I once got a chance to attend a seminar in Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology (SZABIST) organized by a youth based organization, the topic being “Is our Future Positive or Not”. The proceedings went something like this; young participants at the event were bombarding the guest politician for the failures of government, the host of the show was constantly covering him up, the bureaucrat was giving rational answers, while the representative of the university was optimistic in his talk. I also somehow got the chance to speak but was silenced in mid-way. Perhaps my question was taking too much of time and was also deemed uncomfortable by the officials. As I suspected, I got a totally awry and senseless answer from the politician. Today I think I should re-express my thoughts and I leave it up to the reader either to falsify me or take my thoughts justified.
In my question, I came up with the notion that to me the future of Pakistani youth is bright, and so is the future of Pakistani universities, bureaucracy and media. But the future of political parties of Pakistan seems dark and gloomy. This opinion was based on what I heard from representatives of four mainstream political parties present at the occasion.
Well’ that’s not just all. As far as I understand, our political parties have the acute dearth of leadership and its succession as well as poor capacity development setup. Any organized group of individuals who believe in continuous development, have to set goals on short, mid and long terms basis. I wonder why our political parties fail to do so!
We do witness an encouraging number of young people engaging in community development. They generate credible experience through attending training workshops and other group activities. Universities have their own developmental programs and various training programs by Higher Education Commission. Similarly our bureaucracy has the National Institution of Management (Formerly NIPA – National Institute of Public Administration) and Civil Service Academy in Lahore.
But on the other hand our political parties lack such institutionalization of training and capacity building for their workers. The leadership in political parties is mostly based on plutocracy while the existing mechanisms for generating membership are hopeless. It has been observed that according to standard practice, anyone could walk in a party office and become a member just by filling out a membership form. There is no system in place for measuring the credibility and capability of a potential member. A certain political party has indeed made it a joke that one could join the party just by replying to an SMS. Should there be no criteria for becoming the member of a political party?
Coming back to the training and development part, some political parties do provide various kinds of opportunities to their members for mass mobilizing and public speaking. This kind of training surely makes their workers firebrands but do they know what good governance is? Do they understand the nuances of political issues and that of leadership? The only competitive training that political parties receive is from few NGOs. But such foreign funded organizations are surely not self-sustaining. They are doing a good job but when the aid ends the capacity building would also come to a halt.
The youth, at least the one I am referring to and the likes of those attending the seminar I mentioned above, seem well aware of their rights. They have a sound know-how of developmental framework, most probably gained through trainings from various NGOs and academic initiatives. I would like to ask how many party workers of the ruling party know about the Millennium Development Goals, a primary cause for which our country is getting aid for development but which are actually spent on party campaigns. I am sure only a handful of them would be aware of it. So far the key training and practical education that our politicians receive is after they become parliamentarians, again thanks to a handful of training institutions and NGOs. Isn’t it unfortunate that only after becoming an MPA or MNA, our politicians get to learn about governance and related issues?
So, what’s the solution? To start with, the old ways of politics must be gotten rid of. Instead of increasing their personal influence, the politicians should focus more on real time development. The activists and members of political parties should go through extensive trainings. There are already many programs initiated by various non-governmental organizations. These programs should be benefitted from to the maximum level. More innovative programs for internal capacity building should be initiated by the political parties themselves which should focus on issues of political philosophy, community development, project management, strategic management and human development. This way, when questioned regarding capability, the political parties should be able to answer with evidence.
Our politicians must realize that Pakistani youth is now empowered and aware. A candidate for some political office should deem it like this: he/she is asking for a job while the whole constituency is the interviewer. Apart from popular support, they better have credible education and experience on their Curriculum Vitae and if they fail to do so, then our parties are doomed. And neither the rhetoric of big names nor the promise of new-come hereditary leadership will be able to save them.
7 Responses
Well, I have few disagreements as far as your argument is concerned. I believe, no organization (NGO and training) could fill the vacuum which you mentioned as leadership crisis.
Our universities lack the basic and fundamental aspect which is ‘Student Union’. Student union is itself an academy which trains and grooms students for country’s politics, it includes everything speaking, knowledge, even rhetoric. Unfortunately, our universities (public) have student wings of political parties which are in power or had been in power. What we need to do that we should train our students at university level. In order to do so, we have to form student union at college and university level and depoliticize student wings.
