Latest polls
show that Nawaz League's nexus with Punjab-based anti-Shi'a terrorist outfit
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi has not hurt its popularity in Punjab during the last several
months.
PML (N) Popularity:
In fact, it
appears that PML(N) has successfully exploited Sunni majority's bigotry against
the Shi'a in Pakistan, particularly in its home base in Punjab. Sharif
brothers' PML (N) is now the most popular party in Punjab with 59% approval and nationally with
41% approval rating in Pakistan,
according to the latest Gallup Pakistan poll. Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is
second nationally with 17% and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) third with 14% approval.
Exploiting Hate:
To put PML(N)'s
popularity in perspective, let's look at the history of how politicians have
exploited such feelings of hatred against minorities. Adolf Hitler rose to
power in Germany by riding a wave of resentment against European Jews. In
India, Narendra Modi solidified his popularity in Gujarat by approving of
Muslim massacre in 2002. Ten years later, Modi continues to be the most popular
chief minister in India. While India's
ruling Congress party governs only 8 states,
BJP's anti-Muslim rhetoric continues to help it retain power in ten of
India's 28 states. Most Israelis continue to vote for politicians who maintain
brutal military occupation of Palestine.
Militancy in Pakistan:
In Pakistan,
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto caved in to pressure from right-wing religious parties and
passed a law declaring Ahmedis non-Muslim. This self-serving act did not save
Bhutto. Anti-Bhutto riots gave Gen Ziaul Haq the opportunity to remove Bhutto
from power. After grabbing power, Zia collaborated with the religious right to
take advantage of average Pakistani's religiosity to consolidate his own power.
Zia exploited the strong anti-communist sentiments after the Soviet invasion of
neighboring Afghanistan. He collaborated with the United States and Saudi
Arabia to give birth to religious militancy in Pakistan, eventually leading to
the creation of Al Qaeda and the Taliban
who, along with their allies and affiliates such as LeJ, continue to carry out
terrorist attacks in Pakistan and elsewhere. Nawaz Sharif, too, is a creation
of the Zia era.
Civil Society's Role:
Most
politicians in democracies are followers, not leaders. They respond to
sentiments of their constituents, even hate-filled and violent sentiments. Most
of Pakistan's politicians and political parties have their militant wings or
alliances with various militant groups who carry out attacks against those who
disagree. Such venal politicians are part of the problem, not part of the
solution to rising violence in Pakistan.
Given the
venality of the politicians, the only possible solution to this problem is to
build public opinion against violence in all its forms. Once the people decide
to reject bigotry and violence, the politicians will follow.
Who has the
power to shape public opinion in democracies? It's the civil society consisting
of the mass media, non-governmental organizations, religious scholars and other
powerful public advocacy groups.
Why Should Civil Society Care?
It's in
civil society's best interest to create an enabling environment for peaceful
coexistence for freedom, music, arts, literature, culture and economy to
flourish. Such freedom is necessary to promote creativity and ensure prosperity
of the society as a whole.
Why Should Mass Media Care?
The media
are owned by corporations who should care because a safe and secure Pakistan is
the best way to increase their profitability. These media magnates should have
a clear editorial policy to discourage incitement to violence. They should tell
their anchors to stop spinning conspiracy theories designed to distract the
attention of people from Pakistan's real threats which are mostly internal.
They should encourage the people to take personal responsibility for their
actions.
Why Should Politicians Care?
The
politicians should care because they have to govern after winning elections.
Here, they can learn from Indian BJP leader Narendra Modi. Modi is still a bigot but he knows that he
can not afford to alienate the whole world, particularly businessmen and
investors who need security and stability to invest in Gujarat. Modi has used
his anti-Muslim rhetoric to get votes but he has not allowed mass killings of
Muslims after 2002. The lack of violence and continuing stability have
attracted massive investments which have made Gujarat's economy among the
fastest growing in the world.
Summary:
It's in the
best long-term self-interest of Pakistani politicians and civil society to work to reduce militancy and promote peace
and tolerance in the country. This will help bring stability and economic
opportunity to Pakistan's current and future generations.
