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PAST four years were as good or as bad as fifty-two years before them. Yet, in one particular way they were different. Print media experienced more freedom, and so did the pathetic opponent of the government though; there were a few cases of direct coercion. Rana Sanaullah was beaten, Siddiqul Farooq was abducted and Javaid Hashmi was detained and tortured and he is still in jail. Indirect coercion however was vast and open; but it was soft also. Any one desiring a deal, or requiring to be dealt, had it though; Asif Ali Zardari is an odd man out(in). Whatever the reasons, external political pressures or technical compulsions such as electronic media becoming accessible the world over, or confidence of the ruling generals or weakness (es) of the politicians, the fact remains that freedom of expression existed and that created an unprecedented awareness among masses and intelligentsia.

For the first time reality of certain important things such as our so-called abundance in natural and human resources, and myth of power of Muslim world became a public knowledge. In spite of so many economic reforms, economy not taking a start made us aware that we do not have much gold or oil or gas or copper or cash. Nor have we knowledge and technology. Nor can we get help from the so said Muslim World, which too is short of all that counts. All that we have is a growing population, and agricultural advantage in rice, wheat and cotton. Cotton makes the backbone of our economy, but it cannot strengthen our legs, and it is also quota dependent. This self-awareness is a blessing. The Japanese were in a similar situation, recourse-less and knowledge-less, a century ago, but they turned their deficiency into efficiency by becoming purposeful. They identified the purpose: to make the nation rich. They did it through a display of utmost sincerity with the purpose. They attained knowledge, basic and applied, turned to manufacturing, generated wealth and shared it too.

In our case we have to do something more, because in spite of newly acquired awareness, we have a system that cannot think and act. The first step towards our take off will require its replacement: But, by whom, a fairly elected government or another Martial Law? Good side of the elections is that it will generate hope, mobilise and motivate the masses. But how long and the answer is its bad side. In fair elections either ML (N) or PPP or again the present set-up would win. They have vote bank, first two as political parties and the last one as conglomeration of stalwarts, but none of them has any programme. Though they do have image such as secular or liberal or Islamist or socialist or feudal or noble, they do not have any well-defined political and economic policies. Thus, their rule would be another random exercise. It will be repetition of past and short lived. Similarly if Martial Law comes, it may provide hope to some irritated intellectuals, but eventually all that happened due to the first, second, third and fourth Martial Laws would happen again. Factually even the military does not have a programme. Its difficulty is that it does not have a vote bank either. Referendums have proved it so explicitly. It has muscles, which can help attain and sustain power, but not in bringing about a positive change. So Martial Laws’ bad side is rather terrible. Anyway in both the cases, in another random democracy or in another regimented dictatorship, ills such as political anarchy, societal division, poverty and disillusionment would continue.

How to counter this bad side? For Martial Laws, there is no treatment; it not only causes ills, it is also an illness in itself. For democracy there is one: make it purposeful. Responsibility to do so lies with the both, army and the politicians. The politicians will have to understand that the politics is art of governance, and not the platform for promotion and protection of self-interests. And it is also superior to all other professions because it is the originator. Imagine the distinction: In a normal country the politicians are the final authority. They make or approve the policies and laws. Moreover all other professionals have, in lawful conditions, limited responsibilities to fulfil, whereas the politicians are responsible to whatever happens through out the length and breadth of a country. That is why masses in millions gather behind them. That is why they become the symbols of a nation. That is why they are loved so much: and that is why they are hated so much, if they prove unworthy. Corruption, inefficiency, and incompetence of an engineer or a bureaucrat or a general or a judge may go unnoticed; of politicians it cannot, because it puts to question the very wisdom of a nation.

What political parties should do: First, their leadership if it is facing court cases or living abroad, should quit the party portfolios till it gets cleared or comes back. Positions thus vacated should be filled through elections within the party. Converting the political parties into democratic institutions is essential for a stable democratic environment. It is a false perception that the political parties, particularly PPP, would cease to exist if their leadership stays away. Thinking so is disgrace to the wisdom of millions of people who support the political parties mainly due to their image. Second, political parties must prepare realistic working papers on economy, and also on internal and external policies to make their stance clear and public. Third, political parties must learn to live, willingly, in opposition also.

Fourth, they should form the alliances. So many parties around having same image and different names, is sheer absurdity. However, the alliances should be formed in the national interest, and not in the self-interests. Let there be an election on political basis, and not on the basis of opportunism. ML (Q), PPP-Patriot, PPP-Sherpao, ML (F), PPP SB, MQM, MMA, NA and the rest of the parties sympathetic to present set-up should combine to form one party. Inclusion of MMA in this group is not odd. In fact MMA is the only entity sincere with the present set-up. All that it wants is a president in proper dress. Similarly BNM, BDP, ANP, PDP, and the PPP should combine. Merger of ML (N) and Tahreek-e-Insaf will make another strong party. These four suggestions can start the train of real politics. Not turning to them would mean that the political parties have not matured as yet or they want to go intentionally, the usual way or the agencies’ way. That way they may go, but it won’t work. What can army do? It has not to do much. Its leadership should block or destroy all the ways of political manipulation, rise above narrow interests, act through national perspectives and help in holding free and fair elections; and also in transferring power to whosoever wins.

But before the things are undone and redone, the political parties and the military-civil bureaucracy must understand that the purpose, making the nation rich, cannot be achieved until financial devolution is given priority. That means, the state of Pakistan must, say within ten years or less, balance the fiscal equation. The centre should not acquire further internal and external loans. It may do so on the demand of the provinces. As for the budgets, the centre should, after debt servicing, keep 20%; and the rest should go back, from where it comes, to the people and the provinces. More money for the social and development sectors would mean more money for the economy, hence, more pleasant financial and social environment; and, hence, more attraction for the local and foreign investors. The exercise would, however, require the rich institutions, the rich politicians and the rich classes to surrender their mammoth benefits in favour of the nation, and that is what the sincerity or commitment to purpose means. And that is what the Japanese and the other nations of the rich North did.

The author is a noted analyst and expert on South Asian Affairs.