Panama, Decision, and After Shocks

Eucalyptus - blessing or curse?

Shehar ke Dukandaro!!

What is PML (N) made of

Background

Pakistan was created under the leadership of All India Muslim League in 1947. All India Muslim League was single representative of Muslims of sub-continent with over whelming majority and support of people. Opposite Muslim political parties of that time like Nationalist Party and some politico-religious parties established by religious clerics were either in minority or opposed the idea of  division of India. With the legacy of being the founder political party, Muslim League has always been considered as a popular ideological political entity in Pakistan. People of Pakistan have traditionally had special affiliation to Muslim League for its political principles and objectives. With the same character, every military ruler of Pakistan introduced his own faction of Muslim League to establish political rule in Pakistan. Soon after the demise of its founder members, All India Muslim League; that had renamed itself as Pakistan Muslim League after independence, split into different factions till it was reunited and rejuvenated by Field Marshall Muhammad Ayub Khan, the first military ruler of Pakistan.
In 1971, after separation of Esat Pakistan (Now Bangladesh), Pakistan Peoples Party came into power with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto as popular civilian ruler. During his reign, Pakistan Muslim League had almost disappeared till it was again reorganised by General Zia ul Haq for creating political activities during his military rule in mid 80s. Since then Pakistan's politics evolved into a two party party political system with Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim League taking turns in the government.

Creation of PML (N)

History

 In the early 80s, General Muhammad Zia ul Haq, after his military coup and take over in 1977, was forced to start political activities in the country. He evolved the methodology of strong presidential system in the country as himself being the Chief Martial Law Administrator and President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan with impotent parliament that could act as a rubber stamp to legitimate all his law making Presidential Orders. To assuage the overwhelming support and deep routed impact of Pakistan Peoples Party, on common people, in all the four provinces, General Zia ul Haq and his team studied the dynamics and worked out a strategy which left long impact on the political future of Pakistan. The steps taken under that strategy in all the four provinces were: -

• Balochistan - Baloch nationalists were brought in lime light and united they were made part of Pakistan Muslim League.
• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Then North Western Frontier Province) - Some of the religious clerics were made to form Pakistan Muslim League and other relatively staunch fundamentalists were added in Jamat Islami and Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI) and their alliance was formulated as B team in case Muslim League failed to make any headway in the province.
• Sindh (also spelled as Sind) - A considerable number of Urdu speaking community that had migrated to Pakistan on Independence settled in urban areas of Sindh. They always felt as they were deprived of their rights and were not satisfied with the power game in Sindh which was mostly in the hands of influential native landlords and Waderas (chieftains of local areas). Those migrants were united under the umbrella of Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM) and were made to rise against Peoples Party.
• Punjab - A wealthy industrialist from Lahore was required to stand against the feudal chieftains and Chaudhrys who led Punjab politics. Lieutenant General Ghulam Jilani Khan, the then Governor of Punjab and a trusted deputy of General Zia ul Haq was tasked to search for such an industrialist. Initially he picked a leading industrialist and textile industry tycoon from Lahore named Shahzada Alam Monnoo (1936-2014) of Monnoo Group of Industries. Due to his lack of interest in politics and inclination towards social welfare work, he was dropped and Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shareef of Ittefaq Foundries was elevated as the first choice. Ambitious Nawaz Shareef stood to the call and thus was made part of Pakistan Muslim League. He was made Finance Minister of Punjab province and then Chief Minister. He remained Chief Minister of Punjab for two terms. Second term was under Benazir Bhutto of Pakistan Peoples Party, who was elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan after the military rule of Zia ul Haq ended.

