What the JI should do —to be taken seriously
For starters, the MQM is the single biggest representative of the people of Karachi in parliament and has been consistently getting votes since 1988. So, kicking them out of the government and dealing with them in a “high-handed” manner will not yield any lasting — or temporary — results. The JI has been out of parliament for so long that its leaders have forgotten that popular politics is about taking care of the wishes of the electorate, not dealing with their mandate in a high-handed manner.
By constantly targeting the MQM, a party with a decent enough mandate in the province of Sindh, the JI is indirectly proposing the political isolation and disenfranchisement of a large group of people. In a country where sense of victimhood is high among so many marginalised sections of society, adding one more to it is tantamount to internal security hara-kiri, but the JI is vigorously following this policy. Instead of working to bring in more groups into the political arena, it is trying to push away those who are part of it.
The JI is supposedly a national party but seems to be concerned only with the safety and security of Karachi — an issue that gets enough coverage in the media and is never out of public discussion. However, one is yet to hear a single word of condemnation from its leadership on the premeditated targeted killings of Shia Hazaras in Quetta, probably because the banned organisations that have taken responsibility for most of the attacks are ideologically on the same side of the fence as the JI.
While it is quiet on the Hazara genocide, the JI decides to speak against the sectarian violence in Gilgit-Baltistan and is supporting the protests by the Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen in front of parliament. However, it continues to be in denial about the causes of the violence and is blaming ‘foreign enemies’ for the latest round of violence in Gilgit-Balitistan. To add injury to insult, they are seeking counsel from rightwing militant outfits — the very perpetrators of the violence — in order to bring about peace in the region.
The party also opposes the bill on domestic violence which was recently presented in the National Assembly — again — after having lapsed previously. What it should realise is that it has lost its right to protest legislative amendments when it boycotted the elections. Only parties with presence in the assemblies get to discuss and amend the Constitution.
If the JI wants to be taken as a serious political contender, it needs to focus on the issues that are relevant to the people of Pakistan instead of blaming the MQM for the violence in Karachi and the US for everything else that is wrong with the country.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 14th, 2012.
COMMENTS (47)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
1731329418-0/BeFunky-collage-(39)1731329418-0-165x106.webp "article")
Nice words containing article posing the ground reality of the useless and immoral politics of Jamat-e-Islami. Their so-called national politics has been confining day by day to the certain district levels. However MQM's expending the ideology of proper politics within the national interest and issues over all. The role JI's politics in Pakistan is being awared by every individual having political sensibility. They create chaos on the name of religion and expands none other than religious dis-harmony and hatred through sectarian-ism. Promoting the vision of Middle Class Leadership, MQM does better than all on the same feudalistic ground of this era.
It is understood that Jamate Islami is desperate to be in the Power politics. They were all over well before MQM. But since MQM came into the politics, people have a better choice against Jamat-e-Islamic. We know what services JI rendered for the National Matters right from its formation. Their leaders have never tried to solve the problems of common people, instead they were busy abusing Jews, then Russians, then Americans and so on and so forth.
Not only in Karachi but also around the Pakistan, the representatives of Jamat-e-Islamic were so badly treated as far as the voting is concerned that it seems far from believing that in the near future Jamat-e-Islami candidates can wiin even 5% of the seats at National Level. The recent exemple of their worst defet happened in Lahore where Hafiz Salman were defeat brutally when the people of Lahore denied to cast their votes in favour of Hafiz Salman.
People of Pakistan has understood the politics of Jamat-e-Islami and Jamat-e-Islami should start welfare services in letter and spirit and forget the heavy mandate.
Shouldn't MQM also do something in this regard? There is no doubt that a very high percentage of MQM supporters hail from the middle and lower middle classes, thus (as claimed) having the greatest potential for setting revolutionary changes in motion. Is there really any evidence that members of the party are ready to launch desired changes?
MQM definitely has an image problem which needs improvement. Not only their Homepage suffers from poor aesthetic, usage of bad English is annoying besides communication skills are lacking in many of the leading people. Proper English is very much needed to reach a broader spectrum of media persons.
MQM is accused by its opponents for easily resorting to violence, can this be amended? Can MQM be the first political party to get rid of cult like behaviour? All party heads should be relieved of their duties as permanent occupants of the leader's post. All parties should change their rules so that the party head, automatically has to step down, after say a period of ten years. Democratic and transparent elections within the party should be held after every four years.
