Big task for a liberal CM?

The difference in Ramay’s and Sethi’s secularism

With a dogged self-assertion and curious contentment on his face, Najam Sethi, the only non-judge and the youngest of the echelon of caretakers, took an oath in clash with his ideology. He had been labeled a liberal fascist, secularist, centrist, by his fellow journalists; in return, he had labeled them ‘media mujahiddin.’ His columns were evidence of his strong stance on the matter.

But while one cannot be held to one ideology alone but the ability to ascribe to two contradictory ideologies at the same times suggests either deep confusion or a shrewd ability to adjust ideology to the needs of the time. There was, of course, Muhammad Hanif Ramay, considered the only genuinely liberal chief minister of Punjab since the country was created. While taking his oath, Hanif Ramay tried to recite that he would be faithful with “Pakistan” instead of saying that he would be faithful to the “Islami Jamhooriya Pakistan.” There lies the difference between the liberalism of Najam Sethi and that of Muhammad Hanif Ramay. The latter was steeped into the soil; the architecture of the Alhamra, a patron to classical music, with love for the suffering of humanity. Ideas devoid of rhetoric can easily be associated with Ramay’s approach toward life and society. Sethi’s liberalism, however, is twice removed from its source as he was first saddled with the progressive movement that sought its inspiration from Marxist ideology. Though he was never been a practicing Marxist but his affiliation with the ideology is no secret. With the disintegration of Soviet Union in 1990s, the fashion of claiming oneself a Marxist came to an end, and a lot of old Marxists took refuge under the umbrella of NGOs and welfare organizations, or, took to Thatcherism and economic liberalism. Sethi, a graduate in economics from Cambridge, picked the new trend in the offing and embarked upon the bandwagon of western liberalism that believes in growth of capitalism, parliamentary democracy and women emancipation as the hallmarks of the ‘end of history’ narrative.

Sethi is artful and perceptive and knows how to cash in on his analysis, public relations, body language, mood and tone in his television show. If one watched his TV show, when the names of the caretaker governments were being decided, he condemned the two large political parties for coming up with only the names of judges for caretaker slots. Some conspiracy mongers say Sethi thrice tried to get the ticket from the PML-N, but this was not true. Sethi was not aware of his nomination until Qamar Zaman Kaira confirmed it with him on phone just before the nomination was made public. As an anchor Sethi has balanced positioned and played a neutral card. He has always called a spade a spade and thus his perceived neutrality. He has always maintained that the PPP cannot deliver for the masses and that it has indulged in corruption. Even then President Zardari approved his nomination as caretaker CM and Nawaz Sharif endorsed his name against the will of his younger sibling.

Now that he is housed in the CM House and spread the traditional shawl on the tomb of Hazrat Data Sahib, an act which was least expected of him, he is on his way to establish himself a real statesman. He says he has many friends in bureaucracy and in army and that is why he doesn’t feel there would be any problems with him running state affairs. But he has one friend that carries more weight than all bureaucrats and military personnel combined, Asif Ali Zardari. Sethi has always proactively advocated harmony amongst the “warring political parties”. This takes inspiration from Asif Zardari’s reconciliation policy.

Sethi’s “enthronement” has disappointed many a journalist. Even those that clapped during his oath taking ceremony saying that a liberal had broken into the CM House, had their happiness evaporated into the air when they came to know of Sethi’s visit to Data Sahib. Journalists either are jealous of the “reward” PPP gave to Sethi or think journalism has been hit hard. Others are hurt by Nawaz Sharif’s efforts to include Sethi in the caretaker set up. Sethi remains a danger for Shahbaz Sharif in Punjab and still for others in centre. The junior Sharif resorted to political jingles, construction of bridges, lip service and superficial efficiency whereas Sethi, though he has no great job to be done in favour of the masses, has to take crucial decisions to act upon SC’s and EC’s advice. He has to cater a controlled election environment which can deliver free and fair elections, a good team of bureaucracy that has to respond back to the events that will inevitably come up regarding law and order lieu of Imran’s aggressive supporters and Nawaz’s traditional League-is. Already the war feelings have been ignited by the statements of the politicians from both sides. Sethi has a tendency to reach out to US and European delegates even when he was merely a TV guest and an editor, but now he has to do it officially. People would start forgetting the songs of Jalib when a CM well versed in English literature, politics and international relations was likely to uplift the image of Pakistan. Today minorities and liberal people of Pakistan are feeling strengthened and here lies the problems for the coming CMs. Sethi has perhaps betrayed his ideology but he won’t betray his would-be electorate.

Zeeshan Hussain is a blogger and a TV journalist and he can be reached at [email protected]