The NDM: Challenges Ahead

Naseebullah khan
The NDM (National Democratic Movement) has been recently (In September 2021) launched Pashtun nationalist party headed by the MNA Mohsin Dawar. Stalwart human rights activist, writer, and nationalist Afrasiab Khattak advocate and senior politician Abdul Latif Afridi, Miss Bushra Gohar, Basheer Ahmad Matta, and Jameela Gilani are its stalwart policymakers and members. The manifesto of the party says that, 1. Striving for a federal democratic Pakistan, where the federal government should exercise power over Defense, Foreign affairs, currency, and inter__ provincial communication. 2. To struggle for Civil Supremacy and make Parliament the sole authority. 3. All regional languages be declared national languages where urdu should only be a language for communication. 4. Protection of fundamental rights with a special focus on women’s rights. 5. 4 percent of GDP will be allocated for education. 6. Promotion of social security for which many resources will be spent on education, health, employment, and eradication of poverty. 7. Implementation of direct tax policy. 8. Special focus on youth empowerment and their participation in politics and society. 9. The party will work for Independent foreign policy with specific emphasis on establishing warm relations with Afghanistan. 10. Pakistan is a heterogeneous state and the NDM will struggle for making a new social contract among all the nations for the distribution of resources and the creation of harmony among them. 11. Protection of rights of all religious ministries The newly formed party has been and will be facing enormous challenges such as; 1. The decades-old Nationalist parties such as the ANP and the PKMAP, and religious parties such as the JUI have already penetrated Pashtun politics. How will the NDM dent them by attracting their voters will be a gigantic challenge. 2. The NDM,s, performance being a newly formed party, in the present local body’s elections in the KPK and Balochistan was not admirable. The main reason behind that was that it lacked electables__ who play a pivotal role in the present electoral setup of the state. Will the NDM be able to attract electables in the future__ as these electables have their own priorities different than that of the NDM,s manifesto and politics? Will the NDM allow such electables in the party? It will be a decisive challenge. 3. Ali Wazir who has been in prison and whose case has been fought by Mohsin Dawar vocally, who has been reticent whether to join the NDM or remain in the PTM__ could turn the table for the NDM if he joins it. Will Mohsin Dawar, Afrasiab Khatak, and Abdul Latif Afridi be successful in persuading Ali wazir to Join the NDM, this is a huge oppugn.The national democratic movement is a good addition to the Pashtoon nationalist politics. Its resistance-centric politics, raising voices for the voiceless, its commitment to democracy, its preference for youth participation in politics, creation of political consciousness and wrinkling the Pashtun about their rights, and a non_ hierarchical party setup (that has almost engulfed the rest of the two Pashtun Nationalist parties and a religious party) sound volume. The challenges and obstacles ahead are mighty. How the big wigs of the party have planned to overcome these? Their litmus test is ahead.