Spotlight: 'Popular take-over' of the government in the offing?: Spanner in the works or saviour? Your choice!

Politics is in something of a commotion following Allama Tahirul Qadri's ultimatum, MQM's firm opposition to fresh delimitation of constituencies and to voter-lists correction, Sindh's unequivocal stand against Sindh Peoples Local Government Ordinance (SPLGO), Karachi bleeding from every pore with even policemen getting killed daily, terrorists striking at will on high security installations and causing loss of life and limb, misery and starvation galore, rulers ignoring all this and continuing their corrupt ways, politicians changing loyalties for personal gains! That is the snapshot of "Pakistan Today" in 79 words.
Reasonable premise
On the face of it, therefore, there is little to dispute in the Allama's assertion about the rotten state of present day governance people are groaning under, about bogus votes in millions, about fake degree holders and tax dodgers getting elected to the outgoing Parliament and then climbing on to seats of power which they use for their own worldly gratification, power passing on undeservedly to sons and daughters of the rich and mighty of the land, generation after generation, corruption in governance being more the rule than the exception, galloping poverty and so forth. All this is easy to accept as a valid description of the state of affairs in the country's politics today. (Incidentally the Allama does not mention the curse of dual nationality among the rulers!) The Allama objects to the formation of a caretaker government resulting from a concord between the ruling party and the opposition as required by the Constitution but would like to involve the Army, the Judiciary as well as all parties in and out of the parliament even if this stalls the election process for an indefinite period. As we write this he has gone a step further and declared that the "caretaker prime minister would be appointed by the people's parliament", obviously referring to the horde of 4 million he plans to send to Islamabad!
What TQ ignores
What the Allama ignores conveniently is that despite the grim scenario described, a wind of change for the better has started blowing across the country. He does not consider the fact that a vigilant judiciary with popular support is moving promptly in taking up and pursuing cases of corruption despite hindrances of all kinds created by the rulers. He also does not take into account the presence for the first time in Pakistan of a vigilant and vibrant Media which puts acts of corruption in the glare of public awareness and is acting as the ears and eyes of the Judiciary. The religious scholar also overlooks the fact that thanks to both the upright Judiciary and the investigative journalism of today people are much more conscious of the need to use their vote judiciously for their own good. Also forgotten by the learned Islamic scholar the fact that an independent and unanimously selected Election Commission is in charge of the elections and that the Army has not only not shown any inclination to usurp power but is fully committed to meeting civilian requests to help guard against frauds in the election process. Therefore the situation is not as bad as to call for a general uprising which his declared onslaught on Islamabad amounts to.
Surprise return
Tahirul Qadri resigned as an MP several years ago, left quietly for abroad, living presumably mainly in Canada, reportedly became a Canadian Citizen and after several years' absence landed with a bang in his home country apparently with tons of money at his disposal and an ultimatum to broadcast before a mammoth crowd brought together in Lahore from all over Punjab and to a lesser extent from other parts of the country at a huge cost which logistics experts are trying to estimate as best as they can.
Under probe
Allama Tahirul Qadri's long absence from the country and sudden, thumping entry has put his past under close scrutiny. People are wondering about the huge expenditure incurred in the mammoth Lahore rally despite Allama's claim under oath that that only Minhajul-Quran International's funds were used. That only begged questions about the sources of MQI's funds. Then clips were dug up and run on at least one TV channel in which the Allama appeared to be singing one tune for local consumption and an opposite one before foreign audience. In one clip he was seen claiming credit for getting the Blasphemy law passed and in another saying he had nothing to do with it. Similarly in another pair of clips he was shown saying in one that the blasphemy law applied to everyone and in another that it applied only to Muslims.
Drones
Soon after his arrival in Pakistan, Allama Tahirul Qadri is reported to have said in an interview "there was a time when the United States helped Pakistan in constructing the Tarbela and Mangla dams, and when we started sheltering terrorist, the drone attacks started". This apparent justification of Drone attacks and acknowledgment of American "benevolence" towards Pakistan has not gone well with the people groaning since years over relentless drone attacks continuing month after month, year after year, killing innocent people - men, women and children. And as for the American blame of Pakistan "sheltering terrorists", which the Allama appears to have swallowed lock, stock and barrel, one has to only realize the number of deaths, civilian and military, Pakistan has suffered at the hands of "terrorists" it is blamed to have sheltered!
Superb planning and execution
In another remark in an interview Allama Tahirul Qadri expressing his love for Lahore said: "I like Lahore and was feeling sad being away from it. I had reserved seats in two or three flights and reached Lahore in accordance with the schedule." This meticulous care and planning, leaving nothing to chance as far as humanly possible was a marvelous characteristic, also visible in the planning and execution of the mammoth rally at Lahore which ran like clockwork! (The Allama would make a great Planning Minister!) No doubt similar planning and preparation must be going on towards making his projected four million march into Islamabad (will Isloo swell like a balloon to accommodate all?) on 14 January 13 a reality if Allama's main demand about a move towards the change of the system (caretaker set-up for a start) is not met to his satisfaction!
MQM, PTI as partners?
MQM, a self declared secular party has emerged as an unlikely supporter of MQI. Common ground has been found in the declared aim of both parties to do away with the continuing feudal style of politics in the country. It has announced that it will take part in the 4-million march to which the Allama has invited the party. Faced with its compulsions to prevent delimitation of constituencies in Karachi and revision/correction of voter lists and finding itself in relative isolation on both issues MQM is looking around for friends. MQM Chief's phone calls to various Ulema in Karachi and his overtures to Allama's Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) are welcome moves in that direction. Imran's party also made favourable reference to PAT's big show in Lahore. Imran has claimed that Allama's stand on various matters is supportive of what his party has been saying in the recent past.
What might 14 January 2013 bring
It seems at this point in time that Allama Tahirul Qadri's demand for a "change in the system" with involvement of the Army and the Judiciary as well as parties not represented in the Parliament (Allama's Pakistan Awami Tehrik became one when he resigned from the Parliament in 2004) is unlikely to be met to his satisfaction. That lends support to the inevitability of the march on Islamabad promised for 14th January 2013. It is becoming clearer as we write this that the Allama has set his sights on nothing less than a "popular take-over" of the government. The Allama insists that the march will be 4 million strong. Even half that number gate crashing into the capital could have unforeseen consequences. What if the government asks for Army's help in stopping charged multitudes marching into the city paralysing its life? Would it refuse to help? Whether the Army's answer is yes or no, can anyone predict what might happen? Let the Allama not press his luck too far lest he is remembered as one who, after he had successfully made a point, threw a spanner in the works when expectations of improvement in the democratic process yielding results were close to realisation. ([email protected])