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Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences (PJSS) Vol. 38, No. 2 (2018), pp. 651-663 MMA and Alliance Politics in Pakistan Muhammad Naeem Zafar PhD Scholar, Department of Pakistan Studies Bahauddin Zakariya University, Mutlan, Pakistan Email: [email protected] Azra Asghar Ali Professor (Rtd.). Department of Gender Studies Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan-Pakistan Abstract: This research study aimed to explore the role of MMA in alliance politics in Pakistan. The foremost objective of this research was to look into the reasons of MMA religious alliance, their network and role in the politics of Pakistan. Furthermore, this article also investigated the reasons of formation of this religious alliance comprised of 6 religious parties. Being an Islamic republic, the role of religious parties cannot be denied as after the tragic incident of 9/11 US policies towards anti Islam paved the way for the religious leaders to come and fight to prevent the Islamic culture and its values from western imperialism. The US invasion in Afghanistan was another dominant factor thatpowered anti-US sentiments in the Pakistani society and MMA was emerged as the sound voice against the United States. The MMA had formed a strongapproach for the unity of people, with an effective and convincing system before election process. In the general elections 2002, MMA significantly got popularity especially, in NWFP and Baluchistan and gave their agenda to strengthen and support the equal justice, bring reforms, reviving the fear of God and affection to Holy Prophet (PBUH) and many other reforms for the citizens of Pakistan. On LFO, MMA along with the various opposition parties took a tough stand. Three sessions of parliament were immediately adjourned due to the protest of opposition parties to the LFO.The MMA also constrainedGeneral Pervez Musharraf to leave the designation of Chief of Army Staff and he agreed to this demand due to pressure from MMA. Similarly, on the women protection bill a strong reaction was observed from MMA. Keywords: MMA; Alliance Politics; MMA Network; Election Manifesto; 17th Amendment; LFO: Conflict with Musharraf; Women Protection Bill & Hisba Bill I. Introduction Political alliances are formed by organizing the political parties in a process which leads towards collectively chasing a common political motive or goal. In order to achieve that goal or objective, deep political insight and involvement is needed. Furthermore, the political alliance also requires agreement, actions that entail the pooling of resources by establishing necessary commitments on the arrangements of distribution 652 Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 38, No. 2 of ideas which results in the successful execution of the move. Alliance politics is a “temporary combination of groups or individuals formed to pursue specific objectives through joint action” (Motlemelle Anthony Kapa, 2008).Political alliance can also be expressed as the combination of various political forces, groups or parties for a short or long term period for the specific objectives or goals (Arthur and Kaare,2003). Pakistan is an Islamic Republic state consist of four provinces and bicameral parliament consist of National Assembly and Senate also called lower house and upper house respectively. The lower house is consisting of MNAs (Member of National Assembly) elected from their constituencies directly through elections while the upper house is consisted 104 members to represent the provinces and their members are elected by the provincial assemblies according to their proportion in the population. The total tenure of the President of the state and National Assembly is five years while the upper house, Senate members remain for the 6 years. The Provincial and National Assemblies elect the president by voting in the joint session of both houses. After every three years, one third members from the senate body are retired (Rafuque,1986). It was 9/11 event which gave the path to the U.S government to invade Afghanistan. The U.S attack on Afghanistan was the main contributing factor in evolving the anti-American feelings in the Pakistani society. Pakistan’s political situation was dramatically changed. The MMA emerged as the sound voice against the America. The emergence of the MMA was due to the US increasing interference in the country and began to propagate against the Muslim and Islam. Most of the experts are of the view that due to American invasion in Afghanistan MMA came into existence to publically express hatred and anti US expressions. One such analyst stated that he is gravely concerned towards Israel and expecting that the world will have to suffer a lot due to American war against terrorism (Shaukat, 2003). The Pervez Musharraf bold steps and crackdown against the Madrasa education and Jihadi after the nine eleven attacks are also the reason of fueling anti US stance within the Pakistani society. It was also argued that the U.S government compelled Musharraf to take such hard actions against the Jihadis. The immediate result