Huge welcome rally disrupted by suicide bombings
Finally Benazir Bhutto came back from 8 years self imposed exile on 18th October. She was greeted by the massive PPP crowd at the Karachi airport. Musharaf regime tried to delay her return for few weeks but she refused. There were rumors in the media that she might postpone her return on the request of the government. The government also issued the security warnings about the suicide bombings and asked the PPP to postpone the rally. But hundreds and thousands of PPP workers and supporters from across the country reached Karachi to welcome their leader. Benazir Bhutto also show some security concern before her return and these concerns become reality when 2 suicide bombings disrupted the rally in which 150 killed and 600 injured. There are no exact and confirmed figures of participants but the independent sources putting it around 0.4 to 0.6 million (400000 to 600000). PPP is claiming that figure was 3 million and they were all party workers. There is no doubt that it was an impressive show put up by PPP and it was the biggest political mobilization in recent years. But it will be wrong to make comparison with 1986 reception in Lahore, when she returned from first exile. There are many differences between 1986 and 2007. The consciousness, mood, objective situation, party and party policies in 2007 are different from 1986.
1986 and today
The politicians, intellectuals, PPP leaders and political commentators are making comparisons between this reception and the one in 1986. Every body is focused on the numbers and no attention being paid to the content and mood. In 1986, when Benazir retuned from exile, the party was fighting against the military dictatorship and there was lot of hope and trust on Benazir and democracy. There was general radicalization in the working class and poor masses. The PPP workers were fully mobilized and ready to take on to any thing. The revolution was on the agenda and air was filled with revolutionary zeal and consciousness. The mood was of defiance and there was clear consciousness to bring a radical change at least in the more conscious layers of political activists and working class. PPP was still a party of masses and had the support of working people. Benazir was a charismatic and trusted leader and there was lot of hopes and illusions in her. Benazir was talking about radical change and there was clear anti establishment mood and slogans. In 1986, the most popular slogan in the rally was “Benazir has come and bring a revolution with her”.
In 1986, the mobilization was not sponsored and arranged by the party leadership, but a spontaneous one. Poor workers, peasants, students, youth, women and urban poor came to receive her in Lahore at their own. There were around 2 million people on the streets and as many on the roof tops of houses and shops. The PPP was still a left leaning Populist Party.
In 2007, the mood and consciousness is different. There is hardly anybody who is talking about radical change or transformation. The consciousness is very low. The mood in the party is dominantly of compromise and political opportunism. The party leadership is openly supporting the free market economy and Imperialist policies. The party leadership has openly negotiated with military regime to enter into a power sharing agreement. There is hardly any illusion and hope left with Benazir to bring any change. The overwhelming majority of the working masses no more consider PPP as their party. This time party leaders put lot of resources into the reception and mobilization. The party arranged transport and food for workers and supporters to bring them to the Karachi. There were very few people who went on their own to welcome their leader. The party asked the candidates of National assembly and 4 provincial assemblies to bring people with them if they want to retain party tickets for upcoming elections. Each candidate of national assembly was asked to bring 200 people and provincial assembly candidate to bring 100. There was around 40000 die hard workers of the party in the rally and rest were the either supporters or people bring by the candidates and leaders. According to government and media reports, PPP hired more than 7000 vehicles to bring people for this rally. Al this was clearly reflected in the rally and reception. The main slogan this time was “Benazir has come and bring employment with her”, “Benazir will become prime minister for the third time”.
Benazir is using the same old slogans of “bread, clothes and shelter” (roti, kapra aur makan). These words have lost their meaning after the two tenures of PPP governments in 1990s. Benazir miserably failed to deliver during the both terms. The air is littered with compromise and betrayals. Benazir Bhutto is talking about the problems faced by working masses but she is not saying any thing about the solution. So it not correct to make comparison between 1986 and 2007, PPP has transformed itself in last 21 years, from a party of masses to the party of rich, feudal lords and retired bureaucrats. In 1986 the party was formally in favour of nationalization and Socialism, but today party stands for privatization and capitalist free market economy.
National reconciliation and democratic transition
General Musharaf through an ordinance announced to withdraw the corruption cases against politicians and bureaucrats during the period of 1988 to 1999. This presidential order is the out come of agreement reached between General Musharaf and Benazir Bhutto. This order has paved the way to withdraw all the cases against Benazir and his spouse Asif Zardari known as Mr. 10% because of his corruption. This order gives amnesty to all those politicians who were involved in plundering of state resources. This ordinance called National Reconciliation Ordinance but its main aim is to withdraw corruption cases against Benazir and her close associates. The withdrawal of corruption cases was the main demand of Benazir to strike a deal with General Musharaf. Now deal has been done. Both have accepted each other agreed to work together in the next political setup. American and British Imperialism played key role in this agreement. Both Imperialist powers wanted to establish a political order in Pakistan in which military, secular and liberal political forces work together against religious extremism and militancy. The American Imperialism and military regime has just take PPP on board in this process of national reconciliation. PML-N of Nawaz Sharif has been kept out this conciliation. This ordinance has become one of the most controversial and criticized legislation in every section of the society. This law has not only further eroded the image of the present regime but also badly damaged the reputation of Benazir Bhutto. Both are trying to justify this law but so far been failed to do so.
