Nawaz Sharif Came and Went back to Exile, Now Benazir,s Turn to Return
There seems to be no end to the present political crises. The ruling class has lost the ability to even overcome the crises that has been created by them. There seems no serious challenge to supremacy and domination of the establishment on politics and political parties.
The political tension between government coalition and opposition parties are on the rise after the announcement of presidential elections to be held on October 6, 2007. General Musharaf wants to reelect himself from the present assemblies for another 5 years term as president in uniform. Opposition parties are threatening to resign from the assemblies, if Musharaf tried to elect himself in uniform. Opposition parties have also challenged the General Musharaf,s reelection and dual office in the Supreme Court, which is hearing the case.
There seems to be no limit to the maneuvering that is going into the effort to ensure that General Musharaf continued in august office. In his latest move, he has assured the Supreme Court that he will forego the office of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) if he elected re-elected as president and that he will take off his uniform only if he is elected. That is a threat and concession at the same time. If you allow me to contest the elections than I will doff the uniform, but if you refuse me to contest than I will continue in the uniform which means Martial Law. It is most likely that Supreme Court will allow him to contest the elections on the condition that he will become a civilian president in the next term. If Court allowed him that means he will be reelected with comfortable majority from the existing assemblies. There will be no serious challenge to his reelection from the divided opposition. Next couple of weeks will determine the future political course of Pakistan. A so called democratic transition from a military regime to a democracy or from a civilian face towards a naked military rule. This will be likely outcome of the legal battle that is going on in the Supreme Court. But one thing is clear that we are heading towards a more vulnerable, volatile, explosive and uncertain situation.
Dividing Lines
The political divide in Pakistan is not on the basis of ideas. Instead this divide is the reflection of the frictions that exist in the establishment. Different political parties are expressing the views of the different groups within the establishment. The establishment is divided mainly into two camps, a pro America right wing liberal camp headed by General Musharaf and the other one anti America nationalist and religious camp. Pakistani political parties are divided on these lines. There is no established political party in the country that can claims its independence from establishment. Pro- American camp is still dominating the political scene and enjoys the control over state institutions. But there are serious challenges faced by the Musharaf led camp from the nationalist extreme right wing religious camp led by Nawaz Sharif and Fundamentalist Jamat-e Islami. There is a power struggle going on between the two camps to control the state institutions. Benazir led PPP is siding with so called liberal camp to come to the power.
But Nawaz Sharif, the ex ally of Benazir, is siding with right wing nationalist camp dominated by fundamentalists. Military establishment is still dominating the politics through intelligence agencies. Both camps are not against this domination, but the extreme right wing nationalist camp wants military establishments tilt towards religious right and also its foreign and domestic policies on these lines. This camp wants to continue the decade’s long policy to encourage and support the Jihadi culture and militant Islamic movements internationally.
Benazir Bhutto, Musharaf and other leaders and liberal commentators are saying that religious extremism is a serious threat to the society, so all the liberal and secular forces should form alliance to counter this threat. Religious right is saying that Musharaf wants to make Pakistan a secular state, so all the religious forces should form alliance to stop this process. Despite all their claims, both the camps are divided because of power play in which they are fully involved. At the moment all the secular and liberal nationalist parties from Sindh, NWFP and Baluchistan are part of APDM (all parties’ democratic movement) representing the extreme right wing camp and on the other hand some religious parties including the JUI is siding with the so called liberal camp.
Increased Disillusionment and Political Leadership
The opportunism and political bankruptcy of the political parties have further disillusioned the working masses. The anger and hatred against present regime is rising to new heights. The recent wave of price hike has badly affected the working class. Everybody is criticizing the government’s failure to stop this price hike. The present regimes popularity is at the lowest levels. But opposition parties have not been able to use this anger against the government to mobilize the masses. Despite being unpopular, Musharaf has fully used the weakness of the opposition to continue his rule. The working people have simply lost the trust on political parties and leadership. They are not ready to trust any existing party. The overwhelming majority of the working class has distanced itself from the political process. That does not mean that they are not interested in the politics, but they are not ready to become part of any political party. This discontent and political alienation is the result of political betrayals by the parties. This phenomenon is holding back the masses to come out on the streets.
Hundreds of thousands of people came on the streets to greet and welcome the Chief Justice during his visits to different parts of the country. People waited hours to saw a glimpse of Chief Justice because he becomes a hope for them, a hope for justice and freedom. But these same people are not ready to come out on the calls of opposition leaders. According to recent surveys, Chief Justice is the most popular person in the masses.
There is no hope in the masses that opposition parties can solve their problems, if they bring them into power. Both opposition and government parties have no ideology, program, manifesto and strategy to rally the masses behind them.
