Of Politics and People
By Hashim Abro

"IN the game of politics, it’s usually the public that loses and politicians do nothing but play politics with the people”.

These words of one of my professors of International Law and Contemporary politics are still on my mind. These words depict a clear picture of the present political scenario in the country where the Co-Chairman of Pakistan Peoples Party Mr Asif Ali Zardari is struggling for this sole defined purpose that the public may not become the loser thi#s time too, as in the past, hence he is cobbling up all together but reported rather disinformation launched by the anti-PPP and anti-people lobbies in the media regarding the growing factionalism over the nomination of premiership in the party has demoralized the staunch workers of the party.

The PPP loyalists and disciples expect from the Makhddoom of Hala and others to re-write new history of loyalty and attachment. Positions are not important it is the attachment and loyalty which becomes quotable in the annals of history.

Of course, as the political parties grow old they become unable to take care of the interest of all their party members. Those in the inner circle form cliques and usurp all the privileges, while those at the periphery are pushed into weaker positions.

This creates resentment and becomes the breeding ground for the birth of factions, hence, the PPP leadership must have to look after this marginalized worker too who adores PPP and PPP leadership.

The history of modern political parties in Pakistan reveals that it carries within itself personal differences and group interests in the form of factions or power blocs. These power blocs are mostly informal groups of different party members who swear allegiance to their factional leader. The factional leader in turn looks after the interest of his members.

An influential faction can be seen as a ‘party within a party.’ At times the goals of a faction may not match the goals of other factions, or may run contrary to the goals of the party itself. Factions often use the party’s resources and infrastructure to bolster their own power by backing a specific agenda or person.

The rise of factions has made the political process a game of inducement and numbers. Politics is now seen as a lucrative profession, a business transaction, and less as a vocation. We rarely come across leaders who are willing to make sacrifices and work amidst deprivation and loss for the welfare of the people.

The professionalization of politics has created puny leaders who seek their own self-interest and neglect the interest of others. They do not lead people but advance their careers and if in the process they have to hoodwink their electorate they do so with impunity.

The electorate too understands this quite well. This tendency is not unique to political parties alone but is shared equally by other social and economic organizations as well.

Of course, factions are often held responsible for creating fissures and disunity within a political party, impeding its efficacious functioning or even breaking it. Rather than supporting the main agenda of the party, factions invariably end up fighting each other within the party or pushing their own agenda for the party to endorse. Different factions lobby important agendas or candidates to bolster their power or interest.

Aspiring politicians use the power of factions to advance their careers or gain political influence. However the influence of factions may not be always negative. It is common knowledge that within a political party there are many individual differences that prevent the smooth functioning of the party. Instead of focusing on different individual perspectives, factions consolidate different opinions and make the results of the party deliberations more predictable.

They negotiate with each other to achieve a common goal. Through this process they give a semblance of stability to the deliberations of the party on significant issues at the same time sacrificing certain ethical principles. Some supporters of factional politics go so far as to maintain that factional politics gives rise to party harmony and stability.

Most political analysts find that factionalism in politics is detrimental to the general health of the nation. When this happens it can undermine the democratic process itself and can work against social welfare.

Yes, the promise of better tomorrow must be fulfilled today, day after tomorrow it runs the risk of being conveniently forgotten. Indeed, so many tomorrows have come and gone without a leaf turning that today there is a lurking danger that people will work out their destiny through the compelled cult of their own ‘dirty hands’.

Words bandied about in marbled halls say much but fail to achieve as much. Crime is fearfully upon the increase. There is a doubling of the murder rate in eight years. This fearful condition does not exist because laws are defective.

We have the most magnificent legal system but our courts, in particular the lower courts, of justice look to the shadow in the shape of technicalities instead of the substance in the form of crime. Everyone knows, too, that corrupt methods are used to defeat the administration of law. Indeed, this is the dangerous condition.

The government cannot survive a demoralized people. We must have a remedy. Despite deep-seated worries, the people of Pakistan show strong signs of optimism for PPP and its government.

Hence, people and the political pundits are on the lookout: which way the PPP is going to heal the eight years scars, inflicted by the former ruling party, of 160 million people of Pakistan that can only be possible to establish a society where there is politics for people and not playing politics with people.●