THE IDEOLOGY OF MUTTAHIDA QUAMI MOVEMENT
(MQM)
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM)
believes in Realism and Practicalism. Acceptance of reality with
an open heart is Realism, a concept based upon the
philosophy of its Founder and Leader Mr. Altaf Hussain. Based on Realism positive achievement made
through ideologically supported pragmatic programs is called
Practicalism.
The short history of Pakistan will
show that the country has been ruled throughout by feudal lords,
waderas and bureaucrats belonging to the two percent privileged
population of the country. This class dominates the
country’s political life, the administrative services, the
military establishments, the economy and the general decision
making process, while the 98 percent under-privileged population
is denied its rightful share in the exercise of political and
economic power in running the affairs of the state. Being
politically disadvantaged and economically handicapped this
sector of the society is unable to find a place in the assemblies
and the corridors of power in the country. As a consequence, it
remains perpetually deprived and alienated. It just plays second
fiddle to the ruling class. It is obliged to vote for them, make
up the crowd in their political gatherings and processions, raise
slogans and resort to appreciative clapping to their soulless and
hackneyed speeches, containing promises which are never meant to
be fulfilled.
According to the Constitution of
Pakistan, every citizen has the right to participate in elections
and represent the people in the assemblies. However the two
percent privileged class has made the entry of the remaining
population to the assemblies well nigh impossible. Lavish
expenditures on political campaigning have rendered elections as
a rich man’s game in which the less fortunate class cannot
compete. All major political parties routinely voice sympathy and
concern for the poor but refuse to accommodate them in the
assemblies and national power structure. Thus the poor workers
despite sincere work and sacrifices remain perpetual bystanders.
In the above circumstances,
therefore, real democratic culture could not be established in
Pakistan. Real democracy means the rule of the majority or in
other words Government of the people, by the people, for the
people. But strangely in Pakistan even in the name of democracy,
the same two percent privileged class manages to induct its
members into the assemblies and other positions of power, while
the 98 percent of the lower and middle class population is
totally deprived of its genuine representation.
The democratic system has not
developed strong roots in Pakistan, as the two percent privileged
class now ruling the country has neither any concern for the
masses nor any genuine love for the democratic institutions.
Their primary objective is to remain in power and protect their
interests at all costs. Naturally, therefore, people belonging to
such a mindset neither resist undemocratic and unconstitutional
activities in the country nor feel any compunction in readily
accepting and recognising illegal governments, so long as their
personal interests are protected and they are also allowed a
share in the booty.
If we look at the record of the
various governments of Pakistan since its inception, we will
easily notice that be it a democratic government or martial
regime, it has always been monopolised by the same two percent
privileged class of the country. As a clever move, this class has
inducted its members into all major political parties of the
country. This ensures their permanent link with the power
irrespective of which party is in the government at a given time.
This monopolistic plan of the two percent privileged class is the
main cause of the instability in the democratic institutions of
the country. The two- percent ruling class mainly comprises of
the feudal lords, While the remaining 98 percent population
consists of the poor, oppressed and deprived ones. It is now for
the people of Pakistan to judge and decide as to how this small
self-centred two- percent ruling class could solve the problems
faced by the 98 percent. Isolated and insulated from the masses,
this class is totally unaware of the sufferings, agonies,
anxieties as well as the aspiration and hopes of the poor and
oppressed people. The living standards and the life style of the
privileged class are poles apart from the way of life of the less
fortunate and alienated people. In fact there is hardly any
meeting point between the two of them.
The members of this privileged class
spend millions of rupees to get elected to the national and
provincial assemblies. Hence, their first priority on coming to
power is to recover their capital spent on the election campaign,
of course, along with compound interest and dividends. They have
little time and energy for resolving the problems of their
constituencies. For them, power and privileges are the main
objective in coming into politics, they do not hesitate to
compromise our principles and ideologies and willingly indulge in
all kinds of undemocratic practices in order to maintain their
hold on the establishment.
As the elected people from the elite
class on reaching the corridors of power work only for the
interest of the two- percent population, the masses who elected
them find their problems unresolved. They are consequently
becoming more rich. They are accumulating wealth with both hands.
New land holdings are being acquired, prestigious bungalows,
villas are being purchased within the country and abroad, and
factories are being established with dubiously acquired capital.
MQM, therefore, feels strongly that Pakistan can never prosper
unless the prevailing corrupt political, economic and social
system is brought to an end. It is certain that under the
existing set up, the people of Pakistan cannot move ahead towards
prosperity nor can there be any stability in the democratic
system. It is possible only when the 98 percent poor and middle
class people get united and adequately represented in the
assemblies and places of power through qualified, honest and
committed people belonging to their own class.
The under privileged majority in the
country should therefore realise that if they want deliverance
from the clutches of the exploiting class and also wish to see
the country stable and prosperous then they should elect
representatives from their own ranks. Prima facie, it is a
difficult task as without wealth any success in elections is next
to impossible. But this is really not true. MQM has shown the
way.
In the political history of
Pakistan, MQM has demolished this antiquated system of thinking.
Accepting the facts and realities as they exist in the country,
MQM adopted the path of Practicalism and finally made a
breakthrough. It succeeded in sending a large number of lower and
middle class educated members to the provincial and national
assemblies from Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban centres of
Sindh without any monetary burden on the part of the incumbents.
MQM feels that having shown the way the poor and middle class
individuals in other regions of the country should also try to
reach the assemblies. But to achieve this, it is necessary that
the lower and middle classes of the country should adopt the MQM
philosophy of Realism and Practicalism. They should be ready to
make a concerted struggle and be prepared for sacrifices. Once
the lower and middle class dominates the assemblies, we shall be
able to bring about true democracy in the country and solve the
problems of the oppressed masses.