PAKISTAN was created through a political process by politicians who condemned use of violence in politics and believed in rule of law. The landmark SCP judgment by a two-member bench comprising Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Mushir Alam emerged after the 2017 Faizabad Dharna by TLP, which started off as a political standoff, but evolved into a test for constitutional rule in Pakistan. It is indeed a unique case where the SCP taking notice censured the role of a few officers of the establishment for violating their oath of office. If only Justice Munir and three other members of Federal Court bench, Justice Muhammad Sharif, Justice S A Rehman and Justice A S M Akram had the moral courage that Justice Cornelius had in 1955, they would not have regularized dissolution of NA and dismissal of elected government as per Doctrine of Necessity. The geography and history of Pakistan would not have been spared the torment and humiliation of 1971, nor would we have got involved in proxy wars. Pakistan would have been the modern democratic welfare state envisioned by MAJ, instead of a state in chaos, with an economy in tatters. There is not a single instance where Quaid and other pioneers of All India Muslim League ever advocated resort to violence in the political process which started from Dacca in 1906, where the foundation of AIML were laid, to 29 December 1930 when Allama Iqbal in his presidential address at Allahabad elaborated on the Muslim majority states that could become part of an independent state. This constitutional political struggle finally resulted in adoption of Lahore Resolution at Manto Park. Even the Congress Party under the influence of Gandhi Jee did not advocate use of violence, nor did the followers of Bacha Khan. There, however, were a few armed militias like (VDS) Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a Hindu nationalist group formed in 1922 which believed in establishing Hindu hegemony within India and believed in Hindutva ideology. The RSS, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Party, was a far right paramilitary organization which had nothing in common with the Congress. In Punjab, there existed a paramilitary militia called Khaksar, who opposed Quaid and AIML, but were sympathetic with Congress. It would be interesting to note that amongst the first Muslim political activists who raised the issue of a separate homeland for Muslims at an international forum was in Stockholm on the occasion of Socialist International held in 1917, were two brothers Abdul Jabbar Kheiri and Abdus Sattar Kheiri from Aligarh and who were committed to the ideology of Muslim League. There is not a single instance where MAJ advocated or patronized creation of armed militias by AIML, despite provocation of VDS and other groups.
The first instance of use of violence in politics of post independent Pakistan was started in 1956 onwards by the likes of Iskandar Mirza and Ayub Khan. History repeated itself, when on instructions of PM Ayub Khan, his trusted Wajid Ali Burki physically hauled President Iskandar Mirza from his bedroom, dragged him outside and after roughing him, forced him to sign his resignation. IM was forced to go into exile and was not allowed to carry even his personal assets. Ayub took over as President and CMLA. The game of Snakes and Ladders, has ever since then, been on, in one form or another. Ayub Khan inflicted irreparable damage to the political process when he banned all politicians, who had taken part in the freedom struggle led by Quaid under EBDO on 7 August 1959. When Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah stood up to oppose Ayub Khan and restore Jinnah’s vision of a modern democratic welfare state, AK and his administration embarked on a malicious character assassination campaign against her, in which the civil administration was actively involved. Even after rigging the elections, an armed gang led by Ayub’s son paraded through Karachi in 1965, resorting to firing on unarmed civilians, whose sole fault was that they had supported Quaid’s sister Fatima Jinnah in her political struggle to restore Jinnah’s vision of a modern democratic welfare state.
It is a basic principle that the State alone must have monopoly over use of force. Any compromise on this can lead to chaos and disorder. It is primarily for this reason that a disciplined and trained armed force, equipped and paid for by taxpayers of this country is raised to perform the constitutional and sacrosanct task to defend the state against armed foreign aggression and guard its borders. Similarly, a uniformed police force is raised to ensure security of citizens within the country and enforcement of law and order. Unfortunately, this basic principle was violated when Zia and his junta gave sanctuary to thousands of foreign nationals on our soil to engage in proxy wars. In 2013 the PML-N government was elected and there were elements within the establishment which differed with them. In 2014 a dharna (sit-in) was staged for 126 days which was facilitated by powerful quarters to come with cranes, bulldozers, wire cutters, lethal weapons etc. Religion was used as a tool and a cleric holding a Canadian passport was allowed to bring his religious zealots and take part in this violent dharna. Islamabad, the federal capital was under siege, members of parliament held hostage, the state PTV was attacked and uniformed police officers assaulted, many of them injured to an extent that they were handicapped for life. The logistics and funding involved in this 126-day siege, which was covered 24/7 by all TV stations, can be left to the imagination. It was only called off when there was a brutal attack on APS in Peshawar by TTP terrorists on 16 December 2014, which resulted in the killing of 132 innocent children and 17 others including teachers. Those who facilitated and organized this were unmindful of the damage inflicted upon the economy of Pakistan and the irreparable damage to its international reputation as a country, no longer feasible for foreign investment. In 2017 again, a dharna was organized by TLP, a far right party created in 2015, which laid siege to Islamabad from 8 November to 18 December 2017. Those who managed this dharna were not pushed that Pakistan was reduced to a Banana Republic and a failed state. It seemed there was no government in control. A Frankenstein was created which held violent protests in April 2018, October 2018, November 2018, November 2020, January 2021, April 2021, and October 2021. A total of seven protests, followed by seven agreements made a mockery of two civilian governments.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
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