Agitation Politics, Long Marches Detrimental To Democracy, Country's Development

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Oct, 2022 ) :Pakistan has done various experiences related to different forms of governments including democratic, presidential, dictatorship. Whenever the country starts moving on path of achieving political stability some forces come out on roads in a bid to derail democracy to achieve their personal objectives.

Pakistan has seen that democracy was derailed several times in its 75 years existence mainly through agitation politics, long marches, leveling allegations of corruption against political opponents and rigging.

Professor Dr A.H. Hilali, former Chairman Political Science Department, University of Peshawar told APP that long marches, sits ins and agitation politics were detrimental to democracy and was against basic principles of democratic norms and traditions.

"Basically, democracy derives strength from votes of people rather than long marches on roads and streets," he said, adding the developed countries had achieved economic supremacy because of continuity of democracy rather than attempting the so-called revolutions.

He said many forms of governments' including monarchy, aristocracy, colonialism and dictatorship were practiced in the world but all these unpopular systems were gradually replaced by democracy. He said unfortunately Pakistan could not achieve economic prosperity despite abundance of natural resources and manpower because "we were unable to stick to democratic form of government and overthrew each other due to lack of political tolerance." In Pakistan, democracy was introduced after independence from British rule, however, this system could not flourish here due to the absence of constitution and untimely deaths of the father of the nation and Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawabzada Liauqat Ali.

"Pakistan has a long history of political intolerance where losing parties and candidates had leveled serious allegations of rigging elections against winners, which either led to premature dissolution of the national and provincial assemblies or holding of midterm elections." He recalled the government of Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto which was overthrown after the nine religious-political parties of the joint opposition from the platform of Pakistan National Alliance (PNA) launched a mass agitation movement claiming alleged electoral fraud and rigging during general elections of March 7, 1977. The PNA had launched an agitation movement after it bagged only 36 seats and PPP secured landslide victory with 155 seats," he said, adding that one seat was won by the PML (Qayyum) and eight seats were clinched by the independent candidates in the total 200 seats of the Parliament.

Despite denial of allegations by the PPP, the PNA's agitation movement sparked riots and unrest in the country after massive demonstrations and violent anti-Bhutto protests. The bar associations and civil society also came on roads against electoral fraud allegations, as a result democracy was derailed for a third time on July 5, 1977.

Due to political intolerance, he said, the elected governments of PPP and PMLN had been dismissed mainly on allegations of corruption and rigging in general elections during 1988-1999 and its negative outcome came before us in the form of October 12, 1999 martial law.

The 2014 sit-in staged by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman, Imran Khan and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) Chairman, Dr. Tahirul Qadri had accused PML-N for rigging the 2013 general election which is another example of derailing the system.

He said the PTI and PAT's allegations against Nawaz Sharif government were rejected by a high-powered commission led by former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Nasirul Mulk who declared that the 2013 polls were organized and conducted fairly and in accordance with law and that the PTI's request for a probe was not justified.

Ikhtiar Wali Khan while accusing PTI Chairman for his aimless agitation politics and long march said that Imran Niazi did not learn a lesson from the country's history and his past failed long marches and 126 days sit in at Islamabad.

"Imran Khan has failed to attract masses in the long march despite his party enjoying power in Punjab," Ikhtair Wali Khan told APP. He said Imran Khan has started the purposeless long march to save his face after his corrupt practices were exposed by the Election Commission in the Tosha Khana case.

He claimed that Imran Niazi was dragging state institutions into his "dirty politics' by hurling abuses and naming them in his public speeches, adding through such ill practices Imran can't raise his political stature.

PML-N KP spokesman said that former Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had demanded respect for the voters' choice after his disqualification in an unjustified way while Imran Khan made offers to certain quarters for extension when being ousted from the prime minister's office through a successful no confidence motion.

He claimed that Imran Khan was responsible for the death of a female reporter of a private tv channel, Sadaf Nasim who died under his container in very painful way. He said returns of a large number of people to their homes from the 'Fitna' march of Imran Niazi had unnerved the PTI Chairman.

Wajid Ali Khan, former Environment Minister and ANP leader while rejecting Imran's early election demand asked him to wait for 2023 general elections. He urged Imran Niazi to immediately call off his long march and sit with the government negotiation team for constructive talks to carry democratic system forward.

He said the PTI Chairman was now desperately looking towards KP for political survival after his long march was rejected by masses of Punjab. Wajid Khan said Imran Khan had criticized the chief election commissioner after he exposed his foreign funding and corrupt practices in the Tosha Khan case.