I have been known to be a PPP sympathizer and I have never shied away from admitting it. In my case, I never needed to base my support on loyalty, obsession, admiration or emotion. In the political roller-coaster called Pakistan, whatever opinions I had on any major issue, PPP was the one upholding them. For instance, back in our F.C. College days (what notoriety has fell on the name of our alma in last few years), my friends were all for a militant struggle in Kashmir, logistically and physically backed by elements in Pakistan. Those were the days of Crush India. In my naïve opinion, it was a disaster for Pakistan, Kashmiris and the moral high ground they had in the world on the issue, apart from potential backlash of these militants outfits on our homeland. My position was a hard sell back then in the educated upper and middle classes of Pakistan, and yet PPP had the courage to take this position. For some very odd reason, despite all my naivety, I was of the view that the solution to energy crisis is a deregulated energy sector heavily focused on bio-fuels as is in rest of the world. Yet, IPPs have been the hardest sell to the educated middle and upper classes of Pakistan. Needless to say, time has vindicated us on both issues and many more.
I am not writing this article to boast my credentials as a political genius. I probably am as naïve in politics as Wasi Zafar is in mannerism. But there are certain things that I anticipated/predicted, and they were proven right and more importantly, at the cost of alienating the middle and upper classes of Pakistan, a political party stood by them and was vindicated by history, if not the educated countrymen.
The history tells us that not only is there inherently something wrong with the judgment of educated upper and middle class Pakistanis, in certain cases their interests, their choices and their ideology is directly clashed with the poor of this country – who constitute majority in Pakistan. And my fear is that this great divide of Pakistan will keep haunting us the most unless it is bridged.
Poor of Pakistan have shown it time and again that whenever they will be given a fair chance, they will choose forces of moderation and federation, and will send PPP to power. We, the educated middle and upper classes, blame it on feudal system. In the process, we ignore that unfamiliar first-timers have crushed the stalwart feudals like Pir Pagara, Mustafa Jatoi or Mustafa Khar in modestly fair elections. We blame it on illiteracy of lower classes, ignoring that in any rational analysis of outcome of our decisions vs. their decisions, their decisions have passed the test of time - be it their backing for a secular polity or their backing of the forces of moderation. Historically, the politics of ethnicity and sectarianism has had its roots, not in the rural Punjab or Sindh or ghettos of urban Pakistan, but in the middle and upper class localities of educated, urban Pakistan. Unlike India, no Mayawati or Jayalalitha or Malayam Singh Yadav has risen on the shoulders of poor and minorities. Rather the same poor and minorities (be it ethnic, religious or sectarian – with the only exception of the most educated ethnic minority) have backed forces upholding federation, democracy and constitutionalism.
Because of the post-communism conflict between democracy and capitalism, the divide between upper and middle classes and the lower strata of the society is present in every political system in the world. But we the Pakistanis, all of us who love this country, do not deserve to be the fodder of this conflict. We will need to find a way to coexist. Like PPP or not, it is a force to reckon with unless we wipe out the poor from Pakistan or its political system. What is stopping us, the educated middle and upper class youth of Pakistan, are the anti-PPP and anti-Benazir clichés that we have developed. I don’t want you to fall for PPP blindly for I say so or for poor of Pakistan want it (though latter might be a compelling reason for a unified Pakistan). All I demand is a fair hearing and objective assessment.
An objective assessment of US$ 1.5Billion corruption charges in a country with total GDP of US $65Billion growing at 4.5% (anyone with a little knowledge of international finance or economics can see claims to be ridiculous). An objective assessment of how media treated Nawaz Sharif on his deal in 2000 and his confession in 2007, and how it is up in arms against Benazir for a deal – that was not for one person only. An objective assessment of the fact that no charge has been proven in 11 years (add 3 years of GIK to make it 14). An objective assessment of the fact that a man spent 11.5 years in prison without any charge being proven in a country where maximum punishment for corruption is 8 years. An objective assessment of the fact that because of the NRO NAB would not be in a position to make any new Patriot in the coming parliament. An objective assessment of the fact, that PPP governments have been the only governments to have privatized national assets without laying a single employee and having it most transparent of all governments post 1988. An objective assessment of the fact, that had it not been for IPPs, current energy crisis would have been much worse. The list goes on and on.
I do not suggest that PPP is perfect – I never did. There is a lot of crap in there that needs to be cut. All I say is it is the moment of truth for us the educated, patriotic Pakistanis to be part of the largest political party and shape it from with in. Poor in Pakistan being the majority, have the power to send their choice in corridors of power. We, the urban middle class, have what it takes to destabilize a government. Why be mere spoilers? Any party that has the numbers to win elections will be more than willing to embrace us. Think out of clichés for a united Pakistan as without it democracy, constitution, free media and free judiciary, all will be short lived and farfetched.
2 Now when I am out of Pakistan for last 4 months, I don't want to be out of sync with ground realities, so I will appreciate if you educate me on your perspective of ground realities. I will be grateful for any such information.
Comments
What little I do know of Pakistani politics is that the leaders are so corrupt - be they PML, PPP, or other - that to support any of them is to sell your soul.
Do Benazir and the PPP _really_ have the interest of the poor at heart? I have a hard time believing they do.
p.s. ali, i saw your comment on my blog and replied to it. perhaps the reply won't satisfy your question - which was, admittedly, a tough one - but i did my level best.
I always enjoy reading your posts and enjoyed this one too. However sometime I get a feeling that you have taken one position or stance and now whatever happens you are going to defend that position. As Stephen Covey points out, you need a paradigm shift brother :)
I know it is a bad analogy but would still say it. If one questions Bush and his regime about what they did in Afghanistan and Iraq, they would give you tons of reason in favour and you would think 'Man! they really believe in that crap'
Buddy my question to you is "Do you really believe that PPP did the IPP agreements in the best interest of the poor?" I believe those poor care less about energy as they do not have it anyways. And even if they get it, how can they afford to buy such expensive power? So please do not bring poor into all this. And of course Mr. 10 percent was charging 10% as poor public tax so that he can give it back to the poor. Right?
I am not defending others as they might be as bad as PPP, but what I am saying is that if something is wrong, one should always admit and say, yes that was not correct. Instead of giving arguments that whatever PPP did was in the best interest of poor, I am sorry I don't buy that.
By the way how is Boston? And when are you coming back to visit us. If your requirement would be to come back when PPP govt. is in power in Pakistan, we would get you that in the coming elections. :)
Cheers,
Aamir