In Pakistan, the “Long March” – a major protest led by opposition politicians calling for the resignation of the government – began in earnest on August 14th. The protest, which could more accurately be described as a series of overlapping protests led by two factions, in some ways similar and in some ways different from each other, promises to bring Pakistani political life to a standstill. However, the enigmatic, and quite often paradoxical, nature of Pakistani politics means that such a development requires careful analysis.
The protest leaders – Imran Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-e Insaf (PTI) and anti-government cleric Tahir-ul Qadri of the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) – have pledged to turn out hundreds of thousands, if not millions, into the streets to demand an end to corruption and rule by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his PML-N party. But, beyond the rhetoric of “democracy” and “transparency,” both political buzzwords more indicative of public relations and marketing than genuine political program, there is the troubling possibility that what is being billed as a democratic upsurge, is merely politics as usual in Pakistan.
Of course, one should not take a completely cynical perspective on Khan, Qadri, and the other leaders and factions participating in the Long March. Indeed, many of their criticisms and allegations regarding corruption, cronyism, and electoral theft are well founded in a country that suffers from institutionalized and endemic corruption. However, one should be at the very least cautious with a movement which with one breath calls for democracy, while with another demands the resignation of the elected government.
In critically examining the nature of the protest, as well as Khan’s PTI and other organized political forces, it is clear that the outrage of the people of Pakistan is quite real, their suffering and poverty is tragic, and it is their future that is at stake. With that in mind, anyone interested in supporting peace and progress for the people of Pakistan must understand the current movement.
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