Daily Times

Historically, Pakistan’s military has been blamed for impeding democratic progress in the country through continuous intervention as well as imposing martial law on different occasions. However, the contribution of our democratic leaders towards the dismantling of democracy is always ignored. Owing to their immaturity and lust for power, these leaders have a record of hitching conspiracies against one another; creating a smooth path for military intervention.

In the aftermath of General Elections of 1977, Pakistan National Alliance (PNA), comprised of all religious parties, hit the roads to protest against election results. Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP), under the leadership of Zulifqar Ali Bhutto, won around 158 seats, while PMA succeeded in getting only 36 seats. To keep the wheels of democracy moving, Bhutto offered to hold re-elections against 30 to 40 seats, but the offer was declined. The PMA later demanded to impose Sharia Law. In response to their wills, Bhutto banned alcohol, nightclubs and gambling. Still, they continued their protests. As a result, it gave ample opportunity to the military ruler, Zia-ul-Haq, to impose direct military rule and damage the very fabric of democracy in Pakistan. Had PMA not created problems; it would have been difficult for the military to overthrow a democratic government. Afterwards, it took years to establish proper democratic rule again in the country.

The next General Elections were held in 1988 after the death of Zia-ul-Haq in a plane crash. Benazir Bhutto, this time, led PPP, and the coalition of around nine parties was formed against her, known as Islami Jamhoori Ittihad (IJI). The result of elections was in her favour. She won 92 seats out of 215, and IJI secured 54 seats. The most important leader of IJI was Nawaz Sharif, who had served as Chief Minister Punjab during Zia era. Benazir Bhutto became Prime Minister, but the IJP formed government in the most influential province of Pakistan, Punjab with Nawaz Sharif as Chief Minister. Mr Sharif, being a democratic leader, created problems for Benazir Bhutto and employed tactics to dissolve her government. It was due to the non-compliance of the Punjab province that Benazir Bhutto failed to govern the country effectively; leading to the dissolution of the democratic government. If Sharif or IJP had supported Benazir, democracy would have never been derailed.

Benazir Bhutto did the same mistake. She did not cooperate with Nawaz Sharif, the then Prime Minister of Pakistan, and played a part in his removal in 1993. Both democratic leaders celebrated the ouster of each other from the government and distributed sweets among their supporters without knowing the fact that they were, indeed, damaging the democratic progress in the country.

Any measure that obstructs the democratic progress must be avoided. Otherwise, it will create room for undemocratic forces

In 2006, both leaders realised their mistakes and signed the “Charter of Democracy.” Under this agreement, they agreed to not become a part of any strategy, which could derail the democracy in the country. The PPP and the PML-N stuck to this agreement throughout their tenure from 2008 to 2018. For instance, during the PPP government in 2008, although Nawaz Sharif had many reservations with Asif Ali Zardari, he did not stage a protest to remove him and preferred to engage in verbal war instead. Asif Ali Zardari followed the same line of action during the PML-N government, which came in power in 2013 through democratic transitions. It was the only reason that democracy survived and blocked the way for undemocratic forces from grabbing the power.

Very recently, PML-N and PPP seemed to be repeating the same mistake by extending their support to Moulana’s so-called “Azadi March” against the elected government of Imran Khan. They are diverting from their ideology to let the democratic governments move smoothly and remove any stumbling rock that stands in its way. Their support extended to Moulana does not augur well for the future of democracy in Pakistan. Any measure that obstructs the democratic progress must be avoided. Otherwise, it will create room for undemocratic forces.

Before extending his support for Moulana, the chairman of PPP, after the assassination of his mother, Bilawal Bhutto must realise his maternal grandfather and mother had once been the victims of similar tactics inflicted from leaders of opposition parties. Instead of trying to remove Imran Khan, he must support him recalling atrocities being launched against the elected government of PPP in the past.

Being the two largest democratic parties, PPP and PML-N must ensure the interest of democracy is put above the personal interest while taking any measure hinted against Imran Khan and his party.

The writer is a columnist