Indeed democracy is the best revenge as stated by Benazir Bhutto who was rightly called the link between all the four provinces (Subon ki Zanjeer). A party that was created to neutralize the ‘ Awami Mandate ‘of Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is now demanding the same after 36 years (1985 to 2021).
In the checkered political history of Pakistan, only one election, that held in 1970, remains credible; all others have been disputed. The government that emerged was rightly called ‘Awami Hakumat’ (People’s Government), a government that served the people with honesty and dedication. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) was so overconfident of the performance of his team that he decided to hold elections a year ahead of schedule in early 1977. Good governance was the hallmark of ZAB’s regime mainly because of proper paperwork and follow-up. Files were kept moving, bureaucrats could not hide behind documents and complicated anti-`people procedures. A manual National Identity Card (NIC) scheme was introduced together with a policy of generic medicine and effective passport reforms.
In order to achieve absolute control of the legislature, rigging was alleged about the 1977 electoral contest which then led to a combined opposition movement under the banner of the Pakistan National Alliance. The fall of the ‘ Awami Hakumat ‘ derailed the entire democratic process and pushed the Islamic Republic of Pakistan into the ‘Zia Dark Ages ‘. Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of Gawalmandi and his party was created to neutralize the ‘Awami Mandate; now it desperatley seeks what it destroyed in the first place.
As an imposed political entity, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has always tried to camouflage its ‘manipulated mandate with the Awami Manmdate which it never had. MNS emerged after the 1985 partyless elections conducted by the third usurper. First he was inducted as Chief Minister of the largest province through the back door. As CM he started to induct his loyalists into the administrative and judicial machinery of the state, defying merit and due process. In the 1988 elections the Benazir Bhutto-led PPP, despite its clear victory, was denied the powerful slot of CM Punjab. As a duly elected Prime Minister, she was cornered by the establishment with the active connivance of the PML(N).
Yes, an ‘Awami Mandate’ is the way forward but not through the ‘Master Manipulators’ of the past. That is why the PML(N) is not in favour of an in-house change, it wants to come into power with an absolute majority for the third time with the help of another manipulated electoral contest taking its tally to five ‘ Manipulated Mandates’ (1985, 1990, 1997, 2013, 2023). Fortunately public memory is not that short, they just need to be reminded occasionally which is not being done effectively. The ‘Memory Joggers ‘ have to be activated and put into action.
President Ishaq Khan, the political mentor of MNS, dismissed the government of Benazir paving the way for MNS to reach the centre. The Awami Mandate came under attack with the help of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI). Through a manipulated mandate in the 1990 elections, Nawaz was launched as PM while Ghulam Haider WSyne was inducted as CM Punjab. The Sharifs started building their empire. When Ishaq Khan as President tried to intervene by dismissing his government, the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SCP) restored his regime. The ensuing crisis resulted in the resignation of both the President and PM, thus ending the political career of Baboo-e-Azam Ishaq Khan.
In the 1997 electoral contest, Nawaz emerged as PM with an absolute two-thirds majority through another ‘manipulated mandate. It was during this term that the Supreme Court of Pakistan came under attack. Farooq Leghari as President was made to resign followed by the sacking of the Chief of Army Staff, Gen Jehangir Karamat. With control of Parliament Nawaz tried to declare himself ‘ Khalifa ‘ or ‘ Ameer-ul-Momineen ‘ of the Islamic State. Through a ‘ Manipulated Mandate ‘ MNS succeeded in becoming the PM for the third time in 2013 again with a total control of the legislature. He announced his election victory while votes were still being counted. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was denied its due share in Parliament. After his recovery from the fall, Imran Khan demanded scrutiny of only four constituencies. Serious election irregularities were reported. While three PML(N) stalwarts were unseated by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) the fourth (Khawaja Asif) barely survived on a technical delay.
With its history of reaching the corridors of power through manipulated mandates, the PML(N) now demands an ‘Awami Mandate ‘ which seems like a cruel joke. The Common Law was legislated to protect the rights of the common man, not the individuals holding powerful public offices, the requirement of ‘Innocent unless proven guilty’ does not apply to them.
The Napoleonic Code’s ‘Guilty unless proven innocent’ applies to all the elected representatives, who must come clean or go home. Conviction for white collar crimes through the current legal system is almost impossible. The PML(N) men have succeeded in delaying the cases against them through adjournments on flimsy grounds. It’s a stalemate, neither conviction nor exoneration such accused individuals should not be allowed to contest elections till they come clean.
Yes, an ‘Awami Mandate’ is the way forward but not through the ‘Master Manipulators’ of the past. That is why the PML(N) is not in favour of an in-house change, it wants to come into power with an absolute majority for the third time with the help of another manipulated electoral contest taking its tally to five ‘ Manipulated Mandates’ (1985, 1990, 1997, 2013, 2023). Fortunately public memory is not that short, they just need to be reminded occasionally which is not being done effectively. The ‘Memory Joggers ‘ have to be activated and put into action.
