The politics of violence

Death of PPP worker in Kotli district of AJK is another that violence and politics go together in Pakistan

The death of a Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) worker in Kotli district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) is yet another grim reminder that all too often, violence and politics go together in Pakistan. Another four men were injured in the clash between PPP and PML-N workers who were canvassing for the upcoming elections in June for the AJK Legislative Assembly. The clash has generated something of a war of words between the PPP government of AJK and the federal government of the PML-N at the Centre, with both sides hurling accusations right and left.

A Black Day was observed on February 15, called by the PPP. On the other side, the federal government was of the view that the responsibility for the clash lay with AJK Prime Minister Abdul Majeed, and called for him to step aside over what it called his failure to “protect the life and property of the people”.

Differing versions of how the clash came about were quickly in circulation and teasing out a credible narrative from the tangle of stories is nigh impossible. What is, however, crystal clear is that violence is never far below the surface in any electoral activity in the country, and not just in AJK. The latency is present everywhere.

As in war so in politics, with truth being the first casualty of any conflict. Strikes and Black Days are called by all and sundry often over minor grievances. It does not always take a death to see entire cities in virtual lockdown when political muscles get flexed. Nobody, and certainly not the average citizen, gets one iota of benefit from the exercising of the ego by political parties bent on imposing their will on all and sundry.

Extremely sorry as we are for the death of the PPP worker, we have to note that this will not be the last death in pursuit of political goals. It is long past time for all political parties in the country to inculcate their cadres to the effect that violence only begets violence, becoming an endless and poisonous loop. A faint hope perhaps, but a wish worth the making.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2016.

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