was the unity of the religious parties. Musharraf proposed a variety of suggestions to change the basic concept of the madrasa curriculum, particularly about the fund-raising and its consumption and the policy of madrasa recruitment. However, he had been failed to receive the satisfactory results in this matter. Musharraf was very anxious for pressurizing the Ulema on this issue. Musharraf government’s policy to curb madrasa was in fact two steps to please the U S and convince the Americans about them on his devotion for US interests in the regime. Due to the Musharraf crackdown, MMA emerged in the form of different religious parties as a strong alliance (Farzana,2001). The religious-political organizations in Pakistan have been striving to achieve their agendas since thecountry gained independence in 1947. Their primary focus has been on Islamization of the state andreligio-socialization of society. They made early gains on the Islamization front, by managing to definethe ideological discourse of the state through the Objectives Resolution of 1949. These organizations alsohad their say in the form of a formal constitutional acknowledgment that “divine” laws will Muhammad Naeem Zafar, Azra Asghar Ali 653 haveprecedence over laws made by parliament and also managed to get Shariahlaws adopted during the ruleof military dictator Gen ZiaulHaq. Despite these significant achievements, the religious parties are stillstruggling for absolute Islamization of the state. The present study is going to investigate the role of religious-political alliance in Pakistani politics with special reference to the MMA and its network. The major objective of this research is to analyze the role of religious parties especially, the MMA in the alliance politics of Pakistan. This research study dealt with the objectives (i) to investigate and explore the reasons of religious-political alliance of the MMA in Pakistani politics, (ii) to measure and examine the network of the MMA with regard to its coalition partners with special reference to their objectives and motives to gain power in the political landscape of Pakistan (iii) to investigate and explore the religious political manifesto of the MMA during the elections 2002 in Pakistan with regard to gaining public attention. The research questions were explored in order to analyze the role of the MMA in the alliance politics in Pakistan (i) What were the reasons which pave the way for the MMA to emerge in alliance politics of Pakistan? (ii) How and when the MMA was formed and what were the motives behind this religious alliance? (iii) What was the election manifesto of the MMA and how much success it got from the people of Pakistan with regard to political alliance in the country? II. MMA Network and Approach The most striking aspect of the rising of MMA has been its cohesiveness. As followed by these personalities Maulana Shah Ahmad Noorani-led JUP (JamiatUlema-e- Pakistan) belonging to the Barelvi Sunni sect, MaulanaFazl-ur-Rehman’s JUI-F (JamiatUlema-e-Islam) and Sami-ulHaq’s JUI-S (JamiatUlema-e-Islam) both Deobandi Sunni groups, Sajjid Mir’s Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadith, AllamaSajid Naqvi’s Pakistan IslamiTehrik formerly Tehriq-e-Jafaria (TeJ) of the Shia sect and last and influential Qazi Hussain Ahrned’s JI (Jamaat-e-Islami). Shah Ahmad Noorani was the leader and Qazi Hussain headed as the deputy leader of the MMA (Ahmed, 2002). The joint venture of the Islamic religious schools of thought e.g. Shias, Sunnis, Barlevis and Deobandis was the surprising for everyone. After the unity, they were now interested in strengthening the platform. Mr. Qazi Hussain Ahmed revealed in this interview to local media, said that almost all religious parties have got their benefits by forming this alliance and if they leave it they are fool. The most positive feature of this alliance was seen as a unity of the religious parties on their common interest apart from sectarian issue or disagreements on the most of the issues (Khan, 2002). The MMA had formed a great alliance and unity of people, with its effective and convincing system before election process. In the elections, madrasa’s role was more functional. They not only have the potential to show the street power but also have the organizational framework in backing the MMA. In accordance with a survey, there were about more than 6,000 madrassas in the country out of which 2,333 belong to Deoband school of thought, 1625 from Brailvi sect, 224 from Ahle hadith while 163 were from Shia school of thought. It was also noted that 815 madrassas were also affiliated with the 654 Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, Vol. 38, No. 2 JUI (F), similarly, 120 were found to be linked with Jamiat-ul-Pakistan, 67 from Sipah-e- Sahaba, 119 from Tehrik e Jafria and some others too. (The Frontier Post, 2006). Due to unavailability of proper education system increasing number of unemployment cases in the country, madrassas were serving the needs of the people as there was no need of entry exam, madrassas were claiming no fee even the boarding frailties and food was free of cost.