Nov 25, 2024
Nov 25, 2024
by R C Ganjoo
The creation of Pakistan within the Indian Subcontinent in 1947 was part of international politics. The United States took over the affairs from British. Punjab with its army trained to ‘rule’ on the forefront was enough to fulfill American motives. The army chose the role of no state actors to fulfill their own motives. Founded on double standards, they made two strategies for internal and external affairs. The idea of power sharing was than floated and recruited politician surfaced around for the role of decoy rulers, democrats, liberals, socialists, nationalists, centralists and religious politicians ready to comply with the dictates of non-state actors.
After this the army took judiciary, civil bureaucracy and media into its fold . Anyone out of these could any time be picked up and inducted into the interim government during the martial law as state actors.
Pakistan adopted the India Act of 1935 as its constitution. The constitution of 1954 replaced it. It was the same material law in a new packing. In 1958 October the army compiled another constitution and got it approved by recruited parliament in 1962. When confident, the Pak army announced elections of constituent assembly in 1969 and that too on one- man, one- vote basis for the first time in history.
The election results were a great shock for the army. The oppressed parts of Pakistan voted for a new constitution, but Punjab stood with the army’s anti constitution policy. The army’s retaliation against the constitutionalists was at its extreme in world history and its target was Bengalis.
When the Bengali leadership sought help from neighboring India and the latter sent its army to avert the genocide, the Pakistani army surrendered. Bengalis declared independent Bangladesh. Afterwards, the constitution of Islamic republic of Pakistan in 1973 was drafted in accordance with the wishes of army. Since then the army’s mindset towards the oppressed nations has been far more oppressive than ever before. Baloch and Seraikis have specifically been targeted by them.
The army got dissatisfied with the new constitution too and among many amendments inserted an army ruler’s name in the book making it a ridiculous document.
Seraikis have been deprived of their geography and population. Punjab has become the big brother and a habitual usurper and the army and constitution have upgraded it to be “illicit father” for all the oppressed nations. Before the elections of 2008 the Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) had developed an interaction with centralist parties and an all parties democratic movement All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) was launched in London. The Pakistan Oppressed Nations Movement (PONM) is an alliance of several ethnic nationalist parties in Pakistan: Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, Sindhi Awami Tehreek, Balochistan National Movement, Pakhtun-khwa Milli Awami Party, Seraiki Movement. And the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM) was a Pakistani political alliance consisting of thirty-two parties opposed to the military rule of General Pervez Musharraf.
PONM was a credible alliance within APDM which gained a lead in politics and then started a move for boycott of election in 2008.
Status quo in Pakistan maintained by army seemed to be disturbed. PONM is a united political front of four oppressed nations demanding a constitution on the basis of 1940 resolution. The army dealt with the challenge by indulging fully in politics along allied parties, dropped MMA and disbanded APDM with the authority as non-state actors. PONM remained intact but became nonfunctional after elections in which most parties did boycott but preferred the army to side with.
Pakistan is overdue to be reconstituted. How can a country of five historic homelands with four oppressed nations run without a constitution having a united voice against 65 years of dictatorship.
Such unethical, unlawful, antipeople and invisible rule prevailing in Pakistan cannot be traced in any part of the world. The army enjoys power dynamics from all sides with an extra constitutional position and have freedom to tackle sensitive affairs to raise funds and authority from the United States and allies.
Pakistan with its geo-strategic position has lost existence as multinational state. The Pak army instigates agitation every five to ten years against the contemporary ruler and pressure for democracy is thus defused. Some parties from Punjab, Pakhtoon and Sindh plus religious groups along MQM are available to act under the umbrella of army.
But internally army is loosening its grip day by day. Seraikis and Baloch are not allowed decisions in political, economics and other social/cultural matters of their homeland. Both make more than half of Pakistan and are confronted with identical hardship regarding political rights and loot of their resources. If these two nations come together, reshaping of this region can be made possible. Seraiki/Baloch area can inspire other oppressed regions too.
25-Sep-2012
More by : R C Ganjoo