Andeel Ali
I can Not Understand your Argument because it is so confusing… In My Point of View … You are failed to prove your Notion
As You said:
I came up with the notion that to me the future of Pakistani youth is bright, and so is the future of Pakistani universities, bureaucracy and media. But the future of political parties of Pakistan seems dark and gloomy
But you have not given concrete arguments & Evidences about the failure of political system in Pakistan
Where … i Totally agree with the Comment of Jaffer Abbas Mirza about Students’ Unions
Now I want to Ask Few Questions:
1) Students Union have been Restore by supereme court of Pakistan in 1979 …. But No implementation till yet Why …Who is behind this ??
2) You have not mention the role of Army & secret agencies in Political disaster …. Even you have not mention Three Marshal Law Periods in Pakistan … Do you think it has not made any impact on political grooming ??
3) You have not made any comment about role of Biased Media .. May I mention here the series of Mubashir Luqman’s program against Geo TV… May I mention the series of programs on Waqt News about the Accountability of Journalists …. May I mention the program f Kashif Abbasee & Talat Hussain in which they were totally agree that many of the Anchors are involved in fulfiling the paid agenda of Political parties & agencies … In short I conclude that Plotical system can not flourish without strong & “UN-BIASED” Role of Media … Training of Journalists are more important than Training of Political workers…!!
4)You have not mention the role of Biased Judiciary .. May I mention “Nazariya-e-Zaroorat” by supreme court.. May I mention that 30 Lac Cases of COMMON men are still pending in Supereme court at the departure time of Mr Iftikhar Chaudhry …. Who will provide Justice to People of Pakistan … Another Thing .. Judiciary ONLY can take decisions as per existing law … They have no right of legislation … In Short I conclude That … Our Judiciary have been involved in POWER Game specially since last 10 years and With out a Strong Judicial System … Political system can not get strong and Fruitful …!!!
5 ) You Have not Mention the Role of “Nationalists” & “Religious Parties” … Who Are Working for International Agenda just for their Small Benefits …!!
I Just want That You Have to Mention All These Facts …& then Conclude with a better Argument…!!
Jazak-ALLAH
Dear Abid Ali,
This is a blog article not a scholarly research article in which he can define everything in detailed. I agree with your some points but disagree with some at the same time.
You can’t blame media and judiciary. They have nothing to do with student union. One has to understand that this leadership crisis is the result of absence of students union in our universities.
You talked about nationalists and religious parties but you didn’t talk about those political parties who have militant wings. These political and religious parties are the obstacles for student union in public colleges and universities.
By the way, you were the minister during Musharraf era? Phr b army k liye shikayat.
Amazing post
Dear Jaffer Sahab
Aadaab
.
You Wrote:
“You can’t blame media and judiciary. They have nothing to do with student union.”
Sir
But Media And Judiciary Have it’s role in Political Stability which is the main caption of this blog….. But Unfortunately our media and judiciary … Both Are Biased, Corrupt And Self Centered …. That’s Why I Criticized them …!!!
You Also Wrote:
“You talked about nationalists and religious parties but you didn’t talk about those political parties who have militant wings.”
My Dear
Plz Name Only One Party, Which Has Not It’s Militant Wing … Less or More … But Everyone Has it’s Militant Wing … Even The So Called Insaf Party Also Has It .. (As Per Report of DG Rangers, Which Was Presented in Supreme Court) … And Will You Pleas Reply Me That Why These Militant Groups are made for ?
In The Last
You Wrote:
“you were the minister during Musharraf era? Phr b army k liye shikayat….
Yes I Was … But It Does Not Mean That I will Support all their illegal Acts too … No & Never …
By The Way … Can You Deny the role of army in Destabilizing the political atmosphere in country ?
I will Wait Ur Reply
Regards
Abid Ali Umang
i don’t agree with you. you should come out and see the things practically. you said NGOs playing vital role but many of them doing de-politicalised our system.you can see plutocracy in every political party of the world this is by product of this brutal system.the issues you have mentioned actually they r not,for you there is much more to know. best of luck
Dear Abid Sahib,
If you mean that our judiciary and establishment promoted right-wing parties, then I agree with you. As far as media is concerned, we are living in corporate world so one can not expect anything from these capitalists (media owners). However, I still believe that we can not blame judiciary and media for the absence of student unions.They have nothing to do with it.
National Student Federation doesn’t have militant wing. However, it is small and re-emerging party. As far as your question is concerned, the simple answer is, they are made for coercion.
With due respect, I really don’t understand that what’s the definition of ideology, democracy and dictatorship in MQM. Ideologically, it is vague and confused or one can say opportunist because we have enormous examples, you (party) were part of government whether it was democracy or dictatorship.
No one can deny the role of army in our politics. It is the dilemma in post-colonial states that army has always influence in politics.
Best regards,
Jaffer A. Mirza