Election Boycott

The last political weapon against dictatorship has malfunctioned, five component parties of APDM (All Parties Democracy movement) including PML-N and ANP will provide legitimacy to these unconstitutional and illegal elections organized by President Musharraf. APDM was unable to decide between boycott and participation. May be APDM was not a true democratic movement at all. APDM’s decision has exposed the faces of establishment and its collaborators. They are now giving pathetic excuses and justifications to defend their participation; this shows their seriousness towards the cause of restoration of judiciary.

Pakistani politics is a circus full of clowns. Mulana Fazl Ur Rehman and Benazir are from the obedient category of clowns; they will never go against the wishes of their masters. In political arena they are against each other but secretly they work together to support their supreme leader Musharraf. Both Benazir Bhutto and Fazl Ur Rehman have backstabbed the opposition on numerous occasions just to support a dictator, yet they claim to be true democrats. Fazl Ur Rehman often portrayed as a pro Taliban politician in western media has always provided his services to help moderate President Musharraf.

Benazir the American sponsored guardian of democracy is totally unique and interesting politician altogether. She claims that her fight is for 160 million people of Pakistan, but some how she fails to stand with lawyers, judges, students and civil society. She believes in independent judiciary yet she came home after a highly controversial NRO.

Our politicians have been playing a confusing role. Their rapidly changing statements show their immaturity and non serious attitude towards an important cause. Their statements often fail to collaborate with their actions. They are fully aware that elections will be rigged, but they prefer to run. In public gathering they say fighting elections will endorse PCO, but they can not leave the field open for Musharraf sponsored PML-Q.

Sharif has destroyed his image as a politician. In the end he proved he is not the man of his words. Boycott would have earned him respect, but I doubt he will ever recover from this one. Words of independent judiciary and free media sound meaningless when they come from Nawaz Sharif, Benazir and Fazl Ur Rehman. No matter how much they try to defend their position they have disappointed Judges, Lawyers, Journalists, Students and most importantly the civil society the part of society that actually votes for them.

However there is some positive development that has exposed the collaborators and power hungry politicians. It is a welcoming sign that only 5 out 33 parties in APDM want to participate in elections.

Parties in favour boycott met at Imran Khan’s residence on Monday, after the meeting Imran Khan and Qazi Hussein Ahmed while addressing a press conference announced a new faction of APDM with like minded parties. Mehmood Khan Achakzai was named the convener of this new APDM. They said that the "true APDM is boycotting the elections". From a legal point of view running in elections is equivalent to conspiring with murderers of Pakistani constitution. This new development shows there are some sincere politicians in Pakistan who will stand up for the constitution and will fight for the rights of Pakistanis.

Pakistani politicians should realise that media is playing a vital role in educating the public. It is because of media that politicians like Imran Khan are gaining popularity, and they deserve it. I would like to quote Justice Khalil Ur Rehman Ramday’s latest statement “I am disappointed by the role of our political parties even if judiciary is restored I will no longer return as a judge”. All these so called saviours and heroes of democracy should be ashamed.