While lifting emergency, Musharraf has talked about stability, peace and order that he has been able to effect through what the opposition has called, a draconian step. The politicization of judiciary and the agitation of the political parties forced him to go this direction. While he has now a judiciary willing to ‘cooperate’ with the executive, he would not allow political parties to disrupt law and order while campaigning for elections. Too, he wants media to remain in its limits that he has duly spelled during the emergency days.
Benazir Bhutto has welcomed end of emergency and has showed willingness to work with Musharraf. She shares with him his concerns about militancy that is showing up in the mountainous regions of the country. This is the gist of the compromising rhetoric of the ‘Daughter of the East’ while she is back in the country after eight years. The National Reconciliation Order 2007 has ended several corruption charges against Bhutto and her spouse.
It will not be out of place to discuss in due length the issue that has brought odd fellows closer. After all it was Musharraf who had eagerly pursued corruption cases against Benazir and had said on number of occasions that he would not allow her to play any role in politics. It was he who get passed a law from the Parliament that restricts two-time premier to occupy this slot for third time. Moreover, the PPP-P faced disintegration due to the political stratagem of none other than Musharraf.
Taliban or Talibanisation, nothing is new in Pakistan. Religious groups with political agenda are not new factor affecting the prospects of peace and stability in the country. The very fact that the majority of the Taliban are Pushtoon, their role is not different from the Blochs fighting for independence or greater autonomy from the federation. Religious bigots or ethnos both have resorted to violent means to achieve their cherished objectives. Over all, the western regions of the Indus River are under the spell of anarchy that Islamabad is trying to stem one way or the other.
Lawlessness of the tribal area casts gloomy shadow on the green belt of the country largely on the eastern side of the Indus. It is the world ruled by the landed aristocracy that produces the political caste of the country. Leaving aside Central Punjab where middle class has got a foothold, the rest of the region is predominantly feudal. Such a social structure is kept intact through brutal force. Religious militancy (sectarianism) is a factor that relevant in this case; spiritual leaders, who justify the system as the one ordained by Almighty, do the rest.
A new social class was added to this part of the world through colonization of Punjab, in the areas now bordering India. The agricultural castes, as the English called them, were brought from what is now East Punjab. Such colonization was continued through allotting lands to the retired civilian and military bureaucrats of the same breed. The situation now is that from Central Punjab to lower parts of Sind, small-land holding communities have dotted the area bordering India. What is particular with these people is that they are fundamentally opposed to feudalism and the very basis that it stands on. They are politically more affiliated with the religious right rather than the Sufi Islam that preaches tolerance and forbearance to the point of humility — ironically to the benefit of the landed aristocracy.
Though the immigrants from East Punjab have faced no problem in adjusting themselves with local environment in Central Punjab, they have largely maintained their identity in rest of the country. It is not surprising that Pervez Elahi and Ijaz-ul-Haq are contesting elections from constituencies in Bahawalpur. Apparently, it does not seem odd that two politicians of the Central Punjab have chosen a constituency in the south but the fact that one is Jat while other Arain speaks an entirely different story.
The urban centers of South Punjab and Sind have got a sizeable Urdu speaking population. Concentrated in particular areas of the cities, these people are least accustomed to the norms of feudalism. A tension persists with rebellious undertones in Sind. The MQM, known as a political party of the immigrants from the Urdu speaking areas of India, is a power to be reckoned with. It has a strong backing in Sind while its leadership is eying on Southern Punjab. The party remains a hanging sword for the feudal lot of the country.
Needless to say, military has been used to maintain the status quo (feudal order) by playing effectively the Indian threat. Country was led to wars with the large neighbor three times. After the dismemberment of the country, the focus shifted on Afghanistan where a socialist regime backed by USSR had come into power. Taliban rose and fell depending the level of support available to them from successive regimes in Pakistan. After taking control of Afghanistan and coercing Pakistan to play the role of a frontline state, the US and its allies are seeking stemming militancy from country’s soil.
The very fact that the economic resources are concentrated in few hands also implies that the elite will feed and shelter militant groups as well manipulate state institutions to keep their social position intact. It will be naïve to think that landed aristocracy will stand up to destroy the structure of militancy in the society.
All the mainstream political parties — say PPP-P and PML (Q/N/F) do endorse the role of religion in politics. Their election manifestos speak a lot about it. They are too eager to take mullas on board. The constitution of the country requires the state to wear Islamic identity and create suitable conditions in which the Muslims could live their lives according to the injunctions of their religion. The state-run media spares a lot of time for the propagation of the religion of the majority.
The ground realities require the political elite to encourage the growth of the elements like Taliban. Country’s role in war on terror demands it to take action against them. The way Musharraf has ‘curbed’ militancy Benazir will have no problem in treading this path. At the end of the day, the both will ‘fail’ to do it. By that time the priorities of the west will change and some new issue will prop up requiring unconditional support from Pakistan for its successful resolution. This vicious cycle has to end one day or other. It will happen when politics is secularized — mullas are confined to mosques and generals to barracks.