When Ayub Khan the first usurper seemed invincible, it was Madar-e-Millat Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah who decided to challenge the might of the dictator by contesting the presidential elections in 1965. While her brother earned the title of Father of the Nation, for supporting the struggle of her elder brother she was crowned as Mother of the Nation.
It is widely believed that mothers know best for their children. She campaigned across the length and breadth of the country. She had widespread support in the Eastern Wing together with Karachi and the areas of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Despite the fact that she had no direct administrative experience, people trusted her blindly. She stood firm like her brother with a no-nonsense attitude. Before she spoke the crowd had to be silent. When speakers before her tried to shower praises on her she asked them to cut short.
She was on a mission to restore constitutional democracy. Her election symbol was a lantern, a source of light. As a child I was surprised to see a lantern on the roof of a car so I stopped there to warn the owner to avoid accidental damage. It was a lawyer who told me that he had himself fixed it to show support for the candidature of Ms Jinnah. By and large the legal community supported her as she stood for rule of law. Posters of lanterns were all over the country. Her popularity was evident which rang alarm bells for the establishment.
Had she won the election, Jinnah’s Pakistan could have been saved. She stood for the restoration of the unanimously agreed 1956 Constitution. As President and Chief Executive, she would have imposed strict discipline and merit together with austerity and simplicity. The sell-out of our sovereignty by the dictator would have been reversed. Pakistan would have been debt free today
The over riding shadows of the establishment would have ended. On completion of her term of office she would have ensured free and fair elections to transfer power to the genuinely elected representatives of the people and go home gracefully to leave a legacy, as the Jinnahs had no aim or ambition to create a political dynasty.
Ever since the creation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, peaceful, constitutional transfer of power has been a major challenge. It is perhaps the biggest obstacle faced by the democratic order of the country. No Prime Minister has thus far succeeded in completing his or her term of office. Mainly it is the establishment that has come in the way, supported by the judiciary
The establishment experimentation must end for the democratic system to work. The big question is; ” Are we still slaves after 76 years of independance and 50 years of constitutional democracy?” Certainly, all is not well in the land of the pure. Course correction is inevitable.
In1958 elections were to be held under the 1956 constitution but instead the country came under Martial Law. Even after the break-up of Pakistan, Bhutto tried to hold elections ahead of schedule in 1977 under the 1973 constitution but it was hijacked by the establishment. The day the assemblies were dissolved a nine party alliance was waiting in the wings which then launched a movement which resulted in third Martial Law in July 1977. On the promise of holding elections in 80 days, the usurper’s misrule stretched for over 11 years which resulted in the destruction of most civilian institutions.
Our brotherly Muslim country Indonesia also went through a similar process. Extended military rule of General Suharto had destroyed most institutions. There was widespread discontent with poor economic conditions. Finally after the removal of the dictator, the daughter of the father of the nation Dr Ahmed Soekarno won the election and came into power. Soerkarnoputri, as she was named, did not have tall claims to glory. She corrected the derailment of the country, held elections and transferred power through free and fair elections and gracefully went home. Today Indonesia is a thriving constitutional democracy and a prosperous country competing with Asian Tigers like Malayasia, South Korea and Taiwan. A real constitutional transition of power proved to be the key.
Today Pakistan faces a similar challenge after 76 years of its creation. Orderly transition of power through free and fair elections is the only way forward. As the most popular political leader Kaptan seeks a similar course correction for his coutry. The constitution must prevail. These unholy Zia and Bajwa amendments have to be annulled. The overriding establishment influence has to be neutralized to ensure civilian supremacy. Ms Fatima Jinnah tried to end the derailment of the country founded by her elder brother Muhammad Ali Jinnah but her efforts were thwarted by the usurper. Soekarnoputri succeeded in Indonesia in putting her motherland back on the rails. The land of the pure needs an upright and honest leader elected through a credible electoral process to get rid of the evil that has engulfed us through repeated establishment manipulations started since its early formative years.
In the original 1973 Constitution there was no concept of interim governments. All over the world the elections are conducted by the incumbents through independent election commissions.
The caretaker approach has proven to be counterproductive and should be done away with. Extended rule by un-elected individuals is totally unacceptable. Constitutional boundaries have to be respected. Institutions must operate within their specified domains. Those who dare to cross the red line must face the legal ramifications.
So far, only Gen Pervez Musharraf had to face trial under Article 6 of the constitution and the rest have gotten away. Nations must learn from history. The Jinnahs and Soekarnos had to personally intervene for course correction in their respective countries. Pakistan has to be brought back on track through honest and selfless leadership, nothing short will work. Continuation of political dynasties means more of the same, corruption, incompetence, loot and plunder which must stop for the nation to move forward like our Muslim brothers in Indonesia, Malayasia and Turkey. May the soul of Ms Jinnah rest in peace for standing up to tyranny for which she was called a traitor in a country that she had founded with her brother.
The establishment experimentation must end for the democratic system to work. The big question is; ” Are we still slaves after 76 years of independance and 50 years of constitutional democracy?” Certainly, all is not well in the land of the pure. Course correction is inevitable.
