Head of PPP Media Cell Pakistan People’s Party owns the singular distinction of being the repository of impeccable democratic credentials. The party immensely values with conviction the democratic ethos and has kept close to its heart since its inception. It is a movement striving assiduously to defend democracy from the anti-democratic forces regardless of the most ferocious conditions wrought on by the dictators. People’s empowerment through parliamentary democracy is the article of faith of the PPP. It seeks in its entirety the culmination of its cherished objective by adhering to the 1973 Constitution whose sole architect was Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. PPP firmly believes that Pakistan can only survive and thrive as per visions of the founder of the nation and the founder of the PPP under the democratic dispensation. Pakistan and democracy are inseparable because Pakistan movement is the inspiring success story of the democratic struggle. Democracy and its values are the genesis of Pakistan movement. The usurpers had hurt the country beyond redemption by grotesquely fiddling with its foundations. They all have committed the crime of the highest treason and deserved national condemnation. Dividends attributed to democracy, on the contrary, are pretty impressive. Tyrant rulers’ legacies are source of perpetual embarrassment defying the law of diminishing return. Pakistan Peoples’ Party was founded on November 30, 1967 as an eloquently anti-status quo political movement led by charismatic leader Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. The political power at that time was concentrated among the non-representative and hand picked people who were progeny of the Establishment led by General Ayub Khan. The sense of participation among the masses in the governmental affairs and its decision making process was indeed misnomer and notional. The destiny of the nation was in the hands of those who were plagued by the insatiable temptation of self-aggrandizement. The political and economic alienation was swaying right across all the sections of society except the despot. It was the worst among the people in the then East Pakistan in particular. Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman was capitalising on the prevailing trepidation to the immense political advantage of his Awami League. The economy of the country was under the control of the around two dozen families of the country leading to prodigious concentration of wealth with minimal trickle down effects. The economy was running under the doctrine of Dr. Mahboobul Haq’, then in- charge of Planning and Development’s ‘economic development itself would take care of the imperatives of social justice’. His economic and development strategy proved wrong because the rich became richer and the poor became destitute leading to unrest of unimaginative proportion that led to the downfall of Ayub Khan leaving behind the country embroiled in a straitjacket of uncertainty. It was pertinent to put in perspective the socio-political environment of the country at that time in order to understand the emergence of the Pakistan People’s Party as a movement against the retrogressive forces those were holding back the upward social mobility of the poor segments of the society. The PPP was founded on November 30, 1967, in Lahore, based on the following basic principles: a) Islam is our religion. b) Democracy is our politics. c) Socialism is our economy. d) People are source of power. Islam continued to serve as the binding force in the Pakistani society barring the extremists lobby that divided the people. Tyrant Ziaul- Haq patronised these elements to perpetuate his illegitimate rule. His calculations proved wrong because divine justice prevailed, as always, leading to his withering away from the political scene of the country with contempt. To empower the people of Pakistan, the PPP spearheaded the movement for the realisation of one man one vote right as a powerful instrument to empower all and sundry. The holding of elections in 1971 on the basis of adult franchise was a leap forward for which Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto played a decisive role. This granting of universal right of vote to the people brought out the politics from the drawing rooms of the elite to at the door steps of the people of Pakistan. This right was also incorporated in the 1973 Constitution as a fundamental right entitling the each citizen who was within the bracket of voter age to exercise his right of vote. Since then, the lawmakers have to go to the people to seek their support to elect themselves as members of the assemblies. Prior to that, basic democrats constituted the Electoral College and the role of the common people was almost inconsequential as the Electoral College was consisted of the members of the basic democracies. The granting of the right on the basis of adult franchise made the people of Pakistan as the ultimate arbiter strikingly in harmony with the narrative of ‘people as the source of power.’ Pakistan Peoples’ Party’s arduous struggle for the projection, promotion and restoration of democracy in the country begs all descriptions because its leaders and workers had to face vicious dictatorships of autocratic rulers. One of them hanged the founding leader of PPP to avenge those who wanted democracy in the country. Hazrat Ali (RA) saying was truer in case of Ziaul Haq who was elevated as army chief by superseding senior generals. But, the anatomy of the PPP and its resilience was mountain high and dictators’ witch hunting could not detract the party, its leaders and workers from the path that was shown to them by the founding father as the way to the national redemption. Ziaul Haq unleashed the reign of terror characterised by lashing, public hanging and torture but the PPP leaders and workers stood up till the providence disposed him of in an air crash. PPP won and people of Pakistan and democracy won because Shaheed Benazir Bhutto became the first elected women prime minister of Pakistan through the votes of the people. The tyrant became history with perpetual pouring of scorn for his despicable role of playing havoc with the nation. The dictator that overthrew the elected government in 1998 was equally vindictive. But, the PPP lived up to its repute and never succumb to the torture although General Musharraf forced some elected members of PPP to bite the bait through carrot and stick policy. He could install Jamali government with the margin of one vote despite his blatant bullying through the NAB. The turncoats’ ignominious and mortifying role reduced them to the political dwarfs and had met the fate of Mustaf Khar and Farooq Laghari. Those who remained in the fold were vindicated eventually with their enhanced political stature. General Musharraf used to say off and on that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was gone and her role in the country’s politics was finished and she would never come back. He was totally ignorant of the strength of the principled politics and those who believed in its veracity. The sagacity and perseverance of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto were rewarded when dictator sought meeting with Mohtarma because ground was eroding fast underneath his feet. But, as a true and great leader of the people of Pakistan, she stood her ground and pressed for the restoration of democracy. She also demanded that Nawaz Sharif should be allowed to come back to the country to play his role in the mainstream politics of the country. Sadly, she was assassinated by the patrons of extremism and terrorism. She rendered the ultimate sacrifice but left behind a democratic Pakistan. Today, the nation owes to Mohtarma for the dividends of democracy the nation has been reaping since then. She nurtured democracy with her blood like the Great One. The daunting challenge of ensuring the continuity of the political system in the present context is critical for the future of the system and the country because both are intertwined. Now, PPP is perfectly poised to stabilise the political system that will otherwise teeter on the fence to fall prey of naysayer if the party does not put it political weight behind to break the back of those who are desperate to see window of opportunity in chaos and anarchy. PPP salvaged democracy when Asif Ali Zardari declared to accept the results of 2013 elections for the sake of democracy and its continuity. It was a physical manifestation of amazing level of commitment to democracy as the top leadership deferred the party politics for the sake of political system by choice. Thereafter, tsunami was the real danger for the edifice of democracy but the PPP leadership stood up and the tsunami was effectively contained and receded without hurting democracy. The PPP track record in saving, restoring and strengthening democracy had been, has been and will remain unblemished because it never stood by the anti-democratic forces equation. In the latest context, the PPP criticised the ISPR for questioning the governance of the government of the day by asserting it was the privilege of the Parliament to criticise the government on this count not of the institution of the government. The party has declared time and again that it will stand by the right side of the equation under all circumstances shoving aside all sorts of differences. PPP reiterates today to defend the article of faith, democracy, in absolute terms. muhammadshaheedi@yahoo.com
