And how it has ruined Pakistan
Political lotas (one who change loyalties, as in horse trading) is a unique phenomena of Pakistan in general and Punjab in particular. Till the Lahore Resolution of 1940, the movement for the creation of Pakistan was vibrant in Bengal, UP, CP while Punjab was ruled by the Unionists and Frontier (NWFP of that time, and KP of the present times) was under the control of Khudai Khidmatgars, or ‘Red Shirts’ as they were called. The Quaid and his comrades braved it out to present the Resolution on Mar 23 of that year. Young volunteers of Muslim Students Federation provided round the clock vigil to the leaders. Sher-e-Bengal Maulana Fazalul Haq presented the Resolution which was unanimously carried.
The message was clear. The movement for the creation of Pakistan could no longer be stopped. The Toadies were advised to join the Muslim League by their foreign masters. For their long term survival they came in hoards. Having their roots in this part of the sub-continent their electability under the Muslim League banner was guaranteed. The heavyweights of the ‘Lota Movement’ were the Tiwanas, Daultanas, Hayats, Dreshaks, Khuros, Khattaks etc, and thus for political sustainability ‘lotacracy’ became a norm.
Shaheed-e-Millat Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan weathered the initial years assisted by leaders like Khawaja Nazimuddin, Qayyum Khan and Abul Rab Nishtar. Bureaucrats and khakis were kept out of the corridors of power. With the murder of the first prime minister the rot started. Khawaja Nazimuddin replaced the PM and Ghulam Muhammad was inducted as the Governor General. The lotas teamed up with baboos and khakis to eliminate the genuine democratic leadership. With the first Martial Law of October 27, 1958, it was all over. Power no longer belonged to the people of Pakistan.
While the ‘lotas’ ruled, the founding fathers of Pakistan were hounded and cornered. Qayyum Khan was taken to the dungeons of Lahore Fort from where he announced his retirement from politics. Only two leaders fought back and challenged the forced disqualification, or EBCO as it was called (Elective Bodies Disqualification Order): Hussain Shaheed Suharwardy from Eastern Pakistan and Zulfikar Bokhari from the Western Pakistan. They were both tried by tribunals and the charges were not proven against them. Suharwardy was a stalwart of the Pakistan Movement. He was chief minister of united Bengal and a brilliant legal mind. Ayub Khan in the 1950s-60s and Ziaul Haq in the 1970s were faced with similar dilemmas. While Suharwardy was found dead in a Beirut hotel, Bhutto was assassinated through the judicial process.
Ayub Khan’s Convention or Sarkari Muslim League was infested with lotas of all kinds and sizes and played a major role in the break up of Pakistan. Leaders like Suharwardy had the capacity and capability of keeping Pakistan together. He was no lota. When the Muslim League tried to corner him, he left and formed his own ‘Awami League’ of which Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was an ordinary worker.
The ideologues are committed to an ideology, and as such they do not jump parties. The Red Shirts till today remain firm on their progressive politics and seldom change loyalties. My father joined the Muslim League in 1935 and never ever joined any other party. Steadfastness is a virtue that is becoming extinct in the current political scenario. He never agreed with the politics of Ghaffar Khan and Wali Khan but always saluted their uncompromising stance on principles.
Lotacracy has become an effective tool of clinging to power and the associated influence. Lota biradari is well spread out in all parties. It happens like this: one brother is in PML-N while the brother-in-law is in PPP and the other in PTI, so all bases are covered. Clinging to authority at all times is ensured and all attempts to change thwarted either from within or outside.
Governance and politics in Pakistan have suffered due to lotacracy. Lotas have no ideology or principles; what they seek is power at all costs and so far they have been very successful at it. The sufferings of the masses have increased manifold while party never ceases for them. Politics of self-interest or mufad ki siasat is very easy to detect. The wealth generated through siasat cannot be hidden. The PML-N as a party leads the pack of vested political interests, for them conflict of interest is irrelevant as long as the wealth keeps growing. The PPP started as an ideological party but it too was run over by the opportunists.
All hopes are now pinned on Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf to lead the people of Pakistan to their promised land. Like all movements, lotacracy will come in the way. It succeeded in derailing the country and its founding fathers in about 11 years (Aug 1947 to October 1958), and the Quaid-e-Awam faced the gallows after being in power for just six years (1971 to 1977). Now the mantle of change is on the shoulders of PTI and its leadership. The battle is on between the comrades of change and ‘lotacracy’. Only time will tell the outcome but the lessons of history cannot be ignored.
