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Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani "leaders" own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life "leaders" look hypocrical asking for "democracy"

Posted on 24 February 2008. Tags: , , ,

Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy”Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy”Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy”Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy”

Ayesha Jalal wrote a book called “Authoritarianism and Democracy in South Asia“. It contrasted the strains of authoritarianism in Pakistan and India. In Pakistan she discussed democratic norms under the worst dictatorships and in India she discussed authoritarianism in the so called democratic country.

AYUB KHAN’S RULE: 1958 was the time of huge turmoil for the nascent state. The country was still going through a huge transformation in trying to cope with birth pangs, and pains in walking and running. Pakistan had no infrastructure, and Pakistan did not get its fari share of the government assets that were due to it.Huge problems faced the country.Zia ul Haq was a brutal dictator complete with floggings, a muzzled media, imprisonment for any editor that did not toe his line, the judicial murder of the Prime Minister, imposition of the draconian hadood ordinances, one agenda rule of Islamization of Pakistan. His main and only accomplishment was the continued pursuit of Nuclear weapons, a program started by his predecessor and arch nemesis Mr. Zulfiar Ali Bhutto. General Zia ul Haq took over the government of Pakistan in a pre-meditated planned policy of first undermining the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto by creating the PNA and other minor parties, and then sabotaging the final deal which had been signed between Mr. Bhutto and the opposition parties. The people were appalled at the hanging of Bhutto and were numb at the coup de etat. There was no popular enthusiasm for the government of General Zia ul Haq. It is popularly believed that the Afghan war perpetuated the rule of Mr. Haq. Actually the seeds for the reaction of the USSR had been sowed at the time of Mr. Bhutto. The USA had already tried to tinker with the status quo in Afghanistan which has always been a pro-Soviet satellite state. After the removal of the pro-Soviet president of Afghanistan, the USA wanted to install its own pro-American president and bring “freedom and democracy” to the country. The USSR would have nothing of it, and repeated the Prague Spring modus operendi and sent forces to help its ally. The American president feigned surprise, and boycotted the election. They outsourced the entire war to Pakistanis and the scum that they gathered from prisons and homeless shelters from across the Muslim world. Pakistan got a few billion Dollars, but lost 1000 that amount in lost productivity and lost out the race to reach the goalpost to upstarts like Korea, Taiwan, and Malysia.That decade and war with the USSR cost Pakistan andAuthoritarianism doesn’t come from the air we breathe in, consensus building does not just permeate in the water we drink. All these reflect the culture of the leadership.

“Lota-cracy” is raging. Independent leaders are going to the highest bidder. PML(Q) members are being forced to join the PML(N).

THE BIG LOSERSAfter the bickering is done, after the celebrations are complete, and before the next round of bickering starts, someone in the new governemnt has to begin looking at the real issues–beyond power play.We attended a Tehreek e Insaaf meeting in Long Island, New York and shared lunch with Mr. Imran Khan. It was a remarkable moment. More than 500 people and all major TV channels were present. A fantastic lunch was provided. Even Bangladeshi columnists were there.The calls for democracy in Pakistan are hollow, unless the political parties eliminate their “for life” presidents and end the dynastic rule based on wills, tribes, and nepotism. If the leaders lose, they force their buddies to resign, and then stand from a gerry-mandered district. Mr. Shahbaz Sharif called them “jhurloo elections”, but are now running in by-elections and will be office holders soon.

Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy” 

It is said that all the leaders run the political parities as their personal properties. Then when the government is formed, the same obsequies “yes masah” flatterers run the government and are unable and unwilling to challenge the government decision making.

The list of dictators of the political parties is a list of all the leaders of all the political parties in Pakistan. Mr. Nawaz Sharif, Ms. Benazir Bhutto (Mr. Asif Zardari or Mr. Bilawal Bhutto), Mr. Iskandaryar Wali Khan, Mr. Altaf Husein are all “for-life” presidents of their parties. Why can’t Ahtizaz Ahsan, or Mr. Babar Awan, or Makhdoom Amin Fahim lead the PPP. Why can’t Mr. Husein lead the PML(Q)? Why can’t Mr. Khawaja Syed Rafiq lead the PML(N)? Why can’t Dr. Farooq Sattar lead the MQM? Why can’t the ANP find any other leader other than the dynasty of Ghaffar Khan?

Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy”

Unless and untill the stranghold of these maliks, waderas, chaudhrys is broken, Pakistan will never see any semblance of change.

We were flabbergasted when an intelligent person and a leader of a political party in Pakistan responded to my lament about the unelected “for- life” leaders of the political parties. Amazingly he wrote “You need to understand that in a democracy, any party can nominate ANYONE to be their leader. There is actually no requirement that the partie[s] [leaders] themselves should be elected, selected or otherwise.

Nothing could be further from the truth. The people of Pakistan did not elect Zardari, Bilawal, Altaf, Ilahi, Nawaz Sharif. They are not members of any parliament! According to the Pakistani Constitution and the Political Parties Act, it is a requirement to be member of parliament.

Constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Legal Framework Order for Political Parties:

4) Every political party shall, subject to law, hold intra-party elections to elect its office-bearers and party leaders.

Under the Pakistani Constitution, there is also a requirement for the parliament to meet. During the “democratic” reign of Mr. Nawaz Sharif, parliament met for 20 (TWENTY days). Sorry about the army generals who were stopping them from going to Islamabad and Lahore.

The National Assembly is supposed to have a quorum. The constitution says.

“If at any time during a sitting of the National Assembly the attention of the person presiding is drawn to the fact that less than one-fourth of the total membership of the Assembly is present, he shall either adjourn the Assembly or suspend the meeting until at least one-fourth of such membership is present”

During the reign of the PPP and the PML(N) many of the sessions did not have quorum and the assembly rarely met.

There is also a requirement for the PM to consult the cabinet. Mr. Sharif never did, and whatever Abbajee said went. Ms. Bhutto also did not pass any legislation and did not even bother to eliminate the Hadood Ordinances.

The 2 fairest elections were held under Mush and Yahya, the unfairest elections under democratically elected Mr. Bhutto in 1997.

IX: TO ENSURE INTERNAL DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIC CULTURE IN THE POLITICAL PARTIES:

a. Political parties participating in election shall be obliged to conduct their organization according to democratic principles and elect their executives on a regular basis. They shall compulsorily submit their financial statement to the Election Commission.

b. The Commission shall provide training regarding election to political workers

2) All un-elected “for life” “leaders” of dynastic political parties are haggling over who will be Prime Minister.

3) Neither Zardari, nor Sharif, nor Chaudhry, nor Altaf is in the parliament.

http://rupeenews.com/2008/02/19/the-election-after-the-election-unelected-leaders-haggle-over-a-pm-how-long-will-coalition-govt-last/

1) Just a chief justice will solve all problems.What about the corrupt high court judges and lack justice in any of the courts. What about creating 100 new High Courts and 10,000 new small claims courts. What about the corruption of the judges?

2) All un-elected “for life” “leaders” of dynastic political parties are haggling over who will be Prime Minister.

3) Neither Zardari, nor Sharif, nor Chaudhry, nor Altaf is in the parliament. http://rupeenews.com/2008/02/19/the-election-after-the-election-unelected-leaders-haggle-over-a-pm-how-long-will-coalition-govt-last/

4) Long Live democracy (err mobocracy) in Pakistan!

http://rupeenews.com/2008/02/20/comparing-pakistani-military-rulers-keep-em-or-kick-em-out-did-fair-elections-cancel-his-death-warrant-should-musharraf-be-unemployed-exiled-or-tolerated-as-president/

5) How long will the coalition last?

http://rupeenews.com/2008/02/20/pakistan-government-in-waiting-cracks-in-coalition-caucus/

The Pakistani blogsphere was shouting for democracy from the rooftops, the cell towers and the Wi-Fi networks. Amazingly there is silence on bringing democratic norms to the political parties. What is more amazing is that the “for-life” (ta-hyaat) party leaders are not being asked to have elections within their parties.

Most political parties elect leaders. Pakistani “leaders” own political parties. Unelected dynestic 4-life “leaders” look hypocrical asking for “democracy”


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