An Overview of Revolutionary Parties in Pakistan

Rahimia Magazine (March,2015)

In an environment dominated by oppression and exploitation, revolution is a word of relief and tranquility. Human beings with tarnished clothes, exhausted bodies and suppressed souls run towards the slogan of revolution. They dream that revolution will end economic inequality and social injustice in the society. They are unaware of the lengthy details of revolution and its political and social interpretations. For them, revolution is a phenomenon that will ensure the availability of adequate food, medicine for sick and shelter to homeless and deprived families.

Revolution which is one of the most over used terms in our society implies a large scale social change in which class based economy, exploitative politics and outdated modes of living are replaced and the society starts a new era of progress with vigor and dedication. However, some so-called revolutionary movements demolish aspirations of common man. While the spirit and functionality of state institutions remain the same,a useless activity of change of individuals is carried out with lots of hue and cry. Thus, people are trapped in the darkness of desperation and pessimism.

A brief study of revolutions around the globe suggests that an altogether new nation is born after revolution which wipes off the obsolete structures and mindset. Some major revolutions of the near past include France, Russia, China, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, Bolivia, etc. These revolutions not only changed the style of international politics but also influenced the functioning of local political parties. This gave hope to oppressed people around the globe and words like revolution and change became highly attractive and popular.

One of the major attributes of global imperialism is its tendency to modify itself according to contemporary circumstances in a clandestine manner. With the widespread popularity of revolutionary struggles among masses, imperialism changed its working procedures. Instead of continuing its old practices of persecuting revolutionary parties with torture, imprisonment, exile and capital punishments, imperialism changed its policies and started to formulate and mentor so called revolutionary parties. It was the latest arrangement to detract mass movements and destroy revolutions. Sincere people of third world countries used to enter these “revolutionary parties” with great hope but they ended up being trapped in the purposelessness and inefficiency of these parties. Gradually, their dreams of a better world got tarnished and they had to compromise with the status quo and their personal survival.

Historical analysis also tells us that imperialism has tremendous ability to adjust itself in the paradigm of popular movements in order to attain its objectives. Modern day imperialism does not confront political and revolutionary parties directly. The real treachery is to change the direction of struggle against imperialism and indulge popular movements in petty affairs. These parties are infiltrated by dual-faced individuals who serve the agenda of their masters. Thus, all the efforts and sacrifices made by these parties facilitate imperialist gains. It is no more a secret that many agents on CIA’s pay role held extremely critical positions in these parties. In our region, holy narrative of Jihad was manipulated to utilize territory, man power, and emotionalism of this region against soviet bloc during cold war era. Same is now happening in Middle East with different brand names. Thus, we have to understand that political and revolutionary struggle without knowledge and wisdom is just like playing in the hands of your enemy.

In order to malign and weaken honest revolutionary element, such artificial and self proclaimed revolutionary parties were created which used the name of revolution but practically their role was to create hindrance between common man and any genuine social change. In the era of 1970s, the slogan of “Food, Clothing and Shelter” (Roti, Kapra aur Makaan) raised by the party of a civil martial law administrator delayed any chances of a genuine revolution for an indefinite time. This party was not created to strengthen revolutionary forces but to diffuse them by making an alliance. The scheme was extremely successful. Dream of “Islamic Socialism” failed within a few years. Afterwards, some “revolutionaries” began to harness their personal economic fortunes by adopting western NGOs and secured themselves in the cover of “Civil Society”. The rest of them are selling their “intellectualism” by writing speeches for leaders of exploitative parties and staging different talk shows. It is interesting to see one of the largest industrial giants reciting poems about poor and oppressed in his speeches. Nothing can be more ridiculous and ironic than the use of literature by the very class against which it was written. This concludes a chapter of artificial revolutions in Pakistan.

Recently, a fresh lot of “leaders” is introduced in our political theater. They are claiming to bring about a revolution and construct a “new” Pakistan. However, they are accompanied on stage by the feudalist and industrialist class against whom revolutions are meant to be realized. Revolution is the voice of deprived souls but the word of revolution is humiliated and abused by our political and religious parties.

Beware the people of Pakistan! A revolution emerging from Bani-Gala, Jati-Umra, Bilawal House and Model Town will not bring any relief for common man. Rather, it may serve the objectives of establishment and ruling elite by acting as an exhaust valve and a divergence from a conscientious and popular struggle against feudalism and capitalism in Pakistan. It is high time that we must study the history of revolutionary parties in Pakistan and analyze whether or not a new trap has been laid down for us by the old huntsman.

Translation: Mr.Muhammad Usman, Faisalabad