Letter-gate and our imperial viceroy

India had been for a long time a British colony ruled by viceroys who exercised their power on the greatest and the richest empire of the world on behalf of the sovereign – Great Britain. The imperial viceroys governed us because we were enslaved, weak and not free to make our choices. But what is wrong with us now? Are we still not sovereign – free to rule ourselves? Are we still colonised? Is another imperialist power yet again trying to extend and spread its power and influence through its protégés and selected deputies to meddle in our internal affairs? The ‘letter-gate’ is an ugly political scandal that has taken this country by storm. It was on the basis of this scandal that the no-confidence motion against the Prime Mister was dismissed by the Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. What is strange is that the highest court in the country has unanimously decided to restore everything but hasn’t said a word about this scandal. 

Despite knowing that politics in Pakistan today is clearly divided into two political camps – pro-Imran and anti-Imran, the Supreme Court still gave a judgment that is clearly tilted towards one camp. This judgment has needlessly created two most unfortunate openings. The first one has opened up democratic wounds of the followers of PTI – wounds that are forcing the supporters of PTI to express fearlessly their bitterness against the institutions that they held very close to their hearts not long ago. Apparently, it seems that these wounds would now take a very long time to heal. The other opening relates to who qualifies to rule this country – not a Prime Minister but an imperial viceroy who is a deputy of some other sovereign. At least that’s the popular public impression.

The real question that every self-respecting Pakistani is asking today is: are we still not liberated? And this question will remain unanswered if the letter-gate is not investigated. Lord Clive was the creator of the British Empire in India and was famous for buying members of the British Parliament and parliamentary seats with the sole purpose of ensuring that East India Company could be backed and supported by the state power that it needed to rule India. The Lord Clives of our country also needed a sovereign’s backing and support to come to power through this no-confidence motion. The colonial history re-lived itself when based on the backing of such a sovereign, many members of our azad parliament allowed themselves to be purchased and dishonorably switched their loyalties.

Listening to the Prime Minister’s address to the nation on Friday night, it is clear that he is not going to back off. His decision to go to the public is a democratic decision and on Sunday he will be able to demonstrate how huge all around the country is his public following. Drawing political control and influence over society is the desire of every political party. Imran Khan out on the roads will extend that control and influence much more than Imran Khan who was looking after the responsibilities of the Prime Minister Office. 

The nominees for the position of Prime Minister of the country and the Chief Minister of Punjab – the father-son duo face serious charges of corruption. Much like the story of East India Company and Britain’s viceroys which was filled with personal enrichment, creation of private fortunes for officers and rich dividends for the entire company, the Sharifs and Zardaris are also famous not only for ensuring family enrichment but for rewarding all those that become part of their scheme of things. Nothing ever gets proven in Pakistan but both domestic and foreign press is filled with stories of how both political families are reputed to have executed orderly and methodical corruption in this country in the past.

It is not merely the stories in the press but every time one of these families ruled Pakistan it registered cases of corruption against the other family. For many common Pakistanis, it is deeply unsatisfying to know that their fate will be back in the hands of the political leaders who have not been able to clearly break away from these charges of corruption. 

Palace intrigues and military coups we are all familiar with, as they have been a regular Middle Eastern and South Asian phenomena that mostly have been domestically generated. But this democratic coup that Pakistan is experiencing is an indelible blot on the democracy of this country because it is allegedly foreign-sponsored and is thus an attack on our sovereignty. Had political and personal greed not been the case, the entire parliament should have asserted itself to first challenge this deadly attack that had taken place against our democracy. Since that is not the case, it gives credence to Prime Minister’s allegation that there are deputies of a sovereign as well as contenders for the position of an imperial viceroy who may have ended up selling their souls to achieve personal benefit, grandeur and glamour.

Mir Jaffer is known for not only having his Nawab defeated but having him murdered as well. East India Company to its great disappointment found out that Mir Jaffer as a replacement for Nawab Sirajud Daulah was not up to the job of being the Nawab. He was brought to power to ensure the accession of a more friendly Nawab towards East India Company. But what the Company ended up doing was to bring to power a person who fatally and permanently undermined the authority of all Nawabs and brought chaos to what was the most peaceful and profitable part of the British Empire. 

The no-confidence motion, the letter-gate and the ensuing Supreme Court judgment have undermined the legislators in the eyes of the general public. The democrats with their own sweet will have clearly transferred the balance of power in the favour of the Supreme Court. From now onwards in the trinity of power, it will not be the parliament but the courts that will enjoy the supreme authority.

Lastly, Mir Jaffer was a favourite of East India Company but within their inner circles, they always considered him a traitor – somebody who “sat on the throne warm with the blood of his lord”. History never forgave him and this is a lesson for all our democrats.  

Published in The Express Tribune, April 10^th, 2022.

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