In 1993, after the death of Muhammad Khan Junejo (1932-1993), the Prime Minister of Pakistan and President of Pakistan Muslim League under Zia's rule, Muslim League got split into two and a separate faction in Sindh already existed. Three main splits were: -

• Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) PML (F) - under Syed Shah Mardan Shah (1943-2012) (Pir Pagaro) and was mostly active in Sindh being the spiritual leader of Hurs.
• Pakistan Muslim League (Junejo) PML (J) - under Hamid Nasir Chattha (1944 -  ), who disagreed to the procedure of selection of Nawaz Shareef as President of Muslim League and parted ways.
• Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) PML (N) - under Mian Muhammad Nawaz Shareef (1949 - ). On the demise of Muhammad Khan Junejo, Nawaz Shareef invited leaders of Pakistan Muslim League for tea at his residence in Islamabad. During the get together, he proposed his name as the new president of the party and since then the faction is named as Nawaz League or Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) abbreviated as PML (N) or PML-N. When General Pervez Musharraf took over after a successful military coup against Nawaz Shareef's government in 1999, Nawaz Shareef and his family went into self-exile after signing an agreement with Musharraf and Nawaz League split into two again, This time the parting faction was called Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid e Azam) PML (Q) under Chaudhry Shujja'at Hussain. PML (Q) joined hands with Musharraf and formed political government under his military rule.

 The Fibre of PML (N)

Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) has peculiar and some unprecedented features in its political formation as discussed below: -

• Like previous Muslim Leagues, after creation of Pakistan, PML (N) was also given birth by a military dictator. Since its inception it lacked democratic culture within the party. The leaders once elected/ declared have never given away their authority and have treated the party as their family domain. Due to frequent and continuous rule in Punjab and in the Centre, the party has turned into a family dynasty.
• As is a famous saying - Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, the party has evolved a feudal  system in it where the leader is considered as above all sorts of laws and regulations. Words of the leader are considered as the final verdict and a binding over its policies. This feudal culture in the party has snatched away any rights of its members or the common followers to take part in any kind of policy making or decision process.
• Before the creation of Nawaz League, corruption in politics was considered a moral crime but they are the pioneers to invent financial corruption and bribing elected members of national as well as provincial assemblies to vote for them. The term "Horse Trading" was invented for this and they started this rancorous tradition of buying the loyalties of elected representatives through heavy cash or favours in kind. They bought the loyalties of elected members of Punjab Provincial Assembly and also of National Assembly and literally kept in protective custody at Changa Manga and in a rest house in Murree till the time they voted for PML (N) in the assemblies.
• Nepotism reached to its prime during the rule of PML (N). Due to the fears in his nature, Nawaz Shareef lacks trust on people whom he does not know well. For this reason, he is known for appointing his close relatives, family members and friends in the close circle at key appointments and ministries. This has failed the merit, capability and capacity standards of a democratic system. Entire statesmanship revolves around this group of people around him.
• Leadership of PML (N) has a history of being rival to any one who they are threatened from. National institutions in their rule have been neutralized, penalized and even attacked. During his first term in office as Prime Minister, his party leaders attacked Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) and Chief Justice had to escape through window to save himself. He fired two services chiefs (Army Chief and Naval Chief). All appointments done at important institutions are out of merit or the heads are promoted out of turn, and/or left vacant. 
• False and lucrative promises to public in political addresses is the common practice. Where ever Nawaz Shareef goes for public address, announces big developmental projects or relief packages but when the time passes, nothing material is done for the betterment of people.
• All developmental projects are Punjab, specially Lahore based since Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef and his brother Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Shareef belong to Lahore. This has created lot of resentment and discontentment in the people of other cities and provinces.
• As a policy PML (N) prefers working the developmental projects that are visible on ground such as motorways, bridges, and over/ under passes etc. This is done to mention them during their election campaigns and during interviews to national and international media to boast upon. They pay no heed projects in health, education or social development because such expenditure is not visible on ground. This has deprived of people of basic health, education, employment and entertainment facilities.
• Being from industrial background, they have run the affairs as a private franchise. Democracy to them is just to purchase votes at general elections and for the remaining five years in the government the country is run through aristocracy. 
• To deal with the burning issues, PML (N) has evolved a policy of "being apathetic". On major issues they do not react when people look towards them for an official response. Recent examples are apprehension of a serving Indian military officer Kulboshan Singh Yadev, involved in espionage and supporting terrorists inside Pakistan's territory, Statements of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Indian involvement and contribution towards anti-state activities in Balochistan, evidences of involvement of Altaf Hussain of MQM in anti-state activities in Sindh and funding from Indian RAW.

Keeping the tendencies and attitude of PML (N) towards different issues and their methodology to deal with political issues, their mindset can be summed up in one line as: -

"Everything is for sale, you just have to offer appropriate bid to buy it".   

