IN the democratic states, Parliament is the right forum to discuss all issues related to political parties, political and social rights, provincial issues and issues related to foreign and domestic policies. Based on this debates and discussion, consensus is developed for needed legislation or making constitutional amendments. Unfortunately, some of the political parties of Pakistan prefer resolving their issues on the road and outside Parliament through agitation and politics of violence. Such practices go against the democratic norms, constitutional provisions and best practices being exercised internationally. The politics of protest, agitation and violence on roads is indeed a negation of democracy, thus political forces should avoid such ill practices.
In democracies, the leaders of political parties should be specimen and true reflection of the values and ethics for the rest of the masses and society they represent. Indeed, they derive power from the masses and the people whom they governed subsequently. In order to be effective leaders, the political parties must demonstrate ethics which give them moral ascendancy over law of the jungle. Unfortunately, some political parties in Pakistan are publically demonstrating a culture which has no values, no ethics and no morality. This is in fact a violation of their written party constitution and manifestoes besides the religious and social values of Pakistan. Their publicly demonstrated activities give a wrong message to the general masses, especially the youth, who represent over 60% of Pakistan’s population and are its future.
In the democratic countries, power should emanate from the masses of the country, unfortunately, in Pakistan it comes from artificial narratives, violence, mayhem, use of force, abusive language, money, political bribe and immoral practices. The political forces should demonstrate the compliance of law and its enforcement through fair-play and ethics. But, the practices are totally different and indeed contradictory in nature. Practically, the political forces are promoting a system of political violence and antipathy, social fragmentation and intolerance and religious bigotry and revulsion.
While, the State and its interests should be the focus of all political parties, the demonstrated practices are otherwise. National interests and masses are the missing links in the power politics of some political parties of Pakistan. Their immediate aims are to grab power (through any means, maybe illegal) and the subsequent objectives are to remain in power even though on unjustifiable grounds. They claim to be the only champions of democracy. Away from state-centric national politics, the political parties of Pakistan are individual based family-centric, irrespective of capabilities and potentials of members of these dynasties.
In this few individuals and family centric politics, other dedicated members of the respective political party cannot lead the party despite being better in all aspects; politically prudent, senior in age, prolonged-political experience and excellent capabilities to run both, the state and party. This is true with all political parties of Pakistan. This is the basic dichotomy in the democracy based political parties of Pakistan. This indeed is negation of democracy within political parties of Pakistan, which publicize democracy and claim as the exponent for the supremacy of democracy in Pakistan. Some leaders are dictators and do not accept the opinions of the party members.
Recently top leadership of a political party has been found involved in activities which contradict political and social ethics of Pakistan. These activities are not only unethical but also contradict what is the manifesto of the party and repeated sayings of the leadership. Indeed, such acts by top political leadership is destabilizing the state, undermining the government, abating the institutions, dividing the society and disparaging the judiciary and law enforcement agencies of the state.
The relationship between ethics and politics is deeper and intimate for the states like Pakistan which follow an ideology of a Divine religion: Islam. In the words of Allama Dr Muhammad Iqbal, “Jalal-e-padshahi Ho k Jamhoori Tamashaho, Juda Ho Deen Sayasat Say To Reh Jati Hai Changezi”. This clearly reflects the picture of politics where there are no values (since religion is all about morality and values) and in the absence of values, it is all the ‘law of jungle’. The law of the jungle depicts a situation where there are no tenets, no rules and people use force to get what they want. The Constitution of Pakistan is based on golden principles of Islam which is an advocate of morality, values and ethics. The unethical politics in Pakistan cannot be expected to nurture a political culture in the country which brings morality, values, fair-play and ethics. Similarly, the hereditary politics of contemporary political parties in Pakistan is not anticipated to encourage democracy in the wider politics of Pakistan. Besides, there are cartels (interest groups) of virtually all types who firmly support the current format of politics in Pakistan.
At a time once there are indicators of economic revival of Pakistan, creating political mayhem in the Capital City, Islamabad, goes against the interests of the State and society of Pakistan. Moreover, creating such political chaos and uncertainty clearly means that leadership of this political party is denying the economic activities in Pakistan through political adventurism. Such activities by a political party would mean a deliberate attempt to derail political and economic stability in Pakistan. With such an undesirable approach, workers of this political party must question the role and veiled motives of its leadership. There is a need to establish a code of conduct for all political parties of Pakistan. This code of conduct should take into consideration all aspects: the national interests of Pakistan, the morality, values and national esteem, political and economic interests of the country and above all respecting the limits given in the Constitution of Pakistan.
— The writer is Professor of Politics and IR at International Islamic University, Islamabad.
