The assassination of Benazir Bhutto shook the foundations of the federation. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) is the only party with a strong presence in all the four provinces and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Having acknowledged that, it must be noted that PPP is not the most democratic political party one would come across. Mir Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto has been the most charismatic leader Pakistan has seen and his execution by the previous military ruler Zia-ul-Haq struck serious blow to the federation that has now been compounded with the assassination of her daughter under rule of another dictator from the military. In its 40 year history, the party has only been led by him or his family members. For a party claiming to be democratic and liberal, this is not a positive image.
Today, the party announced that Benazir Bhutto had left it in her will that the party be led by her husband after her death. However realizing that most people will not warmly accept Asif Ali Zardari, not a Bhutto, to be the head of the largest political party in Pakistan. They have worked around the Bhutto problem by naming their son as the co chariman and naming him as Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as opposed to Bilawal Zardari as he was known before. The 19 year old has not lived in Pakistan for most of his short life and is currently studying at Oxford University.
This to me is the most dictatorial aspect of how democracy works in the third world and in particular Pakistan. We tend to bank on individuals, sometimes to extraordinary ridiculous lengths, instead of institutions. By appointing Bilawal as the head, they have made a declaration that there is no better person in the party to lead it than a 19 year old with no political experience and little actual contact with the Pakistanis he has vowed to serve. Born in a very privileged family, he wouldn't know what an average Pakistani has to live with, how he struggles to survive. The party therefore has acted in the true feudal manner that its critics have been accusing it of being.
What they could have done is called for a general council where each potential candidate being evaluated and then elected by party members. it would have been a breath of fresh air in our stinking political environment. But unfortunately, they missed the chance and we have missed out on perhaps a much better national leader than the now imposed very corrupt, dodgy and free of any hint of charisma, Asif Ali Zardari and a teenager far removed from Pakistan in Bilawal 'Bhutto' Zardari. Whats even worse, people will still vote for them. So we really do get as good a democracy as we deserve.
They cant really say that the party lacks leadership potential. One of my personal favorites is Aitizaz Ahsan, a seasoned politician ad a highly respected lawyer with an impeccable record and charisma. but apparently he had conflicts with Benazir after he refused to withdraw his support from the dismissed judges who were deemed a threat to Musharraf's rule.
One cannot really fault them either. Someone in their position would love to cash in the expected sympathy vote resulting in the death of Benazir Bhutto. It also guarantees these feudal lords and Waderas a piece of action if PPP comes to power at the same time making sure the status quo is maintained.
Such personality cults are not the trait of PPP only, all parties in pakistan suffer with this. We have as much parties in country as many as self-proclaimed leaders and there in lies our greatest problem.
If our political parties wish to bring democracy to Pakistan they have to bring democracy to themselves.
Sunday, 30 December 2007
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