MQM has always been an elected party thats the reason it has roots in common people and the party like JI never been a political party its just secretarial group represents Deu Bandi fiqah ,so shia and other major groups can never be voters of JI . the comparison of MQM and Ji is meaningless for the betterment of Pakistani Politics
MQM is only Group or party who are well educated and real degree holders in Pakistan They belong to Middle class or poor class people even some parliamentarians belongs to very poor families this is the revolution in Pakistan MQM started their struggle from 1987 when they won City Nazim Contest in Big cities of Sindh.. Which shows People well known about progress of Religious Parties They ruled many years in Karachi Hyderbad and other cities of Sinbefooled dh but they did not do any thing for the people of cities they jsut hoax them. They used to collect all donations skins of Goats and zakat fitra every years but they did not do anything for residence of these cities when Altaf Hussain informed the people and every one understood the game and welcomed to Altaf Hussain He is real Leader and people Vote him..He rules on their heart. He has great power of educated young guys they have ability to do anything with good way. they r people who can save Pakistan and build Pakistan.
The writer of this article has a good sight and vision, hence she raised good questions about other issues exist in the country. In fact JI's issue is that it has no massive support, it is confined to restricted mindset and follow a rigid religious belief, which does not allow others to express their point view, otherwise a democratic, political party does not behave like JI. JI in former East Pakistan organised Al-Shams and Al-Badr, they raised slogan of Crush India, they have always been raising slogans against USA, but in practical they curshed Pakistan as the elected political representatives from Awami League were opposed by JI, they have been taking financial aid from USA during the so-called Jehad against USSR, they helped the USA to crush USSR so that the unipolar system might prevail in the world, today whatever destruction is seen in the country is the blessing of so-called jehad. So people do not give importance to JI as they have now identified them, and contrary to JI, MQM believes in democratic process, brotherhood, and integrity, prosperity, strengthening the relationship between every citizen of Pakistan without any discrimination of race, face, language, region, therefore, this all does not suit to JI and they are still wandering in the past, while in Karachi particularly there was no to challenge them, hence, they feel that they can not combat MQM through masses, they are making noise to get oust the masses' party so that they can become the ruler of people of Karachi, but they don't understand that the scenario has been changed, people have now recognized them and they will never become fool now by JI, so they have designed an undemocratic plan which could never be succeeded insha Allah, MQM shall bring change in all over the country, if people give them chance. MQM has proved at each and every time that it is a democratic, massess party and believes in live good and let live good to others.
Soemthin' which is really bothersome here is , some readers are loosing sight of what the author is implying .It seems they are just jumping down into the comments section to jot down soemthin "nasty " against MQM as a psrt of their "holy and divine duty " .Sad Indeed .
She is right in putting forth some very simple question as to why JI had been so mumb on other bigger issues eroding the very fabric of this land rather going after MQM , with a very good knowledge that MQM enjoys massive supports at the grass root level which is almost impossible to shake out .( Oh pls haters , donot come up with another story of poll rigging , for God's sake , it has gone rather sour ).
@ Muqarrib , you are a Muhajir , good for you bro . A lot of JI office beareres are as well .See the point ?? ,MQM is no more an ethnic party . . Since this is democracy , you better leave it to the majority to decide .lolzzzzzzzz
I do not support MQM but I am sure there is a reason they are elected from the areas of Pakistan which have the highest literacy rate in the country. You can not ever take votes of millions of people by totting guns for God's sake. I am sure most of the anti MQM comments here are coming from people who dont know a penny about the dynamics of Karachi during the last 30-40years. I hope MQM becomes more organised and get more educated people on board because they represent the middle class Pakistani only. Rest of the parties are either political or religious elites and will never stop supporting status quo.
JI is only doing what it does best. Obfuscating. Even if it takes political somersaults, twisting history or simply outright lying. Their politics can be summed up in just that one word. This they have been doing since 1947 and even before!
