Condemning the Recent State Violence By Laal The manner in which the government has handled the growing protest of PTI and PAT not only leaves much to be desired but has jeopardised the fragile democracy that activists all over Pakistan have fought so hard to defend. The conflict as it currently stands is a conflict within the capitalist class. Sections of the ruling class of Pakistan have grown increasingly disgruntled with conventional Pakistani politicians. And while they remarket and repackage their agenda in revolutionary colours and slogans, the simple fact is that nothing of that sort is going on. We have stated repeatedly that the best circumstances for the development of the socialist movement are parliamentary democracy. It affords socialists the freedom of speech and organisation that is necessary for the growth of the movement. However, parliamentary democracy is no guarantor of the development of the movement, it is only a window. Through this window all sorts of reactionary interests, adventurists, demagogues, and mass manipulators may also influence and impact the masses of people. And the character of capitalist democracy is and will always be no better than a “pig sty” as Lenin liked to say. Nonetheless, the socialist movement cannot be indifferent to this conflict within the capitalist class as the form of capitalist rule strongly impacts also the class struggle and the organisation of the working class. Hence, it become contingent upon the socialist movement to fight not only for socialism but also for space within the capitalist parliamentary system for us to propagate socialism. Hence, we have to take a clear about where it is we stand in relation to the conflict within the ruling class. There can be no doubt, and we have stated this many a times, that the overall thrust of the PTI and PAT was fundamentally pushing in the direction of military intervention to undermine parliamentary democracy. Secondly, It also must be noted that this entire movement was launched at the very moment when the country is in a life and death struggle with the reactionary Taliban in North Waziristan. Thirdly, the entire build up to these protest marches was in the wake of the establishment’s crack down against GEO TV for their reporting on Baluchistan and attempted assassination of Hamid Mir. Nonetheless, there were also aspects of the demands made by these marches that were essentially democratic. For instance, the demand that elections in certain constituencies be investigated; the demand that those responsible for the model town massacre be apprehended; the demand that corruption, nepotism, and the monopoly on power be checked. These are demands that nearly all Pakistanis support. In the PAT there was also a demagogic appeal to class struggle against the rich and the powerful as represented by Nawaz Sharif and the PMLN. The government’s undemocratic behaviour is also apparent for all to see. In the first instance the government should have immediately opened the four constituencies that were contested by the PTI for inspection and perhaps for a by-election. Its failure to do so only provoked protests. It should have attempted to reach a negotiated settlement with the PTI long before the announcement of the long march. It should not have killed innocent protestors in Model Town. The CM should have resigned in shame after the killing of protestors in Model Town. The government should not have involved the army in attempting to find a middle ground with PTI and PAT. Having involved the army, it should not then have lied about having involved the army. And finally, it should not have resorted to the extreme form of police action that we saw in the capital on Saturday and Sunday. While the police could have been used to push back protestors but the kind of street brawling, beating up of media personnel, and continuous beating of political workers that the entire country saw in television has truly sounded the death knell for the government itself. Hence, Pakistani’s are confronted with a complex political situation. A government that stands defending the gains of democracy but doing so in a manner that is fundamentally undemocratic. Two right-wing movements seeking military intervention but raising just and democratic demands. Is it any wonder than that the people of Pakistan have not only become polarised, inflamed with emotions and passions but express all these contradictory demands in a chaotic confused manner that is mixing democratic and undemocratic demands and practices at the same time. It is as if a Greek-Shakespearian tragedy is unfolding before our eyes, a giant train wreck that is twisting and contorting every solid principle and melting all that was once firm and unshakable. Perhaps the only way out of this situation is to uphold democratic demands in a non-partisan manner. It doesn’t matter if these demands emanate from PTI-PAT or PMLN or any other quarter. If the demands are just, we must uphold them. This would first and foremost imply that we continue to resist military intervention no matter the apparent severity of the crises, the violence in the capital or the undemocratic behaviour of the government or the opposition. Secondly, it would imply that we apprehend all those responsible for the model town massacre and for electoral fraud. Nothing other than a truly just and impartial inquiry can settle this matter and it is the need of the hour. Last but not least, it would imply that undemocratic state repression must be not only condemned but must be opposed by all democratic elements. Such violence is not only not helping to strengthen democracy but is in fact undermining it. Last but most importantly, now that the Nawaz Sharif’s legitimacy has been so badly compromised, perhaps the government should take ‘tough’ decisions to immediately end the crisis and reach a political settlement with the advice of all the representatives of the people in the Parliament. All parliamentary parties must play their role too in solving and preventing further escalation of the matters to protect the life, property and the political will of all the people of Pakistan. Any interference from the military must be resisted, Government must be held responsible for its actions, but to the people of Pakistan and not the military establishment. These demands and principles may not satisfy those who are emotionally inflamed on either side of the conflict but we hope that they will satisfy the majority of the people of Pakistan.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 11:17:32 +0000
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