Imran Khan Locks Down Islamabad

PTI leader Imran Khan, in pursuit of stern action against Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef, having allegedly involved in corruption and illegal money trafficking, has announced locked down of the capital city Islamabad on 2 November. Isolated on political front and not being supported by opposition parties of the country, Imran Khan has taken intrepid decision to go for solo flight against the government and to bring the purported prime minister to justice.

Imran Khan had first decided to go for lock down of capital on 30 October (Sunday) but later, through consultations with party leaders extended it to 2nd November. He has put forth two demands and has announced that unless either of the demands is met, lock down shall continue. The demands are - either Nawaz Shareef shall resign from the office of premiership or he shall present himself for accountability. 

Imran Khan in close collaboration with Dr. Tahir ul Qadri of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) had fruitlessly sit in for almost four months in 2014 demanding resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Shareef and had to quit due to non-persistent policies and demands. People lost interest and allegedly his ally Tahir ul Qadri had reached to an underhand deal with the government to end the sit in.

As soon as Panama papers were made public, it acted as a catalyst for Imran Khan who was already making hue and cry at every platform against the corruption and money laundering of Shareef family. Imran Khan immediately raised his voice and demanded stern accountability against the facts mentioned in Panama papers. His demanding reaction forced Nawaz Shareef to appear on national TV to address the nation twice as well as to make a speech in the parliament and clarify the allegations. Unfortunately his justifications on all the three occasions contradicted and lacked chronology of events. This caused further disappointment among the opposition and they wanted proper investigation of the charges levied against Nawaz Shareef and his family members.

Having failed to launch a combined movement of all the opposition parties, who parted away on one pretext or the other, and on cold response of Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), National Accountability Bureau (NAB), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), and Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP), PTI decided to launch a solo show near Raiwind - the farm house and residence of Nawaz Shareef in the suburbs of Lahore. The show was extraordinarily outstanding and thousands of people showed up on the call of Imran Khan against Nawaz Shareef and family. Imran Khan, during his public address at the occasion announced locking down the capital so that functioning of government could be stopped under a corrupt premier. 

To neutralize the pressure of Imran Khan's demands, two steps have been immediately taken by the treasury benches. First, SCP decided to enlist the petition of PTI, against the alleged corruption of Nawaz Shareef, for hearing by the panel of justices. Second, Speaker of the National Assembly sent the reference of disqualification of Prime Minister to ECP on the plea of hiding the facts from the Parliament, thus being ineligible to hold the office of Prime Minister under the constitution of Pakistan. Both these steps are received by people as delaying tactics and to gain time through official procedures and file work.

Imran Khan has demanded one of the two steps and has announced that lock down of Islamabad will continue till one of the two demands are fulfilled. the two demands put forth by PTI are: -

• Resignation of Nawaz Shareef from premiership.
• Nawaz Shareef to present himself for accountability.

Both these demands are criticized by opponents based on past behavior of PTI and response of accountability institutions. Major criticism is:-

Demand of Resignation

In 2014 PTI had sat in Islamabad for more than four months for the demand of resignation of Prime Minister on the charges of corruption, nepotism in governmental departments and appointments of close relatives of Shareef family on key appointments, and adverse governance. After four months, taking the plea of attack on Army Public School Peshawar by terrorists, Imran Khan decided to wind up the sit in. After the sit in, the speeches made by Imran Khan at different occasions and his reaction on several national issues dictated that he has shown his failure in demand and was found unable to justify his stance of asking the resignation of the premier. He also reversed his decision of resigning from National Assembly and he, along with all his elected members came back to assembly. Due to his turnabouts it is perceived by serious circles that he will again fail his demand and will end his protest as long as people lose interest.

Prime Minister to present himself for Accountability

The foremost question to this demand is - present before who? NAB has already stated that accountability without evidences is beyond their constitutional purview. FIA is not empowered enough to take any positive steps. Lastly SCP has already announced that the petition against Nawaz Shareef will be heard by them. So what is the forum left where Imran Khan wants Nawaz Shareef to present himself? This question remains unanswered by Imran Khan and his party so this demand, in itself, becomes equivocal. According to Imran Khan himself, all governmental functionaries and key appointment holders are loyal and trusted meek employees of Nawaz Shareef, so to what institution is he asking Nawaz Shareef to present himself for accountability? In case SCP, NAB or FIA clears Nawaz Shareef of all the charges levied on him, will Imran Khan accept the decision and accept that Nawaz Shareef was not involved in money laundering, tax evasion, plundering of public money, and purchase of foreign properties without proper money trail of his wealth?

