‘Pakistani politics on foreign soil is a dirty game’

Speakers warn of involving foreign elements in domestic politics, greater dialogue between stakeholders

With several political parties mainlining active wings in other countries and leaderships of some other parties frequently convening critical meetings abroad, the speaker at a dialogue urged parties to shun such practices while warning about the dangers of involving foreign elements in domestic politics.

The dialogue between political, judicial and military leadership, politics on foreign soil and judicial reforms had been organised by the Allama Iqbal Council in the federal capital on Wednesday and saw prominent members of different political parties, civil, judicial and military institutions participate.

To shun political activities in foreign countries, speakers discussed the dangers of the involvement of foreign elements in Pakistani politics. They highlighted that major blunders had been made by dictatorships and previous governments in this regard.

Pakistani politics on foreign soil is a dirty game which should be stopped, said former foreign secretary Riaz Khokhar.

Pakistan’s security challenges and political instability

His sentiments were echoed by another former foreign secretary and ambassador to the US Aizaz Choudhary who conceded that substantial Pakistani diaspora exists in several countries, particularly in the west and in the Middle East, but suggested that the Pakistani ex-pats there should participate in local politics of those countries instead of getting involved in Pakistani politics.

On the subject of balance between political parties, the military and the judiciary Senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader and former federal information minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said that if our institutions do not respect the Constitution, then a social movement will be triggered which will sweep away “everything”.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Dr Nisar Cheema suggested that major blunders were made under dictatorships in the country. However, he agreed with the notion that the leadership of political parties must make greater and sincere efforts to improve the level of integrity and competence of the political lot.

“Sacrifices of politicians should be acknowledged,” he added.

Aik tou chori, upar se hawa khori

On the other hand, General (retired) Tahir Mahmood Qazi suggested that if the performance of political parties was up to the mark, then no one would dare to interfere in the domestic politics of the country.

“If the government loses credibility the state itself is weakened,” warned former Lahore High Court (LHC) judge and current chairman of the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) Justice (retired) Ali Nawaz Chohan.

Allama Iqbal Council Chairman Zulfiqar Cheema added that character, competence and courage are required to establish civilian supremacy but our present political leadership lacks these traits.

The panacea, former federal secretory Seerat Ashar offered, was a dialogue between the three key pillars of the state — the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2020.