Bhutto’s Colleague: Political Parties Destroying Pakistan

The Pakistani system is highly biased in favor of the rich. Thugs and those with political power are in evil conspiracy with the administration of police, judiciary and the tax collectors. Money and power is the currency to get all legal and illegal work done in government offices. It takes decades to get cases decided in the courts. Corruption plays a big part in decisions. Outright lies are spoken in recording evidence in the court. No one is ever punished for perjury in Pakistan. The gulf between the rich and the poor has widened enormously. Ninety-eight per cent of the population is in a state of despair and frustration and has lost hope. The wealthy 2 per cent, armed with foreign passports and visas with huge wealth stashed abroad are ready to leave the country any time.

By Dr. Mubashir Hasan | Published: June 9, 2009

KARACHI, Pakistan—The main political parties and their leaderships are undermining the existence of Pakistan.

Over the years, they have failed to understand that the state of Pakistan is unraveling. The administrative structure of the state is no longer capable of ensuring the performance of the basic duties of the state, mainly the protection of life, property and dignity of the people, dispensation of justice to all citizens as equals, semblance of equitability in the distribution of wealth and assuring a sense of belonging to the Balochs, Pashtuns, Sindhis and Punjabis that the Government at Islamabad is their Government.

The system of administration is highly biased in favor of the rich and influential. Ghundas and thugs and those with political power are in evil conspiracy with the administration of police, judiciary and the tax collectors. Money and power is the currency to get all legal and illegal work done in government offices. It takes decades to get cases decided in the courts. Corruption plays a big part in decisions. Outright lies are spoken in recording evidence in the court. No one is ever punished for perjury in Pakistan.

The gulf between the rich and the poor has widened enormously. Ninety-eight per cent of the population is in a state of despair and frustration and has lost hope. The wealthy 2 per cent, armed with foreign passports and visas with huge wealth stashed abroad, are ready to leave the country any time.

The old grievances among the provinces of Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and NWFP have reached all time high. Cooperation at the federal level has disappeared; complaints and prejudices have taken the place of patriotic fervor.

What had begun in the early years of Pakistan as grievances and complaints between East and West Pakistan, between the Bengalis and Punjabis, has now been replaced by tensions between Punjabis, Sindhis and Mohajirs and between independence-seeking Balochs and Pashtuns. The absence of cooperation between the provinces has snowballed, making Pakistan a fragile state.

President Obama was wrong in terming the Government of Pakistan as fragile.

How can a government be called fragile when the two main parties in the parliament work in almost total consensus. President Obama should have stated that it was not the government but the state of Pakistan that is fragile.

The US of A, supposed to be the greatest ally of Pakistan, instead of strengthening the state seems to have adopted a policy of further weakening it.. The Pakistan army which has been the bulwark protecting the structure of the state, is being weakened by taking upon the task of fighting which amounts to chasing the proverbial wild goose.

It is time that people of Pakistan, the Government and the political parties and leaders realize that utmost attention should be paid to strengthen Pakistan internally. Without being strong internally there could be no achievements in pursuing the best possible of foreign policy and no military successes can bring lasting peace and tranquility.

Pakistan needs a change in its structure of governance. Full provincial autonomy has to be achieved by the provinces. The rights of autonomous people of FATA must be respected. In the new structure of governance, there has to be introduced people's oversight over the performance of police.. The system of jury should be introduced for criminal justice. Widest delegation of executive powers is required from top to bottom. What can be decided at the level of Tehsil/Tauloka and Town must not be in the domain of a district. Similarly, what can be decided at district and provincial levels, should not be in provincial and federal domains.

The introduction of a new structure of governance will guarantee solidarity, prosperity and integrity of Pakistan.

Dr. Hasan, a Pakistani nationalist, was the cofounder of the Pakistan People’s Party with Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in 1967.. Click here to read his biography. He can be reached at Mh1@lhr.comsats.net.pk