Their founder Maulana Mawdudi wrote extensively against the idea of an independent Pakistan and went to the extent of attacking Jinnah's integrity and person as "rajal ul faajir." Today, they pose as the champions/protagonists of the Pakistan Movement; and have even invented a dubious "Ideology of Pakistan" since the 1970 elections in collaboration with Gen Yahya's information Minister. The founder's fatwa against jihad in Kashmir (1947-48) is well known but now it stands revoked and is not applied to the non-state jihadi's who are on a rampage especially against the innocent civilians since the end of Afghan War under Reagan. Similarly Maudoodi's fatwa against "aurat ki hukmarani/woman head of state" was forgotten/reinterpreted when Fatima Jinnah challenged Ayub Khan in the mid-1960's Presidential Elections; only to revert back to the original fatwa when Begum Bhutto and BB were heading the PPP - a double somersault. Meanwhile, JI openly supported the successive Martial Laws regimes of Gen Yahya (with their Al-Shams, Al-Badr militant outfits JI massacred Bengali civilians), Gen Zia (virtually his 'B' Team) and Gen Musharraf (living up to their reputation of supporting every army chief as President)only to pose as champions of democracy once civilian governments were sworn in for a change. Their "jihad" against the Soviet Union under the patronage of Gen Zia with the help of American dollars and armaments in the '80's vs their opposition against the war on terror waged by the same USA in the same Afghanistan is another case of their rank opportunism. These are just a few glimpses of their "glorious politics" that come readily to mind. Their dismal performance in the successive general elections is a clear indication of what the common man, and obviously women, think about them.
So, JI is only doing what it does best.
Good advice given by you to the JI. Obviously it will not be heeded.
"Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt" Abraham Lincoln.
@Muqarrib you need a refresher course on Karachi history and ethnic riots First ever ethnic riots between Mohajirs and Pathans erupted back in 1964 then language riots in 1972 in sindh between sindhis mohajirs and then so on and no MQM was there at that time. Time now to stop blaming and start thinking how to end this cycle of violence in karachi every single party and community is involved in violence so can't single out only MQM. As i a resident of Karachi i don't understand who give my pukhtuns brothers the holy right to come to Karachi and grab land?
@MUSLIM PAKISTANI: Your statement that "The fact JI is opposing sectarian violence in Gilgit-Baltistan proves they are not a sectarian outfit. The Hazara killings come under ethnic cleansing, not sectarian killings", amazes me. Implicit in your statement is the thought that so long as the JI does not kill Muslims belonging to another but kills others it is okay. I strongly believe no one has any right to kill any one. "Ethnic Cleansing" is as bad as sectarian killings. Any good human being understands this and therefore refrains from it. Keep your weapons sheathed friend.
I think JUI-F is the main party opposing the domestic violence bill not JI
Sorry, we do not need a party like JI. Now I don't want to conduct a thesis on this one, you all know the obvious reason.
@Khalid Pathan wrote "Moulana Modudy was a great thinker, Islamic Scholar whether one agrees with his philosophy or not. After him the party has nothing to do with religion, as such for Jammat to succeed it has to reorient itself as only a political party." The frankenstein created by Moulana Sahib is now devouring the soul of the nation. The legacy of a man is measured by the good or the evil he causes. The facts on the ground speak for themselves.
@Mehwish Siddiqui:
JI's leader, Munawar Hassan stands with bigoted sectarian ASWJ extremists, calls the Taliban his brothers and OBL as a martyr, so what to say of his condemnation and charade in lieu of his pro-extremist views and acts?
Hypocritical, insincere, weak, deceitful, because he sympathizes with, if not outright supports, religious bigots, extremists and terrorists.
And he wants us to believe we're being sabotaged by 'foreign enemies' and trying to find a 'solution'?! Treason to reason.
Native American Indians used to call this 'speaking in forked tongue'.
All pro MQM comments will pass moderation and only anti MQM comments will be put in strict moderation. Yellow Journalism Zinda baad. JI Murda baad :p
This article is a campaign write up against JI from a pro MQM author. Need an example of "Yellow Journalism"? Pls read above article.
Is this article MQM publicity article or a media campaign against JI? MQM wants to dictate its control over Karachi through violent political means which is never acceptable. Thanks to fraud votes, and illegitimate setting of constituencies, they win majority seats in Elections. Demography of karachi has completely changed for last 2 decades, And now they know very well that If free fair populations survey will ever be conducted and constituencies restructured with fairness, Elections held in fair manners, they cant win more than 25% seats from Karachi. That’s why their survival is not in fair process, but in violent control and fear mongering.