Besides the criticism on his demands, questions are also being raised on the permanency of his stand, extent and duration of his lock down, especially when he is going for it in isolation and no other political party; even his previous allies, are supporting his call. PTI has also to cater for the alternate courses if government uses power against them and house arrests its leaders to avoid public unrest.

This, in any case is the last chance for Imran Khan to remain in politics. If he fails this time, he will leave political playground wide open to PML-N (in other words Nawaz Shareef Family) because next general elections are due in My 2018 and there will be no challenging opposition for PML-N especially in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan. This will be fair enough opportunity for Nawaz Shareef and company to form governments in center as well as in said provinces.  

Role of Madrassah in Pakistan

With the upsurge of terrorist activities in the country, madaris (Islamic seminaries) (plural of madrassah) have come under enormous criticism of nurturing terrorists. Since most of the terrorist activities in Pakistan and Afghanistan have their linkage with religious enthusiasts, it has provided ample opportunities for anti-Islamic activists to condemn madaris with ample and tangible evidence. No one can deny the fact that some of the madaris have been proactively involved in training of their students in use of arms, explosives, and have acted as nurseries of producing terrorists. There are yet a few which, apparently have not involved in direct armed training but have indulged in brainwashing young minds to create hatred against those who do not follow their faction of religious beliefs. But it is highly unjustified to object to madaris in totality as they are serving as alternate welfare institutions in the country.

Historically, madrassah has been an institution of formal religious and scientific sciences and its tradition can be traced as back as in the time of Islamic state in Medina. The first madrassah is believed to be established jointly by Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib (companion and son in law of Prophet Muhammad) and Hazrat Abdullah ibn Abbas (companion and cousin of Ali and Prophet Muhammad) - May Allah's peace be upon them. The institution of madrassah has played an important role during the golden times of Islam. Famous early Muslim astronomers, biologists, nutritionists, chemists, economists, geographers, mathematicians, doctors, political scientists, and scholars were the product of madaris of their times. Many madrassah students were employed by the rulers in their courts for statecraft and were appointed to the ranks of prime ministers and chief justices.

As Islam spread in different parts of the globe, the institution of madrassah also traveled with Muslim traders, invaders, and preachers. In subcontinent madaris were established right after the Muslim conquest of Sindh and Multan. Although in the beginning these institutions were informally established by Sufis and preachers on local levels and adopted ways and means suiting local population. Proper madrassahs were later instilled during the times of Muslim rulers of Delhi and later during Mughal rule of India. During the rule of Muslims in subcontinent, state machinery and bureaucracy was based on scholars, statesmen, engineers, judges, doctors, and political scientists, who were graduated from Islamic seminaries. After unsuccessful revolt of 1857 against British rule, British took over the control of India and made it their colony under the viceroy appointed directly by Queen. In British India, all degrees awarded by madaris were declared null and void and the government announced that only those persons, well versed with English language and modern sciences were eligible to get government jobs. This created a clear demarcation between madrassah education and modern schools.

Three of the major types of madaris in subcontinent were established as Darul Uloom Deoband (Devbandi Sunni University, estb 1866), Madrassah Manzar e Islam, Bareilly (Islamic University of Brailvi Muslims, estb 1904), and Bara Imambara Lucknow (where Hawza Ilmiya Lucknow (Islamic University of Shia Muslims) was estb in 1791). At independence in 1947, there were only 189 madaris in Pakistan which grew to 783 in 1971. After Iranian Islamic (Shia) revolution and Russian invasion of Afghanistan during very late decade of 70s, Pakistan was inundated with madaris and training of militant wings became as part of madrassahs education. During this time Pakistani madaris of particular factions; mostly Wahabis and Deobandis, were funded for following reasons: -

