Sirajuddin Aziz
Following the death of literary giant, Dr Samuel Johnson, his critics went on an over-drive, to berate the man and to degrade his achievements. Dr. Boswell, his longtime friend, apprentice and associate responded by remarking, “now that the old lion is dead, every ass thinks it can kick it”. The critics were embarrassed. They were silenced.
It was during Zia’s dark decade of rule that MQM emerged on the political scene. Gen. Zia saw its promotion to checkmate PPP’s popularity. Even after having hung the most popular politician, he remained in fear of the ghost of Bhutto Sahib; so the raison d’etre for creation of MQM, was in that womb of thought. The leaders of MQM were inspired by Lord Halifax’s opinion about what a political party meant; said the good Halifax, “Party is little less than an inquisition where men are under such a discipline in carrying on the common cause, as leaves no liberty of private opinion”. MQM emerged as such a party. One voice only.
What amazes me more is that MQM doesn’t call itself an Urdu-speaking party, but all others call and see it as representing Urdu-speaking populace! Urdu is our national language; why have we chosen to give MQM, a carte blanche authority to become representative of the “Urdu-speaking Pakistan”. By deduction, therefore how can anybody claiming to be Urdu-speaking be not a Pakistani first and a party member later. MQM may represent the immigrants, but certainly not the whole of Urdu-speaking Pakistan. One must refrain from offering them such status on a platter, by calling them as “Urdu-speaking” representatives.
Post-22nd August 2016, a new MQM was born and quickly baptised as “MQM-Pakistan”. The propping of a novice former city official has done no damage to MQM. The most lethal damage was done by Zulfiqar Mirza. However, internal squabbling led to further splintering of MQM. Only yesterday they have united, for which they owe a big thank you to Bilawal Bhutto. The action by LEAs was needed, because in the genes of MQM lay people of all shades of hue and grey, good and bad, educated and illiterate. They were truly representatives of what Franklin D. Roosevelt, had said in his radio address on 26th October, 1939 (although he remarked in a separate context, but is so apt in the context of MQM composition, then) “I am reminded of four definitions: A radical is a man with both feet planted firmly……. In the air. A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who has never learnt to walk. A reactionary is somnambulist walking backwards. A liberal is a man who uses his legs and his hands at the behest ……. at the command …. of his head”.
MQM had its share of radicals, conservatives, reactionaries and liberals. A strange mix, but truly reflecting of what parties in Pakistan represent. In the lives of nation, many political parties emerge with attached militancy to it; but over time, all the rogue and corrupt elements, through a well thought policy, are purged. Vladimir Putin is of the same party that Stalin headed – he (Stalin) had a penchant for packing all dissidents to the harsh lands of Siberia; Xi Jinping is also leader of the same Communist Party that ran amok through Mao’s “Cultural Revolution”, during which people were killed by thousands, many were purged or mislaid. The architect of present day modern China, Deng Xiaoping, was twice punished and packed to the villages, to till the soil by Mao Zedong. It therefore follows that initial militancy in the forming of a party, has to be got rid of, with passage of time. The good, must replace the bad.
It is now high time for MQM to do so. The party leadership should do the cleansing (not by physical elimination!) by purging with zero tolerance to militant behavior. It is a natural course of law, if men do not correct injustices, then mother nature chooses other men to do so. Why should LEAs be doing, what the central leadership of the party is expected to do. It is also a fact that unruly and rogue elements, pretend and exhibit to be associated with political parties. In fairness, MQM had its share of such people, who were political pretenders! In correcting now, MQM must recognize no wrong can be right to undo another wrong. It is undeniable that the grass root level of popularity of MQM remains unaltered. And this is not due to reasons of anything good that the party has done to its electorate – it continues to be popular because they thrive and use the “victimization card”, like the quota system – which was introduced for a specific purpose and had to be rescinded after a tenure, once a balance was achieved between employment and opportunities, across the urban-rural divide. That it remains in force with vengeance, adds to the menu of victimization.
Regardless of all aspects of grievances, MQM has to abandon violent and negative methodologies to win back in greater number the loyalty of the electorate, whose darling they used to be until a few years back. Introspection, with deadly honesty, will help them navigate towards 2018 elections.
At this point in time, it appears to the opposition that MQM is lying in the political ‘towers of silence’; so each political party is eyeing Karachi, to get their pound of flesh. The political vultures are awaiting in the wings to prey on a dead MQM. Suddenly, Karachi has been hosting to political leaders, who have ignored it for decades – one of them claims to restore it to being the ‘city of lights’; while another says, he will make Karachi, the Paris, of South Asia. They obviously don’t mean to do any such thing. These tall, but hollow claims are cheap resort to win seats. Their promise to improve the lives of electorates of Karachi or any other part of the country are surely a laughable thing. Saki, in 1912 wrote in ‘The Unreasonable Bassington’, the following: “We all know that Prime Ministers (read politicians) are wedded to truth, but like other married couples they sometime live apart”. In our context, it is not a matter of separation – it is about irrevocable divorce with truth!
Looking at the shortened manifesto’s presented in speeches by all shades of politicians, one is reminded of George Bernard Shaw’s words “He knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career”.
Following the watershed events for MQM in August 2015, both PTI and PML(N) had unique opportunity to win over Karachi, hands down; in fact, it would have been a walk through the cake – the city was (is) in shambles and if only a clarion call from Imran Khan, with assurances that he will stay in Karachi, until some portion of the mess created is cleared – Imran would have swayed Karachi’s electorate. No. He did not do so. All others paid lip service, as is customary with politicians. Karachi to them was important for a “day’s visit” only, not even a single overnight stay, let alone longer sojourns. The opportunity has been lost. Their claims now are essentially suicide notes. With MQM limping back, they have again woken up from their Rip Van Winkle deep sleep! It is late.
The popularity of MQM has not ceased. The result of 2018 elections can surprise many. PPP, the only true federal party of the country has the attraction and charisma to make major in-roads into urban Sindh’s electorate. The religious parties are full of noise and clamour, with no hope.
All politicians and political parties talk about that noble soul, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Father of our Nation; but does even one of them follow his creed of justice and uprightness? No.
This scribe believes that it will be premature and extremely presumptuous to write-off, MQM. The only threat to MQM is from its own self. The party will self-destruct and write its own obituary, if it fails to mend its ways. A purged and purified MQM, save the turncoats who have recently laid claims to leadership of Karachi, will most likely emerge victorious. Meantime, in fairness, MQM must thank Bilawal Bhutto, for its resurrection. “Finality is not the language of politics” (Benjamin Disraeli).
(The writer is a freelance contributor and columnist)