@Tazeen Javed: Very well put. Add one more dimension to it: JI's criticism targets MQM consistently because MQM has taken over JI's traditional turf in Karachi. All of JI's MNAs used to be elected from Karachi, except a couple from FATA area. Now that constituency is gone in the hands of the MQM and thus MQM has earned the scorn of JI. MQM replaced JI as the representative of middle class Karachiites and added the working class neighborhoods among its' supporters.
Over time some parties loose their relevance and JI is one of them. This debate of JI's relevance is not new, by the way. It goes back to early 1950s when JI split between two factions: the overwhelming one supporting Maulana Maudoodi, who supported participation in the political arena, and Maulana Amin Ahsan Islahi, who supported the view that JI bring about a spiritual revolution among the masses. I am putting it in overly simplistic terms, but it pretty much covers the basics and those interested in the subject can research it further.
@Ali Tanoli please name 2 leaders of Jamat e Islami who are from Shia School of thought and 1 who is from Barailvi School of thought to prove your claim that Jammat has all sect Peoples.
Its a blessing that majority of people don't take these fanatics seriously. Those who took them seriously are mostly dead, in jail or on the way to jail. Most recently in States, the poor guy who followed your advice to take these fanatics seriously is sentenced for 12 years in jail.
The leader of JI should probably learn the difference between rape and adultery before commenting on them and making a fool of himself on TV.
The girl presents herself more like a spokesperson of MQM.
jamast e islami has become obsolete and should be disbanded. They have become an absolutely usless outfit and there last hope is joining in the 40 group of terrorists the dafan council
@kamran so sectarian death is more importent than ethanic killing in sindh or karachi????? J.I allways condenm the killing of all these things and jammat has all sect peoples. and truth is since 1988 thousands of innocent peoples got killed in the ethanic violence who is responsible for this we all know and any one who lives in karachi understand how the life is.
@Tazeen Javed, I spend lot of my time in karachi , and what i see in those days are mere terrorism by MQM. Definitely MQM has a wide mandate from the people but the mandate does not mean that you can get away with the killings of innocent people. Please tell me who are those people i mentioned Rehan kana, salam qasai, Ajmal Pahari (still in the custody of security agencies) They killed 100 people in just one day after the death of Imran Farooq. Believe me karachi is turning into Beirut of 1980s. This article is written without taking any insight of karachi. Thanks
ji influence in pakistan is proportioned to the seats they represent in national assembly,their nuisiance in streets is pushed by their unislamic brute force in the name of Islam
I think Jamat-e-Islami should revise its policy of blaming everyone else for misdeed as their is another factor with same characteristic is active in Pakistan politics and that is PTI. So, for now on Jamat-e-Islami should concentrate on their politics and should devise some mechanism to take out the country out of Extremism, drug and weapon culture that are gift of JI itself.
Anything aganst MQM irritates the author. JI condemning Shia genocide also irritates her, did she wrote a single piece on it before preaching others when she can write from Wahida Shah to Babar Awan and from South Indains to Dr. Israr Ahmad and Moulana Tariq Jamial. She deserves to be flag bearer in criticising others.
Nothing. The less they do the less non-serious they'll appear.
Oh so the target killing of the Karachiites is being done by aliens?
Muslim Pakistani,
The issue is Shia genocide, not Hazara killings as some choose to portray it. It is not ethnic, but sectarian killings by ASWJ/SSP terrorists.
While I disagree with JI in general, I think their call to the govt. on straightening MQM is well placed since everybody knows that MQM's militant wings along with others are wreaking havoc in the city. As for why MQM enjoys such electoral clout, it might as well have to do with how they keep playing the ethnic card. I know a poor woman whose both sons were shot point blank by MQM and she was forced to watch. You can choose to disagree with JI on all fronts, but that does not mean that MQM is right in anyway.
@Author
So MQM is clean of all charges? They are not involved in targeting killings? and what about the way they get votes?
JI can never succeed in Pakistan because Muslims are divided into multiple sects and their differences are irreconcilable. So Islamists belong to one sect or the other, and vote for the party which represent that sect. While the moderates don’t vote for religious parties at all. And women wont vote for parties which believe in moral policing by goons. Only a center right party can succeed, because extreme rightwing is divided among sects.