• Prepare militants to fight against USSR in Afghanistan in the name of Jehad e Islami (Islamic holy war) against paganism - a strategic move by USA to fund and replenish human resource for using them in Afghanistan.
• There was a threat that Islamic revolution in neighboring Iran might expand in other Muslim countries of the region This speculative expansion was against the interests of USA and Saudi Arabia. Both provided free resources to madaris of Deobandi and Wahabi factions for countering expansion of Islamic revolution. New madaris with grand buildings and ecellent facilities were built, religious scholars were provided with latest amenities of life, transport and protocol.
• General Zia ul Haq had imposed martial law in the country and he wanted to gain public support. He used the name of Islam for this purpose as people in subcontinent are raditionally very sentimental about religion. Through the support of US and KSA funding, he paid high amounts to religious clerics for his nefarious political and religious designs.

Jamaati Ulama Islam ... figured as a fairly minor part of Pakistan's religious scene until the regime of General Zia al-Haq ... who used an Islamic policy to buttress his military dictatorship. Part of his policy to `Islamize` Pakistan was a campaign to expand religious education with funds for thousands of new madrases. Their number grew from around 900 in 1971 to over 8000 official ones and another 25,000 unofficial ones in 1988. With financial support from Saudi Arabia, Deobandi madrasas were part of this vast proliferation in religious education, much of it located in Afghan refugee camps that sprang up in the 1980s. This rapid expansion came at the expense of doctrinal coherence as there were not enough qualified teachers to staff all the new schools. Quite a few teachers did not discern between tribal values of their ethnic group, the Pushtuns and the religious ideals. The result was an interpretation of Islam that blended Pushtun ideals and Deobandi views, precisely the hallmark of the Taliban.    

--- The Wahabi Mission and Saudi Arabia by David Commins (2009), p:191-2

This caused sectarianism, hatred, and militancy in relatively moderate and peaceful Pakistani society where Muslims of all sects lived in the past with mutual tolerance and brotherhood. Wikileaks, based on reliable evidence has published a detailed report on Saudi financed Wahabi madaris. The report is an evidence of how different political and religious proxy wars have been fought in pan-Pakistan areas and has left their long damaging impacts.

     

Beside the clear evidences of involvement in militancy, recruiting terrorists, brainwashing and spreading hate, and training the youth in handling arms and explosives by some madaris, the importance of madaris can not be undermined keeping in view the the socioeconomic situation of Pakistan.

Pakistan is the land of 21 Million people and official reports suggest that only 2.1% of total GDP is being expended in education sector. With deteriorating data of children enrolled in governmental schools, increasing drop out rate due to poverty and limited access to schools/ teachers, lot of children of the school going age; especially in rural areas, are left out of schools. Madaris, under these circumstances, act as alternate and parallel system to share the burden of government. Madaris not only act as seminaries but registered madaris also impart education of science, computer, and other modern sciences. These madaris are run under governmental control and have to submit their syllabi for approval. Such madaris provide boarding and lodging facilities to students as well as financial assistance to the poor families. Thus they are a source of providing support which a welfare state shall provide to its citizen. With the introduction of modern sciences as part of the syllabus of madaris, the degrees awarded to madaris graduates are recognized by HEC and such degree holders are provided with equal job opportunities in all sectors of central and provincial government jobs.

Till the time Government of Pakistan (GOP) is unable to provide food, shelter, health, and education facilities to all of her citizen, the role of madaris is very vital in supporting the poor and middle classes of population. The need is that a prudent monitoring system be employed to ensure that following is ensured to keep madaris free of any anti-state/ anti-Islamic activities:-

• Source of funding to madaris to ensure no funding (local or funding) is done to support any sort of proxy wars.
• Regular and professional external audit of accounts of madaris to ensure every penny donated to madaris is accounted for.
• Vigilant supervision to check that madaris are imparting training of peace, brotherhood, and equality on humanity, instead of spreading hate against other sects/ religions.
• Syllabus is prepared to broaden the minds of students and to create a sense of patriotism, loyalty, national integrity and mutual co-existence of society.
• Besides religious education, knowledge of modern sciences and foreign languages like English, French, German, Arabic, and Persian are also imparted.
• All chances of training for militancy, supporting terrorism or extremist approach is curbed with iron hands.