Both Benazir and Musharaf are also facing criticism for making a deal or power sharing agreement. Both are trying to justify it by saying that it is a smooth transition from a military government to a fully democratic government. But in reality it is a transition from a naked military government to a covert military government. This so called transition will not make any difference in the lives of the working class and poor people. This transition will mean a more civilian faced government to implement and continue the policies of the present military regime. The existing economic, foreign and domestic policies will continue and there will be no relief to the working masses. This is not a transition but a continuation of the old order with a new name and face. This deal is a marriage of convenience between military dominated establishment and power hungry Benazir Bhutto to carry out the imperialist agenda in the country and in the region. American Imperialism is trying to form an American dream team in Pakistan and Musharaf, Benazir coalition will be an important step in this direction.
This coalition or American dream team will not be able to bring stability in the country. This political dispensation will not be able to last long. There is already resentment in the ruling PML against this deal. Many PML leaders are publicly opposing this new legislation and deal. General Musharaf is walking on a tight rope, because he wants to continue supporting his old allies and same time wanted to take on board PPP. It is becoming more and more difficult for Musharaf to keep intact this fragile coalition. This is not the time that Benazir has made a power sharing agreement with military establishment. Benazir did the same in 1988 and failed to bring any change in the political order established by the military dictator General Zia-ul-haq. This is the second time that Benazir has become a part of military controlled transition.
War on terror and religious extremism
The suicide attack on PPP rally in Karachi in which 150 people were killed and 600 injured is a clear indication that war on terror has gave rise to the religious extremism in Pakistan. Two suicide bombings in the rally disrupted the celebration. The mood of joy and festivity turned into mourn. It is not yet clear that which extremist group is behind that attack, but one thing is clear that government will use this attack to curb and ban the political activities and specially to ban the rallies and processions. Benazir Bhutto has alleged that she was and other leadership of the party was the target and she suspected that remnants of Zia legacy are behind this attack. She did not allege the government for this attacks but she suspect that 3 individuals in the government are behind this attack. Benazir has vowed to continue her fight against the religious extremism after the attack. Both the government and Benazir were talking about these sorts of attacks on her. The government provided full security including the bullet proof armored truck and explosive jamming devices. She was given a protocol of president and government fully facilitated the PPP show. MQM also gave full support and cooperation for the homecoming of Benazir Bhutto. Benazir has declared this attack as attack on democracy and political process. Benzir not only wants to continue the war on terror but she wants to intensify it. She is openly supporting the military operation in the tribal areas. She wants to crush the individual terrorism with the use of state terrorism. The experience in Iraq, Afghanistan and tribal areas clearly shows that religious extremism can not be defeated and wiped out just with the use of the state power and repression. Benazir Bhutto wants to simply use military to solve this complex phenomenon. This strategy has failed so far and it will continue to give rise to this phenomenon.
This attack is not a isolated incident but a part of series of events in last few months. The reactionary fundamentalist section of the state has been using these militant groups to target their rivals and enemies. Different sections of the ruling class and state apparatus are fighting with each other to gain the control of state apparatus. This infighting has become more violent and open and thus causing more uncertainty and destabilization. Benazir Bhutto has formed alliance with Musharaf to fight against the reactionary fundamentalist elements within the state apparatus or out side it. There is open war going on in tribal areas between the military and Islamic militant groups called local Talibans. These groups have declared war against security forces and now to spread this to the cities. Suicide bombers are their legal weapon in the cities. This infighting between different sections of the state can take uglier and violent turn in the coming period and can led to a chaos and anarchy. The attack on PPP rally is a clear message to all those political forces which are against extremism or considered pro-US. But the victims in these attacks and counter attacks are mostly working class and poor people.
Is PPP a way forward?
There are only PPP leaders, die hard workers and Class Struggle (Woods-Grant group in Pakistan working in PPP) are the only people in Pakistan which still really believes that PPP can bring change in Pakistan. Class Struggle is the only left group in Pakistan which still believes that PPP is a working class party and they issuing appeals to the party leadership to turn towards left, but the party is moving further towards right. There will be very few working class people which will believe that PPP is a working class party. Even the party activists no more consider this party as the party of poor and masses. The power sharing deal and national reconciliation ordinance has even damaged the party reputation in the middle classes. PPP is no more the party of downtrodden and toiling masses; instead it is the party of big business and feudal lords. The leadership of this party is not defending the interests of working class and poor people but on the contrary it is working for the interests of the ruling classes. The leadership of the party still talks about the problems faced by the people but they have no program and strategy to solve these problems. In the coming elections, the PPP leadership might use the radical rhetoric and tried to give more left wing colour to the speeches, but fundamentally it will remain the party of the rich. It might be able to attract a layer of working class people in the elections. In the absence of a viable alternate some sections of the working class might opted to vote for PPP. But it will be a short lived phenomenon as party will not be able to solve the basic problems of the working masses.
At the moment there is very thin layer in the working class which has some hopes in the PPP. This number can increase during the elections as some working class people can give critical support to the party. But generally there are no hopes in the party.
PPP is no way forward because it is part of the system which has created the miserable conditions for the working class and poor people. PPP represent the same system which is repressive and anti masses. PPP represent the rotten capitalist and feudal system which repress and super exploit the working class. Working class can not defend itself against capitalist and feudal exploitation from the platform of the PPP.
Working class needs its own political organization and plate form to defend its political and economic interests. Working class needs a party armed with clear radical Socialist program. Working class and poor people needs a party with clear and independent class position and policies.