a particular section of opinion in his favour through invoking and using religious representation?

The timing of the visit to the shrine and pursuing symbolic religious representation for political purpose tend to raise questions regarding the hollowness of political ideology and lack of confidence in it. Swami Vivekanada’s quote can best illustrate the situation that, “You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself”. Imran’s current situation depicts he has lost confidence in himself and in his politics.

If he reaches the coveted office of premiership with the blessings of Baba Farid Ganj Shakar, what right does the electorate have to make him accountable? In the name of God, every beggar pleads for alms in return of immaterial blessings.

Thus, if anyone wants to attain power with the help of religion or invoking faith based sentiments, it indicates that person wants to manage and drive your belief without delivering the worldly needs of constituency. Throughout history, invoking religion has been the easiest and most inexpensive way to reach and enjoy unaccountable power.

Aspiring for political power by using religion makes it easy to set intangible goals that outcast earthly accountability mechanisms. Another video from Musa Khel, one of the backward districts of the backward province of Balochistan can better illustrate the point.

In the video making rounds on social media, Maulvi Muhammad Sarwar of JUI while campaigning for Haji Hassan Sherani in Musa Khel, raised the JUI’s flag asking the crowd “Is this not the flag of the Prophet (PBUH)? Is this not the flag of Muhammad Arbi?” The crowd responded in affirmative. “Will you ask others to vote for it or not? Only those who do not believe in Him will not do so”, said Maulvi Sarwar. Turning the flag upside down to reveal the wooden shaft, Sarwar again sought people’s affirmation and asked, “Would you vote for this wood?” He was obliquely referring to the election symbol (Tree) of another political party. It was a shocking display of irreverence paralleling a party flag with the standard of Islam simultaneously turning it upside to belittle an opponent’s symbol. The flailing flag was used to represent JUI’s Islam, and at the same time, its wooden handle was termed un-Islamic!

If Imran Khan reaches the coveted PM’s office with the blessings of Baba Farid Ganj Shakar, what right does the electorate have to make him accountable?

The ‘good’ Maulvi was elected as a member of the Balochistan provincial assembly in 2008 and was a minister in Riasani’s government, allegedly, one of the most inept and corrupt dispensations in the history of Balochistan. He was unseated by the Supreme Court (SC) of Pakistan in September 2010 for holding unsatisfactory educational qualification. As a minster, he was ranked an equal among the corrupt.

Seeking votes in the name of the Prophet’s (PBUP) flag and the Holy Book implies they are noncommittal on delivering anything tangible as representatives of the constituency. How can the voters evaluate their performance of five years in the absence of measurable objectives? Clearly, they are deceiving their voters and faith and religion for earthly gains.

If recent history is anything to go by, has the JUI-F performed or behaved differently while in government as well as in the opposition? If the answer is no and they did as other Romans did, why are they competing in exploiting religious sentiments instead of performing as a political entity?

Another image of an illuminated billboard circulating on the social media, most probably in Lahore, offers the ultimate deal of ‘give vote and seek Jannat’ (paradise) by Labbbaik Ya Rasoolallah.

Countering misuse of religion and faith symbols by ordinary citizens or even political parties is impossible in the prevailing circumstances where the clergy is equipped with the power of issuing fatwas in parallel to the law of the state.

An explanation is required from the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) regarding whether JUI-F mentioned during its registration that the black and white striped flag was the standard of the Prophet (PBUH) which they chose as a party flag? Did the ECP sanction the flag to be used as that of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)? In granting the Mutahida Majlis-e-Amal to use a book asit’s election symbol, was it also given impunity to brandish as a divine book? If it keeps mum on religio-political machinations, engineering and impersonation, how can the ECP fulfilit’s responsibility to ensure a level playing field?

The writer is a political analyst from Swat. He tweets @MirSwat

Published in Daily Times, July 2^nd 2018.