Nawaz Sharif and Arab Connection
Nawaz Sharif came to Pakistan on 10th September in big media hype to end his nearly 8 year’s exile. He landed at Islamabad airport only to return back to Saudi Arabia to complete his exile period of 10 years. Nawaz Sharif was expecting a historical reception at the airport, but he find only police commandos and paramilitary forces at the airport.
The government used the traditional tactics to stop his supporters and party workers to reach Islamabad for his reception. All the prominent and active PML-N workers were arrested and all the highways were closed for traffic. There were very few people on the roads to show their solidarity. Nawaz Sharif was assured by his party leaders and APDM leadership that masses are looking towards him for leadership and at least one million people will come to receive him from the airport. But there were not even hundred people to receive him. Government successfully bundled him to an aero plane that takes him to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabian government played active and key role in his exile. Pakistani and Saudi governments claimed that Nawaz Sharif is bound to an agreement signed between the two governments and Sharif family. This agreement barred Nawaz Sharif and his family to return back to Pakistan from an agreed exile of ten years. Nawaz Sharif and his family denied such agreement but later accepted that they did sign the agreement for five years exile.
Musharaf wanted to stop the return of Sharif,s at any cost, but he was under pressure from Supreme Court which allowed his return. All the efforts to persuade Nawaz Sharif to postpone his return failed and than Musharaf contacted the Saudi King and Bush administration to stop him. In the beginning, Saudi government was bit reluctant to come out openly to oppose Nawaz Sharif,s return, but increased pressure from Bush administration forced them to come out in public to support the government. Bush administration was against the return of Sharifs as it can undermine the regime and strengthen the anti Musharaf forces. Saudi intelligence chief and Lebanese millionaire politician Saad Harari( the son of former prime minister Rafique Harari) came out as guarantors of that agreement. Saudi government made this deal with General Musharaf in December 2000 to release Nawaz Sharif from the prison where he was completing his sentence in different cases. American president Bill Clinton also played important role in this agreement.
American interference in the Pakistani Politics is not new and everybody knows that, but Saudi Arabia’s active involvement to support a military dictator came as a surprise for most of the people. Saudi Royal family came under heavy public criticism. Saudi government never came under criticism as it enjoys huge respect from ruling class and masses. Now this has changed and many people are questioning the Saudi involvement in Pakistani politics.
Now Nawaz Sharif is once again enjoying the hospitality of Saudi Royal family. His party and APDM failed to organize any noticeable protest demonstrations against his deportation to Saudi Arabia. The working masses showed no interest in this whole episode. Nawaz Sharif has been ousted again from the political scene for time being.
Benazir Bhutto’s Return and American Imperialism
Benazir Bhutto, the chairperson of PPP has announced to end her exile and returned back to the country on 18th October. She is in America at the moment to get final assurances from the American authorities for her safe and secure return. She tried to strike a deal with General Musharaf to share the power after the upcoming general elections. She is still negotiating with the General to finalize the power sharing agreement. Even if full fledge agreement has not yet been made, but some basic understanding has been reached between the PPP and General Musharaf.
American Imperialism is very keen to finalise this deal. Bush administration wants to give new and popular face to their policies to avoid strong criticism about its Pakistan policy. They know that Musharaf is becoming unpopular and it is becoming difficult for his unstable regime to continue war on terror with full vigor. American Imperialism wants to bring Benazir in power to strengthen the regime which can take on the Al-Qaeda and Taliban groups.
Benazir Bhutto was worried and uncomfortable about the return of Nawaz Sharif , but once he was again sent to exile in Saudi Arabia, she announced her return. She was worried that if Nawaz Sharif was allowed to return than he will become more popular because of his staunch opposition to military rule. She long ago lost the trust in the working masses to come to the power. Now she fully relies on American Imperialism and Pakistani military establishment to become prime minister for third time. All the main leaders of the PPP were kept in dark for months about the out come of the negotiations with the government. She is not interested in the issues and difficulties faced by the masses, instead she is only interested to please American Imperialism and Pakistani establishment. She is no more charismatic and darling of the poor masses. The masses are not looking at her as a hope. PPP is no more a party of the poor and working masses. It is a party of the capitalist and feudal lords like the other parties of the ruling class. PPP has become empty on the grass root level because of its pro market economic policies and unconditional support to the Imperialist policies.
SMP Demands
SMP is putting forward the demand of holding the elections for a Revolutionary Constituent assembly to elect the government of the workers and peasants and to draft a new genuine democratic Socialist Constitution with full democratic rights. We are also campaigning around the idea to hold the trade union conference with full representation from all the main trade unions and federations to discuss the present situation and to adopt the strategy for the upcoming general elections. We are also campaigning around the idea to put forward the trade union and left candidates on joint platform. These demands are getting positive response from some of the unions. We are also explaining through our material that what a revolutionary constituent assembly and a workers and peasants government really means. But the idea for a workers party is getting far more positive response from the trade union activists and even from ordinary workers. SMP will launch a country wide campaign around this idea from 20th October.