As Pakistan suffers from import bans and inflation, where the average man suffers from economic and social insecurity; the political dynasties continue to indulge in petty squabbling. They have played a crucial role in overthrowing Imran Khan’s government which has led to the rule of a dynastic family. Since Pakistan’s inception in 1947, the democratic political set-up has been subject to scrutiny. The history of Pakistan; be it social or political change, has been quite turbulent. The dynastic political parties continue to be represented in the legislature, thus, forming oligarchies.
There are currently about 147 registered political parties in Pakistan, but we hardly hear from most of them. This is because the most popular political parties are just extensions of the powerful family name and throne. They are hereditary leaderships that hold great motives behind maintaining state patronage and performing the appearance of strong family ties. The power is passed on from individuals through generations based on the family name.
One of the most prominent dynastic parties in the country, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, belongs to the urban-mercantile industrial elite and their support usually comes from the feudal set-ups in Punjab. Maryam Nawaz, who often seems concerned with the plight of the common man on Twitter but is also no stranger to luxury handbags and goods, is making her way into politics based on her family name.
Bhutto’s legacy has also dominated Pakistani politics for about three decades. After the execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the legacy was passed on to Benazir Bhutto. After her assassination, Asif Ali Zardari led a new political dynasty.
All of this is to say that the echelons of these parties either consist of their children or the founders’ close relatives. The clan, tribe and biradari system are at the root of dynastic politics. Over the years, due to their influential power, the Bhuttos and Sharifs have led the governance alternatively. Ironically, Pakistan consists of a democratic set-up but most registered political parties lack representation in the legislature, giving dynastic political parties a free slot to govern. PMLN, PPP and PTI have most of the seats in the Senate and National Assembly, while most of the political parties were either dissolved or not given representation. Among these parties, there exist communist/nationalist parties as well.
Dynastic families enjoy power in the political system and that also substantially increases their chance of winning the elections or rigging elections due to any personal bias or interest. This is contrary to democracy. When political dynasties rule exclusively based on the nexus of power-interest, it threatens the democratic set-up and leads to political instability.
Mostly political dynasties have been a part of the military regime, to serve their interests during the early years of their political rise and to receive state patronage. Perhaps, most political families continued enjoying dynastic leadership due to military support.
Imran Khan’s recent ousting seems to have been the result of dynastic politics and their involvement in military affairs, as well as the power structure that upholds this system. The opposition had a little struggle when it came to picking a problem based on which to oust the former cricketer; inflation, unemployment and the government’s poor performance, among others. It is worth noting that their regimes were no exceptions to these issues.
And just like that, yet again, the Sharif dynasty is back in power. With Hamza Shahbaz elected as the chief minister of Punjab, the father and son duo hold powerful positions in the political offices, as did the Sharif brothers previously. Although Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif from holding public office after the Panama Papers case, he still calls the shots from his house in London. It is a height of shame that even the Panama Papers weren’t able to taint the essence of dynastic politics.
This transfer of power often comes at the expense of local communities that are living with the harsh realities of economic insecurity and feudalism. The transfer of power within the family emphasizes the harsh reality of how deeply entrenched dynastic politics is in the overall democratic set-up of Pakistan. This is one of the major reasons for the gaps in the democratic process and why there is no evolution or change in the country’s power structure. One would think such troubling times would lead to a revolution or some kind of resistance against our parasitic overlords.
A polarized public opinion and social media are major factors that exacerbate polarization. Individual sides voice their opinions in favour of the political party that they assume caters to their interests. Political and material interests drive an individual, not for the betterment of the country, but based on a personal bias. They place the political figurehead above their social welfare. This could also be because they have nowhere else to turn.
As political parties create political polarization among the masses, religious parties create social polarization, dividing people even further along the spectrum of what is moral and immoral.
Contemporarily, one example of populism in action is Imran Khan, who is attracting larger crowds each day in different cities of Pakistan. The motive behind his long marches is to ask for early elections.
As of now, Pakistan is facing an economic crisis. The more pressing matter is saving Pakistan from the financial collapse that Sri Lanka is facing as the US dollar reaches 200Rs.
No one can predict what’s to come but it would be interesting to see a revival of the socialist parties that have long been shut down after General Zia Ul Haque’s martial law. Such as Awami National Party (ANP) which describes itself as a socialist-democratic party to achieve greater autonomy and democratic reforms. As a result of long-standing dynastic political families, socialist parties like Awami National Party are neglected in legislation processes.
The damage dynastic politics has brought upon Pakistan must be addressed. We, as citizens of Pakistan, should make contributions to social welfare, rather than act on fanatical impulses, emotions and clashes due to identity politics. It would take open minds, motivation and a great deal of unity to extirpate the roots of dynastic politics if we are to establish a strong democratic country.
- Does Pakistan have Democratic or Dynastic Politics? - 23/05/2022
