While the world over ‘technocrats’ has replaced ‘bureaucrats’, only in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan are they pitted against the ‘politicians’. Ayub Khan’s EBDO (Elected Bodies Disqualification Order) was perhaps the most devastating conspiracy against the founding fathers of the freedom struggle who were able, honest and bold to lead the nation towards the real cherished freedom.
It did not end here, for permanent derailment of the struggle and the continued hegemony of the ‘royal’ ways a third-rate political leadership was imposed on the nation. While the lack of delivery is projected as a failure of the politicians, in fact the real culprit is the inept, status-quo driven colonial bureaucracy which controls the files and paperwork.
A politician always reads the pulse of the people, and as such his inputs are vital in running the system; but unfortunately the current breed of ‘Establishment-Tempered Players’ lack the ability to take on the entrenched, sluggish, karwai-driven bureaucracy to deliver relief to their electorate. File work is not their forte where business of the state is conducted. As the ‘baboos’ exercise executive authority they always have the final laugh while the elected representatives of the people have to face the wrath of the dissatisfied public.
I do agree with my friend Comrade Pervez Saleh that politicians have to go through the grind to understand the nuts and bolts of their chosen field. The implanted ones after the 1985 partyless elections were launched to rob the nation of their resources and rights and they have lived up to their design.
All brands of Muslim Leagues have caused irreparable damage to the democratic order and continue on harm’s way, some by remaining in power while others out of it. The emergence of the Pakistan People’s Party in 1967 tilted the balance towards civilian supremacy through the elected representatives of the people. as Prime Minister Bhutto knew the art of paperwork and movement of files. The ‘baboos’ were unable to hide behind the record or seek protection from obsolete colonial-era laws.
The hold of the bureaucrats over the levers of the state have to be done away with for the republic to function and move forward. With the help of the technocrats. The politicians may succeed in regaining lost ground, finally putting to rest the conspiracy hatched against civilian supremacy ‘by the few unscrupulous players like Ghulam Muhammad, Iskander Mirza, Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, Pervez Musharraf and Qamar Javed Bajwa through various forms of political manipulation. Instead of EBDO we need NEBDO (Non-elected Bodies Disqualification Order) for the will of the people to prevail. Technocrats and politicians have to work together for civilian supremacy as it was before October 1958 when the Khakis were in the barracks where they rightfully belong.
Solid relief was delivered to the masses. Ayub Khan’s EBDO was almost erased. Able and honest politicians like Khan Qayyum Khan were back in the arena. In the party there were ‘Technocrats’ as well who worked closely with the political leadership to contain the evil designs of the establishment of its time.
Technical expertise combined with political will delivered results. Through lateral entry Bhutto replaced the know-all and do-nothing generalists with technical experts who were trained to manage in their own area of expertise. Engr Masood Hasan was appointed Secretary Defence Production, Nasim Ahmed Secretary Information, Dr Muhammad Ajmal Secretary Education to name a few.
My late father Nazir Ahmed Malik joined the All-India Muslim League in 1935. He rose to be Senior Vice President and Secretary Finance of the Ludhiana Muslim League. For his struggle in the freedom movement he was awarded the prestigous Tehreek-e-Pakistan Gold Medal in 1990. All his life he did not join any other political outfit. After Partition the family moved to Lahore, leaving behind a very flourishing watch business, to start all over again.
Soon he got disillusioned with the domination of vested interests in the politics of Punjab. The Mamdot-Daultana tussle for control of the province did not sit well with him, he decided to focus on his entrepreneurship ventures.
In the early 1960s Ayub Khan decided to embark on his imported economic plans. My father’s uncle Dr Anwer Iqbal Qureshi (AIQ), who had retired from the IMF, was invited by the dictator to join his team of experts. AIQ travelled by train from Karachi to spend time with my old man before proceeding to Rawalpindi. A very interesting after-dinner discussion took place that night.
AIQ briefed us about his loan-based fast-track economic model. The plan did not sit well with my father, the upright entrepreneur and politician who understood the ground realities. He warned the able technocrat that money would be squandered and misspent, resulting in corruption and defaults. The ‘technocrat’ prevailed over the ‘politician’ with disastrous consequences: now the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is close to default with rampant corruption at all levels.
Ayub Khan’s EBDO of August 1957 knocked out the entire political leadership of its times. Zia succeeded in inducting his political players after Benazir decided to boycott the partyless elections in 1985. It was a PEBDO (People’s Elected Bodies Disqualification Ordier). Later on she realized her blunder and blamed the ‘Uncles’ for misleading her. Despite her compromises the PPP remained an anti-establishment progressive party till her assassination in December 2007.
Under Asif Zardari it has now turned into another brand of Muslim League but with a different name. Personally, as a technocrat’ with a track record of political activation, I am against getting rid of politicians through EBDOs of all kinds including the recent one by the outgoing Sipah-e-Salar to reimpose corrupt political leadership.
The bureaucracy needs a major overhaul. Having personally interacted with the current lot of political players, barring a few the bureaucratic inertia is overwhelming for them. Their poor understanding of the system and weak documentation is appalling.
Imran Khan brings credibility to the arena but without the help of able technocrats he has a daunting task at hand. Technocrats have to be pitched against the bureaucrats, not politicians. In another free and fair election, only honest politicians should be awarded party tickets as was done in 1970. Executive authority should be excercised by technocrats after inputs from the elected representatives who understand ground realities together with needs of the common man.
The hold of the bureaucrats over the levers of the state have to be done away with for the republic to function and move forward. With the help of the technocrats. The politicians may succeed in regaining lost ground, finally putting to rest the conspiracy hatched against civilian supremacy ‘by the few unscrupulous players like Ghulam Muhammad, Iskander Mirza, Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, Pervez Musharraf and Qamar Javed Bajwa through various forms of political manipulation. Instead of EBDO we need NEBDO ( Non-elected Bodies Disqualification Order) for the will of the people to prevail. Technocrats and politicians have to work together for civilian supremacy as it was before October 1958 when the Khakis were in the barracks where they rightfully belong.
