‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. As most of us are well aware of this precise statement. Actually, power doesn’t lie in the resources, but it is largely dependent on attitudes. Power is an alluring thing and everyone desires to accelerate it, grab it more, and grasp it firmly.
Power makes a man intolerant, despotic and sometimes demonic. Recently, if we turn our gaze upon Shahbaz Gill’s physical torture and inhuman behaviour of Danish Mirza with Dr Khadeeja, we come to know about how the power is being abused by the one in the hangover of power? It’s not the first time, nor the last.
We can’t accuse only any institution or department of that, however, whoever is blessed with the prestige and privileges, can’t miss the chance to equip himself with the accoutrements of power. At the appropriate time, it is even practised by the most wretched strata of society. The ruling party in any of the states has no leniency for the parties in opposition.
If we see it through the lens of history, after emancipation and the demise of the founding fathers, there was bureaucratic hegemony and an inept bureaucracy was holding the reins of government. Its avariciousness witnessed the alternation of multiple premiers. That political circus ended with the advent of the military. The incompetency of the bureaucracy gave an invitation to military to sit in the seat of government and the military accepted the invitation with an ample heart. Then the world had witnessed the two consecutive martial laws. Ayub gave peculiar climatic justification to legalize his illegal rule. He said, “We must understand that democracy cannot work in a hot climate. To have democracy, we must have a cold climate like Britain.”
Doubtlessly, the abuse of power can’t be eliminated utterly, but eroded. The military and judiciary should end their role in politics, keep themselves aloof from the ‘premises of politics’, and, it is requisite for the ‘permanence of peace and stability ‘ in the state. The judicial and military phrases must be erased from the political dictionaries. Everyone has got to show magnanimity towards each other. The state should look upon the hapless masses, and the military apparatus shouldn’t be used against its own populace in the hangover of power. It’s high time to toe our lines, otherwise, history will repeat itself again and again.
After ignominy in the 1965 war, the political pressure was mounted on him by the ex-Foreign Minister known to be his mental wet-nurse. He handed over power to Yahya, and he endeavoured to rule the country with an iron rod. His perverted attempts to curb the insurgency resulted in fatal consequences.
There were multiple factors behind the secession of East-Pakistan: geographical separation, linguistic nationalism, economic inequality, political disparity, ethnic diversity, Indian conspiracy, inept political leadership, two consecutive martial laws and global factors. All of these factors played their cardinal roles to design the map of Bangladesh. Yahya added fuel to the fire by commencing Operation Search Light. In a nutshell, 24 years of suppression led to separation, which was the direct result of abuse of power.
After the fiasco, none other than Z.A Bhutto— The Jack of All Trades— came to power. He also abused power by crushing his political dissidents and tightened the noose around his own neck by trusting Gen Ziaul Haq. Eventually, his succouror became his successor. Zia enacted Martial Law and crucified Bhutto. Zia also repressed the opposition alliance— the MRD— in the hangover of power. Then, there was democratic interlude for about ten years, and meanwhile Article 58 (2b) showed its wonders to the world several times, which resulted in the usurpation of democratic elected premiers. Using the Kargil incident as a stalking horse, Musharraf toppled Nawaz’s government, and, like his military predecessors, ruled the country with a high hand. He banished Nawaz and Benazir, for having had no clemency for them. Once, Shashi Tharoor mocked by saying, ‘In India, the state has a military, and, in Pakistan, the military has a state.’
As mentioned earlier, politicians during their rule confronted other politicians and sometimes the military and judiciary. As in the last three successive democratic governments, people in rule, using their power, crushed and oppressed the opposition parties. Ruefully, almost all democratic elected premiers turn into authoritarians and demagogues. This is how power works in today’s dog-eat-dog world. While the recent rise in populism is damaging the democratic process over the complete world.
Doubtlessly, the abuse of power can’t be eliminated utterly, but eroded. The military and judiciary should end their role in politics, keep themselves aloof from the ‘premises of politics’, and, it is requisite for the ‘permanence of peace and stability ‘ in the state. The judicial and military phrases must be erased from the political dictionaries. Everyone has got to show magnanimity towards each other. The state should look upon the hapless masses, and the military apparatus shouldn’t be used against its own populace in the hangover of power. It’s high time to toe our lines, otherwise, history will repeat itself again and again.
