Political brinkmanship

Long marches are the order of the day in Pakistani politics!

Exercising their constitutional right to protest, the government as well as the Opposition have decided to play the politics of long marches and are seeking to gain an upper on each other on the dint of their popularity and support among the masses.

But how effective will these long marches prove, only time will tell.

Commenting on the politics of protest marches, Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) senior leader Senator Maula Bux Chandio said there is nothing wrong with the protest marches and they are very much a part of democratic and parliamentary politics. “In the civilized societies of the world, the opposition parties stage protests against the government’s decisions which they feel could harm the reputation of the state, the masses and the Parliament. It is one of the most effective options and we have been pushed to the limits to stage such a protest. Tell me what does one do when the government does not allow the opposition to protest and adopts despotic policies and strives to crush political opponents without ever debating the issues at any forum or without taking the Parliament into confidence?”

He said the impact of the protest marches is bound to force the government to mend its ways. “When such big protests are held, they prove eye-openers for wise rulers who realise the discontent and misery the masses are going through. They are forced to evolve some fruitful strategies to improve their governance and address the burning issues at top priority.”

Chandio, however, admitted that unfortunately unalloyed democracy could never really develop in Pakistan and pure democratic values could not be strengthened their roots due to a sort of dictatorial democracy prevalent here.

“The protests and the long marches would have no repercussions if both sides — the opposition and the ruling party— follow some principles.                                                                                       ”For example, if the opposition parties protest peacefully, the government should not use force to crush it because that will cause agitation,” observed Chandio.

He said all workers of PPP and of other like-minded parties would actively participate in the protest march announced by PPP leadership on Feb 27 from Karachi to Islamabad going through Thatta, Badin, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Moro and other districts of the province.

He said the political process has no negativity in democracy. This is a positive and pragmatic approach, when the regime oppresses rights of people and opposition.

He said the government must listen to views of the opposition parties and open the door for parleys, it will revamp the political process.

He said the PPP is going to stage the protest march against the unprecedented inflation, freeze over salaries and pensions and the increasing unemployment in the country.”

Endorsing Chandio’s views, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Sindh president Shah Mohammad Shah said rising against injustice and the dictatorial policies of the government is “our constitutional right.”

“There are only two ways — protests and a vote of no confidence at the Parliament —-  to make the selected Prime Minister go home. We will exercise all constitutional rights and adopt all modus operandi for supremacy of the Constitution, sustainable democracy, freedom of expression, independent judiciary and strong institutions.”

He said the protest movement has already been launched by PDM under the leadership of Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PML-N is also part of the PDM like other parties.

“On March 23rd, we will reach Islamabad and we won’t come back until the government is overthrown,” said Shah. “We are going to start the protest under the leadership of Maulana [Fazlur Rehman] either on March 18th or 19th and will march from Karachi to Islamabad while passing through various districts and cities of Sindh and Punjab. The selected PM is unable to run Pakistan. Therefore, I call this demonstration as Pakistan Bachao Tehreek (save Pakistan).”

He said the PPP has also adopted the same strategy like that of PDM and it [PPP] and is also taking out a protest march which commenced from Feb 27 to topple the selected federal government, led by Imran Khan.

He also claimed that PPP, Awami National Party (ANP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement- Pakistan (MQM-P), PTI’s disgruntled leader Jahangir Tareen and PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Parvez Elahi will be part of the PDM in days to come. “The good news of all these people joining our march will come soon and this selected PM will run abroad. The PM could adopt an unconstitutional way to dissolve assemblies, but we won’t allow him to go unconstitutionally,” he remarked.

Meanwhile, leader of the Opposition in Sindh Assembly, Haleem Adil Sheikh said protest marches are part of democracy. “It depends on the slogan and objectives of the protest march. If demonstrations are held to highlight and resolve the issues pertaining to the masses, it will become successful and will benefit democracy. But if they are designed by vested interests to make some illegal gains, it will be a flop and a complete waste of time and resources.

“For example, the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) took out rallies but failed to garner support of people because they know such protests are aimed to save corrupt people like Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto.”

He said the oppressed people of Sindh and activists of PTI would join Haqooq-i-Sindh March to expose the thieves of Sindh and bring an end to their mega corruption and pathetic administration in the province. “This is a democratic way to protest the 14-year dictatorial rule of the PPP.”

Sharing details of the protest, Sheikh said Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) will start ‘Haqooq-i-Sindh March’ under the leadership of PTI secretary general Asad Umer and PTI’s Sindh president Ali Zaidi, with PTI’s central vice chairman Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi  and other party leaders from joining the march from Ghotki on Feb 26. “The march will culminate on March 6 with a grand public gathering in Karachi after passing through 27 major cities of the province including Sukkur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Khairpur Mirs, Naushehro Feroze, Nawabshah, Sanghar, Mirpur Khas, Umerkot, Mithi, Badin, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Hyderabad,  Jamshoro and others,” he said.

Haleem Adil claimed it (march) would prove to be the beginning of achievement of rights for the people of Sindh and is aimed to sympathise with them because they have long been suffering in the tyrannical and oppressive rule of PPP. Äll resources in the province of Sindh have been looted and plundered and people here do not have access to proper health, education, clean water and other basic facilities which is highly condemnable.”

“The Zardari mafia has turned this province (Sindh) into ruins, while the honour of the daughters of Sindh and their lives and properties are at stake in the province,” he lamented.

Senior analyst Hussain Naqi said Pakistan is a developing country where the armed forces often intervene in political affairs to a great extent and donot want any democratic regime to stabilize..

He said there is only one course for people to mobilise and come forward while protesting in public. “In Pakistan and Latin American countries, practices of authoritarian regimes are taken over with either the support of armed forces or at the behest of armed forces or directly by the armed forces.

He said in Pakistan, this [practice] started because of the weakness of political leadership or beleaguered political governments in the saddle.“Pakistan did not have proper reforms in Sindh and the south of Punjab, the lands controlled by feudal leadership,. They control Sindh at the moment but are not supported by urban areas, particularly by Karachi. That’s why the Sindh government does not let the local government establish in Karachi.”

There is no political force as powerful as clergy in Pakistan. Madressahs (seminaries) are opened and run by the Pakistan army. Students of the seminaries completely depend on their teachers like Fazlur Rehman who can bring thousands of students on the streets. Political parties must be given some space in the form of protest, otherwise oppression could bring about a lot of trouble or chaos,” he observed..

“This incumbent government does not have support of the masse. How they have been elected to power is known to everyone. These demonstrations being held by the PDM herald the advent of clergy at the top in the country. The government and the establishment should create some space to pave the way for political parties.