PDM versus PNA—stop the expected serious national crash by Senator A. Rehman Malik

 


The history of Pakistan is full of agitation and dharnas. I am privy to many such agitations in the capacity of a mid-level and senior officer of the FIA.

I observed that these agitations are always planted for a specific purpose hence it is easily concluded that the PNA agitation facilitated Gen Zia to hang Z.A Bhutto and it is a matter of the record that PNA movements were led by Mufti Mahmood, father of Maulana Fazl ur Rehman. These were engineered movements with a specific purpose to oust Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and leave him at the mercy of Gen Zia.

The first movement against Bibi was made by PMLN headed by Nawaz Sharif and what happened in Changa Manga is a part of history now. The second IJI movement was initially headed by Maulana Sami ul Haq and then taken over by Nawaz Sharif. I had investigated this matter and the entire sequence of events including the distribution of money and subsequent ouster of SMBB is now a matter of public record.

I made the facts public as director FIA as desired by Bibi and resultantly was put in Adiala Jail and was not produced before any magistrate. I remained a subject of further torture as I refused to become approver against Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari. This is a long, horrible chapter of my life and will disclose soon in my next book. How justice Sajjad Ali Shah bailed me out and the life attempt on me in front of my house is also part of the Margala Police Station records. My struggle for democracy with SMBB has not yet faded away from the minds of public.

Let me admit the fact that, in politics, there are no permanent friends or enemies. PPP still remembers how Yousaf Raza Gillani was sent home and who had filed that petition in 2012. The Supreme Court had given this verdict that ceased him to be Prime Minister of Pakistan in the petition filed by PML-N headed by Nawaz Sharif which demanded his disqualification. Nawaz Sharif had called upon Yousaf Raza Gillani declaring his government to be illegitimate hence they wanted him to be de-seated. Memogate was another attack with the help of the opposition, and how I handled it amicably is also known to me, Asif Zardari and Mansoor Ijaz. Our political history is very grim but let us forget as we all have short memories here. I am glad the strong opponents of yesterday with derogatory speeches against each other are friends today. I am glad to see we also forgot the ill-treatment towards SMBB and Asif Zardari who were fighting for the sake of democracy in view of the present emerging circumstances. Now at least, there is a face of unity being displayed.

PDM’s political game is now successfully being driven forward by the son of Mufti Mahmood, daughter of Nawaz Sharif and Grandson of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and it is a good omen that they have forgotten the past following the spirit of the charter of democracy. Let us hope that this new unity stays intact till they achieve their set targets.

As an investigator, I cannot digest the fact that the Deputy Chairman got 54 votes and it is because of the kindness of some of the PDM senators and I hope PDM orders an internal inquiry. If action is not taken then the same will be repeated in the forthcoming vote of no confidence to be moved by PDM.

This is the Pakistani political landscape and these politics of self-serving political interests will continue from both sides. In this long journey of politics, nobody remembers the interests of a common man. The children in villages and in provinces remain barefooted and underfed. Let us see how much relief is brought for a common by this government and PDM.

Let me write some detail on historical events of Pakistani politics of alliances as under.

The Pakistan national alliance (9 stars) against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a historic sit-in movement emerged in 1977 by the leaders of PNA (Pakistan National Alliance) after PPP successfully won the 1977 elections. They alleged the PPP government of rigging hence their agenda was to remove ZAB. The alliance consisted of 9 political parties including, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP), National Democratic Party (NDP), Baluchistan National Party (BNP), Muslim League (Qayyum) (ML-Q), Muslim League (Functional) (ML-F), Democratic Party (PDP)and Communist Party (CPP). They staged demonstrations, sit-ins and boycotted National Assembly sessions etc and eventually, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was thrown in jail and Zia-ul-Haq came to power in July 1977. PNA was used against Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto to derail the democracy, hence, Dharna won and democracy lost and ZA Bhutto was hanged.

The Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) was a right-wing conservative alliance formed in September 1988 to oppose the democratic Pakistan People’s Party under Benazir Bhutto in elections that year? The alliance comprised nine parties, of which the major components were the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), National People’s Party (NPP), Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), with PML accounting for 80% of the IJI’s electoral candidates. In December 1988, Nawaz Sharif succeeded in forming an IJI administration in Punjab became the province’s chief minister and emerged as the most powerful opposition. It was from this power base that he waged the political battles that eventually led to his becoming prime minister in 1990 as BB’s govt was overthrown as explained above.

Pakistan Awami Tehreek against Pakistan people’s party. Following the year 2011, the cycle of these fiascos, long marches, sit-ins, and dismay started in 2013 when Dr. Tahir Ul Qadri of (PAT) Pakistan Awami Tehreek organised a sit-in at the D-Chowk for some days. Qadri led this Long March as a public protest against alleged corruption charges against the PPP govt. The march moved from Lahore to Islamabad between 14 and 17 January 2013. I handled this dharna and pressure built by me forced Dr TQ out of Isb as per the deadline announced by me. I gave him face-saving through Ch Shujhat Hussain through a piece of paper drafted by my friend Mushahid Hussain sitting nearby in a car. I handled him as per the roadmap decided between me and AZ.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf dharna against Nawaz government—Then came Pakistan’s longest marathon sit-in organized by PTI and its strong associates on 14th August 2014 in Islamabad holding the capital paralyzed for whole 126 days. Although the protest was named Azadi March but this so-called Azadi March in a literal sense kept the whole capital numbed for about 4 and a half months. I had played my role as the head of all political Jirgas and this Jirga managed through an agreement with Imran and Tahir ul Qadri to leave Islamabad. It is for the information of the public I was privy to PTI Dharna till the end and this fact is known to Imran Khan and President Zardari. One day it will be made public too. The Pakistan Democratic Movement is a political movement in Pakistan against the government of Prime Minister Imran Khan and the pattern and demands are the same that were made by Imran Khan during his dharna. This is being led by Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman, the leader of the Islamist Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) and supported by the two main political parties and some small parties. The analysis further shows that the following regional parties were a part of the PNA movement as well as of IJI and now they are a part of PDM also. These parties include Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (JUP) etc whereas JI is not part of PDM. It is interesting to note that PPP has always been a victim of these Ittehaadi Movements and Alliances as Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto fell victim of Pakistan National Alliance while Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto suffered in the hands of IJI and ultimately the harassment forced her to exile. If she was not forced to leave the country then she would have been still alive. She also suffered twice in the hands of these dharna movements. These are the historical facts that can neither be denied by anybody from the PPP nor by a common man.

The additional factor is Imran Khan whose government is being disputed and the tussle may bring uncontrollable mob stress which may eventually end the present system which will be a political setback to democracy. I feel that March in March may perhaps push the political system to March away and hence it needs to be handled with mature moves as an emotional approach might benefit the interests of external enemies’. The common man is suffering and this constant row between the opposition and Govt will bring further suffering for the public. Can the Prime Minster handle this issue with a mature political approach and try to sit with the opposition to come to some doable bargain to avoid further set back to the country? If the other political parties in PDM can forget their old feuds and become one force for their common political agenda then why can’t you Mr. Prime Minister sit at the table with PDM to resolve the issue by political give and take and avoid the institutional clash with political forces. This continued row will bring you an irreversible political loss and I advise both govt and the opposition not to force the Institutions to the dead-end as we all know what happens when the powerful are forced to point of no return.

Undoubtedly, the present senate election has further pushed the country to more political polarisation which is endangering the country every passing day.

Is there any way to resolve it amicably to stop the national crash? Please suggest stopping this political row amicably.


The article was published in The Nation on March 15, 2021, link to the original article https://nation.com.pk/15-Mar-2021/pdm-versus-pna-stop-the-expected-serious-national-crash

No comments:

Post a Comment

Most Recent

Condolence Reference For Late Senator A. Rehman Malik Held At NPC

  ISLAMABAD     –    A condolence reference in memory of late Senator A Rehman Malik, former interior minister and senior leader of the Paki...