CHITRAL: After 76 years of coming into existence Pakistan is in a tattered state, whether it be financially, morally or administratively. Having had it’s piece of bad luck right at the beginning when it’s founder Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah died within a year of the country being born, it fell into the hands of incompetent politicians who started mishandling the state’s affairs.
The Army chief of the time, Gen Ayub Khan took advantage of the discrepancy and promptly seized power in a military coup. Ever since the Army has it’s hand in the pie of the government one way or the other, overtly or covertly, directly or indirectly. The judiciary of the time was morally too weak to stop it, instead justified and ratified the military coup giving it the cover of ‘Doctrine of Necessity’.
Ever since, the fate of the Pakistani people is like a game of ping pong between corrupt/incompetent politicians and ambitious Military Generals.
When considered by itself, politics has done more harm than good to Pakistan. The first populist political leader Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, played with the emotions of the people and created a dangerous wedge between the haves and have nots. He did not accept the democratic norm of handing over premiership to the election winner Sheikh Mujib, thus causing the breakup of the country. He also undid the industrialization of the country and lay the foundations of populist politics which has harmed the country tremendously.
After Ziaul Haq’s unholy military coup and ignominious rule of 11 long years, power went into the hands of Nawaz Sharif with the connivance of the military. The Shareef family also does not enjoy good reputation because of their mega corruption and amassment of huge unaccountable personal wealth.
Fortune catapulted Benazir Bhutto into power in 1988, who did not prove different from her predecessors when corruption was amplified and even institutionalized during her time.
Gen Musharraf another product of military intervention and an important character in the tragic drama of Pakistan, too failed the country miserably in his nine years of absolute rule.
Imran Khan took power in 2018 (2013 in KPK) through popular mandate which opposing politicians allege as partly been helped by the military. Khan through his populist style and effective rhetoric mostly against the corruption allegations on his opponents snowballed his popularity and as situation stands on ground today is by far the single most popular leader in the country. However, from Khan much was expected but unfortunately he clearly fell short on expectations. While he talked most about corruption, corruption snowballed during his time at all levels particularly the lower level which hits the common person the most.
The answer is ‘Meritocracy‘
Not that the military rule in Pakistan has done any good to the country and the people, nor is the military designed or supposed to rule a country, but the co-culprits here in league are the politicians again who have always welcomed military takeovers.
Politics in Pakistan has divided the people using the sharp poisonous weapon of emotionalism, in which Pakistanis are richly endowed. Hatred between workers of different political parties at ludicrous levels is observed, who even don’t know nor do they care about the programs of their parties but grab each other’s throats for (God knows what). Political parties recruit youngsters as ‘workers’ who do nothing except raise slogans and battle with other parties workers. The youth of the country is aimlessly being wasted in this manner.
Often, even mature commentators opine that politics has never been given it’s due chance and is intervened by Military takeovers after short intervals. The answer to them is that even when the politicians are in power, military intervention keeps going on behind the scene and they (the politicians) gladly offer their posterior to it as long as it is keeping them in power.
The Military and the Bureaucracy are happy with dysfunctional politics and limp politicians, as they can have their way. They are the ones who are ‘real power that be’.
Politics is a half baked joke in Pakistan spoiling the lives of the youth by playing with their emotions instead of allowing them to concentrate on their studies and acquisition of professional, vocational skills. .. CN report, 02 Sep 2023.
One thought on “Have political parties done good or bad to Pakistan?”
No need to blame anyone else but ourselves. Yes only ourselves. Our selves especially when the guidance to the right and fool proof way has been shown. The way tha makes huankind winners. Shown by whom? The One whose path has always been to help us humankind keep out of trouble.
Does anyone want to be winner. No. Sweet slumber is very very sweet for all of us. Look how we love to sleep. Sleeping means loving the ignominuos slavery we bring upon ourselves. So keep on enjoying your sleep