The Jamaat Islami Pakistan is at the forefront of the protests against power price hikes that are at the heart of Public discontent against inflation. Meanwhile, though the protests seems to have died down, the Jamaar is accused by the ruling Awami League of being behind the protests against hob quotas which led to almost 200 people being killed by police or Army firing. While the Jamaat may be viewed with cynicism for its involvement in such nitty-gritty issues, it should not be denied that it has chosen issues which appeal to large sections of the public. Perhaps more a cause of concern for Jamaat opponents, the issues have not gone away, and may not just recur in the countries they are now occurring in, but may well break out elsewhere in areas where the Jamaat is present.
In Pakistan, the Jamaat is plowing a lonely furrow, not being in alliance with any other party, neither being in the ruling alliance nor the opposition. While it strongly criticizes the electricity price hikes carried out by the former, it does not join the latter’s calls for fresh elections. It perhaps recognizes that, whichever side holds office, the power tariffs will be determined by the need for an IMF programme. It is also a tacit acknowledgement that the Jamaat is unlikely to improve on its tally of seats in any immediate election, which was zero, and as a result of which the party’s Amir, Sirajul Haq, resigned, with Naeemur Rehman elected in his place. The Jamaat did garner about a million votes nationwide, which gives it a base, though a small one, on which to build for the future. Its sister party in Bangladesh is accused of trying to use the student protests to overthrow the Awami League government, which was reelected for a third consecutive term in the recent election. The protests were over quotas for the descendants of 1971 War veterans in government jobs. The Awami League sees the descendants of historical supporters getting jobs, while the Jamaat, which was not just on Pakistan’s side during the War, but also recently lost its Amir and other leaders to trials for alleged war crimes during the 1971 War, opposes them.
Both are potentially explosive issues. Bangladesh also has sought an IMF package, and if power tariffs there too rise, the issue could rise there too. Not that it is over in Pakistan, as the government has engaged the Jamaat in talks without making any promises. Pakistan too has a young population, for which there are not enough jobs, government or private. Here too there is a tinder-box just waiting for a spark. And in either country. It is the Jamaat doing the waiting.
