**THE MMA has made a laughing stock of itself. Not that the opposition’s other components are any better: the PML-N-led All Parties Democratic Movement never clicked. The ARD is dead. As for the PPP, one does not know where it stands after the expediency it has of late demonstrated. But the MMA — an alliance within an alliance — has self-destructed itself effectively. Going by their lofty Islamic rhetoric, one had expected the MMA leaders to practise politics based on principles. Instead, they have outdone those whom they hate most, the so-called secular-minded politicians. **The resignation issue alone demonstrates how a political party or alliance should not behave. The differences between the JUI-F and the JI came to the fore on the question of quitting the assemblies to pre-empt President Pervez Musharraf’s re-election. But every declaration made to the people or the press by the MMA high command, promising to quit the assemblies, was followed by a denial, especially by Maulana Fazlur Rehman. Perhaps to present the MMA leadership with a fait accompli, Qazi Hussain Ahmed resigned his National Assembly seat, but the decision had little impact on the MMA, much less on the national political scene.
Nothing, however, demonstrated greater disunity and lack of a well-planned strategy than the question of the NWFP Assembly’s dissolution. The MMA announced its move to resign and call for a dissolution of the assembly well in advance, giving ample time to the provincial opposition to move a no-confidence motion to pre-empt the dissolution. With the JI members leaving the legislature but the JUI-F legislators continuing to sit there, NWFP’s politics has taken a weird turn. Now the scene looks crazier still with the JI speaker having resigned, following allegations by the Fazlur Rehman camp that the speaker could have managed, if he wanted, to reject or at least delay the tabling of the no-confidence move. The situation is now in flux. In spite of the JI’s absence, Chief Minister Akram Durrani still enjoys a thin majority. The dissolution of the assembly has now become irrelevant to its original aim, namely, denying President Musharraf an electoral college. The MMA is in a mess because it is motivated by strong negative impulses. It would have stayed together if it had a positive agenda, like working for the welfare of the NWFP’s people, most of whom live a life of poverty and deprivation.
The performance of MMA in next elections will be the Litmus test for its fairness.
If MMA despite getting all the negative emotions of both pro- and anti-Mush people still manages to do as well as it did in last elections than it can only mean that elections are rigged.
You cant say that. The moulvi MNAs of JUI has got their own influence on the voters of their area as do the Ex-PML-N MNAs who turned lota in 2002.
Mostar, you cannot compare influence of PML N or Q with that of JUI.
In Pujab, the "Biraadari" system has a huge influence on elections and majority of voters are in rural areas. If there are 12 villages of Jats and 8 of Arains, the Jats will win and vice versa. In villages people vote for their biraadri reardless of which party a person belongs to.
This is not the case with JUI which wins mainly in NWFP and Balochistan.
But there is a now a great deal of risk - his life is in danger when they can kill Hassan Jan, they wont spare him. But in the end it will be JUI who will win.
The resignation issue alone demonstrates how a political party or alliance should not behave. The differences between the JUI-F and the JI came to the fore on the question of quitting the assemblies to pre-empt President Pervez Musharraf’s re-election. But every declaration made to the people or the press by the MMA high command, promising to quit the assemblies, was followed by a denial, especially by Maulana Fazlur Rehman.
First, Qazi Hussain Ahmed has always played negative role in Pakistani politics. He can be credited for bring down last 3 of the 4 governments. The man is never happy with any govt no matter who is heading it.
Maulana on the other hand is a smart politician. He has no problem playing ball with anyone as long as his interests are protected. And, from what I heard he purposely lives his hearing aids at home when he goes to these high profile political meetings...thus the denial by him. So, he hears no evil, sees no evil and does no evil...and that Maulana Fazlu... :D
First, Qazi Hussain Ahmed has always played negative role in Pakistani politics. He can be credited for bring down last 3 of the 4 governments. The man is never happy with any govt no matter who is heading it.
Maulana on the other hand is a smart politician. He has no problem playing ball with anyone as long as his interests are protected. And, from what I heard he purposely lives his hearing aids at home when he goes to these high profile political meetings...thus the denial by him. So, he hears no evil, sees no evil and does no evil...and that Maulana Fazlu... :D
Jamat-e-Islami has always been a negative political element in Pakistan. Well said.
Jamat and MNA's movement against Bhutto was also a negative one. Bhutto did not rig the elections on a massive sacle although he was a dictator type elected leader.
In last election most of MMA votes were from other than their traditional voters. If MMA had only received votes from their traditionally voters in 2002, it would have been hard for them to win even 20 seats, when today they have 57 seats in NA.
One can safely say that in coming election it would be hard for MMA to get more than handful of NA seats (at most 20 to 25 if they are lucky) and there is good chance that next NWFP government won’t be of MMA.
No wonder I have never actually noticed his hearing aids, the two faced so and so.