Email this page to a friend!
The other day, the PPP Parliamentarians, along with their newest friends
the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, emerged from the parliament building in the
capital as they would on any other day. Standing outside the arena, where
the peoples' representatives are charged with the business of raising their
grievances, these leaders began shouting the following roadside slogan --
"Go Musharraf go!"
I wondered why these representatives had chosen to put themselves in the
place of public protesters (who remain faceless) and shift the mode of
their protest outside the hall into the streets. Who really needs
elections, a parliamentary role and a house of representatives if the same
people would rather stand outside the building (system) and shout slogans?
Then the validity of the actual slogan itself became an immediate issue in
my mind. Even though politicians tend to veer on the side of the educated
and (usually) well travelled, the chant of "Go Musharraf go!" doesn't seem
to have revealed its true meaning to the picketing parliamentarians in this
instance.
Anyone who's ever seen a sporting encounter, whether it is baseball,
football or cricket, will be familiar with the cheerleading "GO" chant.
It's clearly designed to support and encourage the team or player from its
biggest fans. "Go Yankees Go!" echoes throughout the Yankee Stadium when
New York's favourite baseball team play a fixture. The same goes for most
teams around the world.
Recently, during England's final Ashes Test match at the Oval, a giant
banner proclaimed "Go England!" -- and seeing those words in the dying
moments, I am sure Pietersen and Giles must have gathered strength and
conviction to bring the Ashes back to England. I wonder if our President
knows that he can draw the same kind of unintentional, implied
encouragement in this fan-worshipping slogan?
Back to the question of parliamentarians' procedure, or lack of it,
displayed by those that extol the virtues of a civil democracy. History
doesn't care much for those that do not respect the values they are seeking
to promote. If politicians wish to bring about change in the system or
structure in place, then they are given a chance to do this through the
graceful and classic norms of parliamentary sparring. The strength of the
argument, the manner, in which political points are projected and respect
for the greater good, are all tools of a strong parliamentarian.
The call for a "wheel jam strike" doesn't fit into this mould. The fact
that parliamentarians are by virtue of their own identity, part of a
system, belittles any effort to subvert the process they exist through.
Surely, on a continuum of this nature, a "wheel jam strike" can end up as
the ultimate subversion -- the collapse of parliament. Is this what the
parliamentarians desire? They would surely stop far short of anything that
threatened their own security and position.
The game, and sadly it is a game for many, has become increasingly
perverse. The call to close business, transport and economic functions in
order to support what should be a political and parliamentary viewpoint on
the floor is nothing short of ridiculous. The economic cost of such strikes
is not affordable, unless people in the streets actually stand up of their
own accord and ask their leaders to support their genuine call for action.
Before any such movement takes place, people will have to unravel where
their loyalties lie these days. The confusion of political allegiance is
deepened when you switch on the television and see hands joined and held
aloft by the likes of the revered Qazi Hussain Ahmed and my friend Makhdoom
Amin Fahim, with Maulana Fazlur Rehman not far behind, shaking hands with
politicians still in the U-turns from their anti-Mullah stances.
Given the perverted logic of this style of politics, I wonder what lessons
are being conveyed to the youth of the country. The leaders aren't genuine
to their original ideologies, but shift and switch according to the vested
needs of the hour. They signal calls for strikes and disruption to everyday
life and then shout slogans that actually support the other side.
The one clear message coming through is that none of this has anything to
do with the ideals of Islam, democracy or human rights. These are recycled
tactics that have worn so thin, that there is a residual sense of farce to
the actions of the opposition. It has always been about grabbing power. It
hurts when you think about the lack of education and genuine empowerment of
the people, that they cannot even articulate feelings such as cynicism,
confusion and disillusionment any more.
Our country has been exploited too much -- the ideals of socialism or
religion cannot form the basis for conning the innocent and uneducated
forever. If those in parliament genuinely want to change Pakistan for the
better, they should look within first. Within the party and within
themselves individually. A slogan should be directed to the major party's
former prime minister and chairperson to return and seek to bring political
pride and performance to the system. That may be an ideal to work with if
they believe it themselves.
General Musharraf will not vanish with slogans. He is probably here for a
long time. If the opposition parties want to draw inspiration to challenge
the system in place, they cannot do it by superimposing a blueprint of
their ideas over the people, especially when the people know they are only
doing it for their own team. The politicians will need to hear the words
"Go Opposition go!' first.