COMMENT: Real politics —Hassan Iftikhar

The solution for Pakistan’s conundrum only lies in strengthening the political parties so that the political system gets strengthened as a by-product. It is time that people with opinions on the outside join political parties so that their dissenting voices can be heard at the party meetings.

A constant aspect of the life of Pakistani citizens is the political crises, which is an omnipresent part of our society. Since our creation, we have consistently failed to construct any substantial political set-up in our country. We have historically rested great hope in our bureaucrats, generals, and most recently judges and journalists to cure all ills present in the system. Throughout history we have systematically propagated for power to be given to institutions and organisations that are accountable to no one. This empowerment of the said institutions, however, has come at the cost of the sovereign, the people and the politicians that represent them in parliament. In our land of great disappointments, the only people put up regularly for accountability are the politicians.

The reasons for the credibility crisis’s that politicians in Pakistan face is through no fault of their own. Politicians in Pakistan have traditionally been rallied against through different means. There have been the ones advocating vehemently for the armed forces to intervene and rid the system of the evil of politicians, the result of which was the 32 years of four different dictators. These days, expectations are allied to the higher judicial courts to provide relief to the people of the land, and where that might lead us is anyone’s guess.

In all this, the most important part of the democratic structure has been put on the backburner. The people of Pakistan are the most informed today, but they are also the least political. The systematic maligning of political parties means that most people choose to be bystanders with an opinion rather than political workers with commitment.

It is true that our political parties, with the exception of a few, have remained hell bent on running their institutions as exclusive business empires rather than political parties with manifestos and agendas. But, there has also been a dearth of individuals having presented themselves as workers for the political system. In the good old days of the 60s, the people of Pakistan were politically conscious and commoners were members of political parties. In Pakistan today, we hear a hue and cry over the failure of politicians, but we do not hear people providing alternatives.

The solution for Pakistan’s conundrum only lies in strengthening the political parties so that the political system gets strengthened as a by-product. It is time that people with opinions on the outside join political parties so that their dissenting voices can be heard at the party meetings. For those willing to venture towards the alter of politics, there is a wide range of choices: for the covertly religious right there is the choice of any branch of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML). For the overtly religious far right there is the Jamaat-e-Islami. If you hold socialist ideologies, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is a safe bet. If covert use of muscle is your fancy then the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is your destination. If you are ‘bigoted’ you can sign up with Imran Khan’s fanciful circus, or if you are the really the ‘enlightened moderate’ kind, Mush has just launched the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).

But this time, the squabbling masses have to take some responsibility for themselves, they need to be stakeholders in the political process and political parties because minority views in political parties may not be heard, but majority opinion is very hard to ignore — even for the dynastic leaders of our political parties. The current dilemma of our political parties is the lack of committed workers and second-string leaders with any vision for the future.

For a democratic set-up to survive in any state, political parties need to have support at the grass roots level. However, traditionally, in Pakistan, grass roots support for political parties has been a very rare phenomenon. The situation has worsened with the mushrooming of news channels; now the followers of a party can hear their leader speak directly in their lounges. The days of political gatherings at Mochi Gate, Nishtar Park and Liaquat Bagh and the politically charged up routines that are the hallmarks of these occasions are becoming a thing of the past. Long gone are the days when political activists prepared weeks in advance for a showdown at political arenas; television channels have brought politics to our lounges and bedrooms. It is hence a debateable issue whether the media has educated the people or de-motivated them by making them viewers rather than participants of a public rally.

The strength of a country is its parliament and the strength of parliament lies in a strong political culture. A strong cadre also means accountability within the party and a politically motivated electorate means that politicians would have to offer more to the people in order to survive. And if Bilawal, Moonis and Hamza want to play any role in the future politics of Pakistan, they too must understand the reality of organisation and democratisation within the party. Inclusion into political parties will also pave the way for a professional running of political parties as compared to the near family fiefdom status they enjoy today. Strong political parties are the only real solution to our woes; the rest is just fanciful speculation.

The writer is a broadcast journalist, currently specialising in investigative journalism. He can be reached at hassaniftikhar@hotmail.com

Published in Daily Times Pakistan: Tuesday, October 19, 2010