‘Revolution’ rising

Calling upon the army and other national institutions to join, not hinder, their “revolution”, leaders of Tehreek-e-Minhajul Quran (TMQ) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Tuesday vowed to turn Islamabad into Pakistan’s Tahrir Square on January 14. The emerging alliance has sent alarm bells ringing for the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), of which the MQM is a major ally, and President Asif Ali Zardari summoned Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf to Karachi to discuss the future strategy. Political analysts are still uncertain about the intentions of TMQ chief Dr Tahirul Qadri, who along with his newfound ally Altaf Hussain, has declared to march on the country’s federal capital to press electoral reforms leading to, what he says, “a change of system, not government”. Tuesday saw the MQM’s self-exiled leader Altaf Hussain flexing his political muscles by holding a massive political gathering, titled “Safar-e-Inqilab-e-Pakistan”, at Jinnah Ground.
The gathering was also addressed by Dr Qadri, who said the day had marked the start of a revolutionary journey.
While the TMQ leader described the so-called Long March a peaceful revolution for giving the aggrieved masses their basic rights, the MQM chief said he had found a “big brother” in Dr Qadri in his struggle against the decades-old hereditary system in the country, where corruption and feudalism were deep-rooted.
Dr Qadri told the gathering that he wanted a caretaker setup that was impartial, powerful and courageous enough to introduce electoral reforms.
“We have no hidden agenda. Our agenda is January 14, our agenda is the elimination of feudalism and capitalism,” the TMQ chief said.
MQM chief Altaf Hussain called for cleansing the assemblies of corrupt politicians, saying the revolution was to rid the crises-laden masses of exploitation and highhandedness.
“Only those facing problems can understand the masses’ troubles. We are out to rid the country of feudalism,” he told a lively audience comprising thousands of his supporters.
The two leaders, in their high-pitched speeches, called upon all politico-religious parties, as well as the armed forces to join the “million march”, as Dr Qadri has dubbed it. PML-Q leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervez Elahi have responded positively to their call.
“Islamabad would become Tahrir Square on January 14. But this revolution would be peaceful, aimed at giving rights back to the poor,” said Qadri, who some quarters believe is bent upon delaying the forthcoming general election with the covert support of establishment.
Brushing aside the impression that he had a foreign agenda and that he wanted to become the caretaker PM, Qadri said those spreading such propaganda were liars.
“My mission is to uphold the constitution of Pakistan. My mission is to restore Jinnah’s true democracy,” he said.
The TMQ chief said his party wanted the next polls to be contested by politicians who were honest and constitutionally eligible.
“We are not opposed to politics and this address is for the restoration of corruption-free politics,” he said.
In his speech, MQM chief Hussain said hundreds of his party workers were subjected to extra-judicial killing and the MQM was maligned with baseless allegations.
Altaf said both the MQM and TMQ were upholders of the cause of the oppressed and downtrodden people.
Appealing to the masses to donate for making the January 14 march a success, he said no worldly force could now stop the revolution, which would end only after reaching “its destination”.
“Army and other national institutions should join this revolution instead of hindering it,” the MQM chief said.
Altaf also asked the chief election commissioner whether he was able to disqualify corrupt politicians and bar them from contesting election.
“This march is for bringing change, not for destabilising the government,” clarified Altaf, whose party is itself a part of the PPP-led coalition government at the Centre and in Sindh.
Underlining lingering issues like CNG shortage, the MQM chief said the poverty-stricken masses were starving at the hands of corruption.
“January 14 would reveal what the people actually want,” he said.
The calls for a revolution, however, appeared meaningless for a Sindh minister.
In a statement, Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mukesh Kumar Chawla said the lovers of long march must proceed with their desire.
“The government would face all undemocratic forces with its full capacity,” he said.
Political analyst Mujahid Barelvi said revolutions were always bloody and primarily aimed at regime change. “But these two parties say we don’t want a regime change.
Many ambiguities are there about the objectives of this long march,” he said.
Another analyst went a step further and told a TV anchor that the “drama seemed to be aimed at blackmailing”.
“There is a credibility issue with Dr Qadri. I don’t understand what this march is aimed at,” he said. He, however, said that the supporters of the march from the MQM and PML-Q had several complaints against the ruling PPP, so were pressurising the latter.
“The MQM is displeased with the PPP on the demarcation issue in Karachi,” the analyst added.