DR.ABDUL RAZAK SHAIKH
In terms of their political and ideological success, Pakistani Islamists have had several ups and downs since Pakistan became the Islamic Republic in 1956. Islamists strive to safeguard the Islamic State’s status quo while simultaneously expanding the reach of Sharia. Despite insignificant electoral victories, Islamists have largely been able to dictate national identity policies to civilian and military governments. A major hurdle to the promotion of pluralism in Pakistan is noticeable through persistent opposition to secularism by major political actors. Despite different political ideologies, major political parties refrain from promoting secularism in Pakistan; however, such views are more rigid in the case of Islamists. The Islamists and non-religious political parties are very similar regarding Islam and Pakistan’s identity, secularism, and minority rights in Pakistan. The Pakistan People’s Party was founded in 1967 by a group of middle-class educated people who were disillusioned with the political parties at the time of military dictator Ayub Khan. Founder of the party Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was considered an architect of Pak-China friendship, had parted ways with General Ayub Khan by resigning from his cabinet after developing some differences with him over the Tashkent Peace agreement with India. Can PPP be called a secular party when one of the four founding mottos was: Islam is our faith? PPP is the real party at this stage allowing minority candidates to contest elections from the majority of Muslim vote and they are winners in the 2018 and 2024 General Election. Dr. Mahesh Kumar Malani was elected Member National Assembly from Therparkur II, NA 215 by securing the 132061 to defeat Arbab Ghulam Rahim ex. Chief Minister of Sindh, who got 113346 Votes. In the same way, Mr. Hari Ram was elected from the Provincial assembly Sindh PS.45 Mirpurkhas I by securing the 33197, against Zafer Ahmed Khan of MQM-P by getting 20099 votes. Both consistencies have the majority of Muslim votes. PPP also awarded a party ticket to Dr. Savera Parkash MBBS doctor of age 25 years from PK -25 for provincial assembly KPK but unfortunately lost. she is presently the general secretary PPP women’s wing District Buner and her father is also old guard of the Party. When she got the PPP ticket in the religious-dominated area, the Civil societies and other liberal groups appreciated the decision of the PPP. PPP and the Bhutto charisma were so strong that Zardari had to change the surname of his son to keep the PPP vote bank intact. Every dictator tried to weaken the PPP by splitting it into factions but they failed to dent the party. Zia-ul-Haq used all his resources to eliminate Bhutto and PPP from the political scene and he was fully supported by the forces of obscurantism and religious fanaticism. Zia also tried to hijack the party, first through Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi and then through Kausar Niazi, but failed because of the workers’ devotion and commitment to Bhutto and his program of socialism and social justice. The party is lucky in the sense that it has got devoted and committed workers. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto emerged as a charismatic leader of the youth and was given a warm welcome at Lahore when he reached there after resigning as foreign minister under the Ayub regime. His charisma and leadership created a class of workers that other parties lacked. After the judicial murder of Bhutto in 1979, the party remained rudderless and in complete disarray as all important leaders and devoted workers had either been arrested or sought political asylum abroad to avoid the dictator’s wrath. Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was the brave leader of Pakistan, who succeeded democratic Election in the country in 1988 after the crash of the Zia ul Huq plane. Her scarification for Democracy was written in the history, though she was also murdered but her vision is alive in public. PPP is the only political party that has a minority wing from provincial to lower root. That’s PPP is a secular Party having no difference of religion, color, gender, or caste.
