What happened in the corridor of power politics last week between the two MNAs of different age and class shows that when it comes to moral values, ethical standards and parliamentary practices, age is no barrier. We often pick ‘woman’ as target in abusing, insulting and humiliating opponent. Pakistan’s political history is full of such instances where some of the worst remarks against them went unnoticed.
Had the party heads in the past taken action and stopped their members from using indecent language and adopted some moral practices within the parties, what happened between PML-N’s Javed Latif and PTI’s Murad Saeed would not have occurred. It goes for all but in case of these two parties, it’s getting bad to worst.
Javed Latif, being a senior partner, should have led from the front as a guide to young parliamentarians but he lost any sympathy of what Saeed did to him after his remarks against his sisters. The dilemma of our political leaders is that they have not been able to learn the art of political expression and use of language. Since there is no ethical barriers in political parties nor any refresher courses, study circles, the kind of political breed we have is by and large, average or below average.
In the past 20 years, there have been increase in women seats, both reserved and through direct elections and as a result there is also increase in women participation in politics. While over 10 million women voters still not registered, there are still areas where women are not allowed to vote under tribal traditions, women also become target of abuse by their male colleagues.
It is time that the saner elements in mainstream political parties particularly women legislators agree on some kind of joint declaration or ‘Charter of Political Ethics,’ before any ‘Charter of Democracy.’
Women often become target of political and sexual abuse in political rallies and public meetings. In the recent years, most complaints came during PTI dharna and rallies and PTI Chairman, Imran Khan himself was so annoyed that once he even refused to address the rally. But, ironically, one of the worst incidents occurred with a female TV anchor, who was sexually abused and in spite of the fact she identified the abusers, the PTI leadership took no action. She even went through a trauma and it took her weeks to recover from fear.
The campaign on social media against Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam Nawaz also went unnoticed from the PTI leadership. Criticizing her for role in Panama is quite acceptable but targeting the family demanded action.
PM Sharif’s record of remaining silent on such abuses is also disappointing. In his 80s, Begum Nusrat Bhutto’s photograph with a former US President Gerald Ford were specially dropped from private helicopter. Hussain Haqqani, who was Sharif’s man during 1988 elections was accused of planting those pictures. But, he once clarified that it was the idea of ISI’s former chief Hameed Gul.
One was expecting the PM to seek explanation from his Defense Minister Kh Asif for his remarks against PTI MNA Shireen Mazari. For that matter, even Imran’s own family life came under heavy criticism and at times PML-N leaders crossed ethical limits.
If nothing else, PM Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif should have at least learnt from PML-N MPA Uzma Bukhari, who at least showed the courage to snub her own minister, for using indecent remarks against an opposition woman MPA, asking her to meet him in chamber to get an answer to the question during ‘Question Hour,’ in Punjab Assembly, last week.
Maybe the prime minister had taken notice of such issues in in-house meetings with party seniors and asked them to refrain from such practices. But such directives were not made public.
Ms Kulsoom Nawaz and Maryam Nawaz had played important role in political struggle against former president Pervez Musharraf, when most of the PML-N’s male members had either changed their loyalties or adopted the policy of wait and see.
Sh Rasheed Ahmad, perhaps had done his masters, in the use of such language and at times he had even forgotten the difference between Awami and Bazari zaban. One has a great respect for Sheikh Sahib’s political acumen, but when it come to this aspect, it’s quite shameful for political workers.
But, sometimes you find light at the end of tunnel. It is important to praise the two daughters of late Benazir Bhutto, young Bakhtawar Bhutto and Aseefa Bhutto, who twice showed their character and brought sign of maturity and morality in politics. First, when they forced PPP Minister Pitafi to apologize to opposition woman MPA Nusrat Sehar Abbasi for his indecent remarks. A few months later, they again reacted sharply after hearing the news that controversial former interior adviser Irfanullah Marwat is joining PPP, after his meeting with former president Asif Zardari.
These two incidents and reaction for the daughters of the “Daughter of the East,’ went as a strong message for all PPP legislators that there are certain limits in politics and there are people, who may be half their age but would react, if found their members in using indecent and abusive remarks against fellow colleagues, even if he or she belongs to other parties.
The PPP also set good examples by accommodating two of its female members, subject to the abuse, Shehla Raza, sitting Deputy Speaker, Sindh Assembly and Ms Rahila Tiwana, former Deputy Speaker, who later quit the PPP and joined the PML-N. Today, she is in no party.
It was former speaker of the National Assembly Ms Fahmida Mirza, who during her tenure brought all women MNAs, Senators under one fold on certain issues confronting women and also in bringing sanity in the house for respect for women colleagues.
There have been instances in which the kind of language used by our political leaders against their women colleagues can’t even be reproduced in these columns, but clearly reflect a sick mindset of this society and our leaders and legislators.In this backdrop Javed Latif’s remarks are simply unacceptable and prime minister must take action despite his apology unless Murad himself did not accept his apology. On the other hand, Murad Saeed and likes of young MNAs, MPAs should also learn that there are more effective ways to counter political opponents for which you don’t need to fight, physically.
Morality and ethics comes from within but still if all parties agreed, they can adopt Charter of Political Ethics on how to behave.
The writer is the senior columnist and analyst of GEO, The News and Jang
Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO
