Translated article : Elevated agitations and Altaf Hussain’s concerns By Abbas Mehkari

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s ‘Azadi March and Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s ‘Revolution March are heading towards  their destinations as I am writing this piece.  The good thing is that the marches started off peacefully. Among other leaders the credit goes to Mr. Hussain, Governor Sindh Ishrat-ul Ebad also.

We have learnt an important lesson here. If the march can start off peacefully it can end peacefully too. It also tells us that political forces can solve every issue through dialogue.

A stage has been set for clash and confrontation in Lahore on August 14. Pakistan Muslim League (N) had decided not to allow the marches through Lahore. The administration and police had closed all the thoroughfare, roads and lanes by placing big containers. The government had decided to allow PTI march to go through Lahore. However, they had decided to not allow PAT march through Lahore. This policy decision had created a situation of confrontation and clash. The confrontation might have caused loss of life and property and deteriorated the situation. The third force might have taken advantage of the bad situation. All the political forces have been trying to keep the third force away from the game.

MQM’s leader Altaf Hussain sensed the gravity of the situation and decided to play a role to diffuse the situation. He not only contacted the Pakistan Muslim League (N) ‘s leadership, responsible persons in federal and provinvial government but also contacted repeatedly with the leadership of Pakistan Awami Tehreek. He also directed Governor Sindh to make every efforts till the resolution of the problem.

Altaf Hussain and Governor Sindh remained awake between the midnight of Aug 13 and Aug 14 and remainded in contacts with people. Their contacts helped in the resolution of the problem. They persuaded the federal and Punjab governments to remove all the barriers and the allow the participants of the march to go through the city without hindrance.

Mr. Hussain also got assurances from the leadership of Pakistan Awami Tehreek that their march would remain peaceful because the government had expressed apprehension that PAT’s workers could resort to violence as they did earlier.

The Governor Punjab Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar played an important role despite the fact he was party in the conflict.  It was MQM’s leadership that acted as a true mediators. Likewise MQM leaders remained in contact with the leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

The world saw that participants of Azadi March and Revolution march moved out of Lahore peacefully. This shows that if there is a determination political leadership can resolve every issue. In modern age politics teaches that we should solve all issue through dialogue.

Confrontation occurs when we avoid constructive dialogue and this give nonpolitical forces to intervene. The intervention of non-political forces take the issues out of the hands of political forces. We have learnt this lesson from the recent crisis in other countries. MQM’s leadership played their role keeping in view these example. They deserve praise for this. MQM’s leadership has done what a responsible political leadership should have done in this situation.

It is MQM’s basic stance that marches, protest demonstrations are basic democratic rights of parties and in democratic societies hurdles are not put in their ways. MQM believe marches and demonstrations should be peaceful. On the basis of this principled stance MQM leadership talked to the parties, which resulted in positive response and the situation did not deteriorated.

Keeping in view this example leadership of Pakistan’s other political parties should intervene in the situation positively to bring a positive affect and try to bring these Azadi and Revolution march to a logical conclusion peacefully. They should not allow the situation slip out of the hands of political leadership and allow non-political forces to intervene.

It is a fact that PTI and PAT has showed their full public support and the government should seriously think over their demands. Their bargaining position has improved immensely. Political forces will have to play an effective role for the resolution of issues. Political forces would have played their positive role when this column goes into printing. We should not make it a matter of ego. We should keep in mind the statement of Mr. Hussain that we have to save the country and democracy.

Pakistan’s economic condition is very bad. People are very disturbed because of poverty, destitution, unemployment and inflation. Load shedding of electricity and gas supply have made their lives worse. We should avoid confrontation for the country and preservation of democratic system in the country.

MQM’s leader had given a statement earlier that if needed Prime Minister should resign to avoid confrontation and loss of life and property. His statement had angered some people. These people have realized that the situation had gone bad to worse. A real politician keeps an eye on the changing situation. It appears that the situation is going to the direction predicted by Mr. Hussain. It would be better to accept the objective facts and resolve the matter peacefully  and decide how to run the country peacefully . Mediation of the national leadership is very important to achieve the goal.