Fending for ourselves

“Where there is no law, there is no freedom”, said John Locke (1632-1704), the eminent political thinker and scholar and a great contributor to the English Enlightenment. The likes of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke can never be forgotten for their contribution to the rights of the civil liberty of the people and society. When I compare their contribution to the English Enlightenment with the contribution of those that can lead to our society’s illumination — call it the “Pakistani illumination” — I am left utterly disappointed and sad.

While the technology-driven modern world is utilising all the scientific tools at its disposal to urbanise, industrialise and modernize, we Pakistani’s are still far removed from this world and are caught in a political web that deprives us of taking advantages and benefits that the modern world offers. Our TV studios have become our ‘mini parliaments’ and our politicians enjoy being seen and recognised on TV shows more than being seen in the parliament where they were actually sent for the purpose of legislating and serving us all. These are the day-dreaming ‘political shepherds’ that enjoy sitting under the shade of the TV shows rather than being concerned about the wolves that may take their herd or flock (public).

When James Madison, the fourth president of the United States (1809-1817), famously wrote that, “ambition must be made to counteract ambition”, he was precisely referring to the establishment of a system of check and balance between the executive, legislative and judicial branches. The system James Madison gave has served the US for over 200 years and has acted as a lynchpin in protecting the civil liberties in the US. Our political shepherds that sit in the comforts and shade of our new mini parliaments never want their political ambitions to be threatened and hence do everything to keep us, the people who are the ultimate check and the “counter balance” against their ambitions, under-resourced, under-served, under-cared and deprived of the courage and strength to stand up and counter balance against them. A well-written and well-documented social contract (constitution) is always a great server of the interests of the people and a great “counter balance” against the ambitions of the political shepherds who tend to leave their herds to the mercy of the wolves. How can constitutions protect the sheep from the wolves?

James A Robinson, the author of the 2019 book, The Narrow Corridor- States, Societies and the Fate of Liberty, introduces his readers to Article 15 of the Congolese Constitution. Congo had six constitutions since it gained independence in 1960, and while many amendments were made, Article 15 was never changed. What Article 15 said was: “fend for yourself”. The author explains that although there is no such article the Congolese people quote it as a joke for that is what they have been required to do for the past 60 years. Much similar to how our political shepherds have been wanted us to “fend for ourselves” against the hunting wolves (poverty, crime, illiteracy, pollution, overcrowding and urban dysfunction etc.).

A national census is mandated by the Constitution of Pakistan to be held after every 10 years. An exercise much copied from the American Constitution that also mandates its conduct after every decade. Whereas the Americans conducted their first census in 1790 and have been conducting one after every 10 years since then, ours is a different case. Since 1951, we conducted six nationwide censuses (1961, 1972, 1981, 1998 and 2017). The two noticeable delays during the democratic decades (1990-2001 and 2008 -2017) stand out as a true reflection of how when given an opportunity our political shepherds didn’t do their job and preferred to relax and sit in a shade. Census are important because they bring in balance in the society, they guarantee fair distribution in the legislature, determine for the government where people are, where they come from, how they are living, and how educated are they. Can any government budget its resources, provide services to the people or even plan and raise revenues without having the answers to these questions?

And now after abrogating their democratic responsibilities for over two decades of democracy and also after failing to dislodge the current government through an Islamabad sit-in (dharna) at the end of last year, the sitting-in-shade political shepherds are once again organising to pursue their personal political ambitions. The bunch of political shepherds led by Maulana Fazalur Rahman are now showcasing a new political narrative — “Protection of the Constitution of Pakistan”. Little do they realise that everything they have done so far is to protect themselves and their ability to return to the assemblies election after election.

Few days ago, the JUI-F organised a convention on the “Protection of Constitution of Pakistan”. Having already expelled the PPP, PML-N and ANP from the Rahbar Committee for allegedly giving favours to the government (their support on the Army Act vote), it could only showcase the support of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (led by Mahmood Khan Achakzai), the National Party (led by Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo) and the Qaumi Watan Party (led by Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao).

We, the people who have been made to “fend for ourselves” were told during the convention that the “Constitution is not alive and not being implemented in letter and spirit”. It didn’t end there. Political rallies (anti-government protests) are planned for March 19 in Lahore, and March 23 in Karachi, and we will get to hear much more from these “personal political ambition promoters”.

Make no mistake that these “creators of the zero sum games” are not the political shepherds that are concerned with the future of the herd. Engaged in a political battle of dispossessing and destroying their political opponents, they have lost the meaning of the conduct of true politics — service to the people. Doing little in creating a capable society, their political agendas stand at cross purpose with the creation and maintenance of even a capable state. Their method of politics is characterised by grave irrationalities and defects and is designed only to shackle the ability of the current government and the state to deliver and do well.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2020.

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