Muslim League-Unionist feudal rule from 1948 to 1958, the Ayub-Yahya martial rule from 1958 to 1971, Bhutto's feudal rule from 1971 to 1977, Zia's martial rule from 1977 to 1988, Benazir's and Nawaz Sharif's feudal/wannabe-feudal rule from 1988 to 1999, Musharraf's martial rule from 1999 to 2008, Zardari-Gilani's feudal rule from 2008 to date.
So this remains, as it were, an internecine strife within the ruling class, between the rich and the filthy rich. Workers, peasants, soldiers, small traders, local entrepreneurs, teachers and clerks gain little from what happens in the political arena. So many of us are led to believe that the dirty business of politics, civilian rule and an independent electoral process at the local, provincial and national level have more to offer in the long run. But what is required is institutionalisation of democratic processes, far greater room for negotiation between different stakeholders like the provinces and interest groups, and increased space for a new, alternative politics at various levels of ideology, policies and public action.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain seems to have started thinking differently once again. He appeals to patriotic generals to weed out corruption and injustice from the political system. I am not sure if it is the floods alone that have completely submerged his political ideas held in the recent past. One can't deny that the MQM has the experience of both ends of the power pendulum and a knack for staying in power and speaking like opposition. The MQM holds the pendulum and swings along. Another issue that the MQM chief might have overlooked is that if a miracle really happens and a messiah comes, he will also de-weaponise our political system.
The writer is an Islamabad-based poet, political analyst and advisor on public policy. Email: harris.khalique@gmail.com
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