Pakistan -Party System (Part 3)

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Pakistan -Party System (Part 3) SUBJECT: POLITICAL SCIENCE VI COURSE: BA LLB SEMESTER VI TEACHER: MS. DEEPIKA GAHATRAJ MODULE II, PAKISTAN PARTY SYSTEM (PART 3) (v) The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) is the incumbent party in the 2013 elections, having led a coalition government through a tumultuous period in Pakistan's political history. The party won 124 out of a possible 272 seats in the National Assembly after the 2008 polls, largely due to anti- incumbent sentiment amongst voters and a swell in support following the assassination of party leader and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. Founded in 1967 by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir's father, the PPP positions itself as a secular, centre-left socialist party, with a strong emphasis on using public-sector expenditure as a way to address income and social disparities. The party has been voted into power four times since its inception (1977, 1988, 1993 and 2008), but this last term was the first time it completed its full five- year term in office - making it the first Pakistani civilian-led government to do so. Since its formation, the PPP has been a major political player, relying on a combination of pro-poor rhetoric and inspirational leadership (primarily in the form of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto - both of whom were killed while carrying out political activities and are considered martyrs by the PPP faithful). The party, to many voters, represents a force that stands against the country's powerful military and civilian establishment - even if that analysis does not stand up to substantive scrutiny when examining the PPP's stints in government. This election, however, the party faces rampant anti-incumbent sentiment of its own, as Pakistanis suffer from high levels of unemployment, inflation, a power crisis and a complex and deteriorating security situation that the PPP-led government appeared powerless to address. The party has also been perennially dogged by corruption allegations - most notably those aimed at its leader, President Asif Ali Zardari. There is also some dissatisfaction among the PPP cadre as to how Zardari, Bhutto's widower, has run the party since her death, sidelining many party stalwarts and installing people loyal to him in key positions. Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, his 24-year-old son, has been appointed the party chairman, continuing the legacy of Bhutto's leading the party. It remains to be seen what role, however, the young Bhutto-Zardari plays in the election campaign. The party is expected to hold sway in its traditional stronghold of Sindh province, but will face stiff competition in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa provinces. (vi) The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI, or Movement for Justice) is the wild card in this year's parliamentary race. Led by Imran Khan, this party was formed in 1996, after Khan retired following a remarkably successful career as an international cricketer. The party's aim was primarily to wipe out corruption and tackle ineffective governance in a country where both have crippled attempts at government service delivery. The PTI was largely politically irrelevant for the first decade or so of its existence, but shot to prominence in 2012 when it held massive political rallies in Lahore, Karachi and elsewhere. The party's platform remains largely unchanged: Khan promises that he will wipe out “major corruption” within the party's first 90 days in office, and its manifesto states that it is built on an “anti-status quo” foundation. The party also says that it will declare a “national emergency” on energy-sector reform, expenditure reform, revenue collection and development of human capital indicators. Khan has promised to establish an “Islamic welfare state” in several campaign speeches. The party's policy on homegrown militancy advocates an approach based on dialogue with those elements wishing to lay down their arms and a disengagement from the country's current alliance with the United States, citing the partnership as one of the key causes of militancy against the Pakistani state. Electorally speaking, the PTI has bolstered its ranks with former members of the parties it has slammed in the past for exercising patronage politics, and will likely give the PML-N and PML-Q a tough fight in rural constituencies in Punjab. It also provides an alternative to the secular ANP and religiously conservative JUI-F in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. In Sindh it has positioned itself as an alternative to the MQM, long accused of exercising a violent brand of politics, in the province's urban areas. .
Recommended publications
  • Pakistan's 2008 Elections
    Pakistan’s 2008 Elections: Results and Implications for U.S. Policy name redacted Specialist in South Asian Affairs April 9, 2008 Congressional Research Service 7-.... www.crs.gov RL34449 CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress Pakistan’s 2008 Elections: Results and Implications for U.S. Policy Summary A stable, democratic, prosperous Pakistan actively working to counter Islamist militancy is considered vital to U.S. interests. Pakistan is a key ally in U.S.-led counterterrorism efforts. The history of democracy in Pakistan is a troubled one marked by ongoing tripartite power struggles among presidents, prime ministers, and army chiefs. Military regimes have ruled Pakistan directly for 34 of the country’s 60 years in existence, and most observers agree that Pakistan has no sustained history of effective constitutionalism or parliamentary democracy. In 1999, the democratically elected government of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was ousted in a bloodless coup led by then-Army Chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf, who later assumed the title of president. In 2002, Supreme Court-ordered parliamentary elections—identified as flawed by opposition parties and international observers—seated a new civilian government, but it remained weak, and Musharraf retained the position as army chief until his November 2007 retirement. In October 2007, Pakistan’s Electoral College reelected Musharraf to a new five-year term in a controversial vote that many called unconstitutional. The Bush Administration urged restoration of full civilian rule in Islamabad and called for the February 2008 national polls to be free, fair, and transparent. U.S. criticism sharpened after President Musharraf’s November 2007 suspension of the Constitution and imposition of emergency rule (nominally lifted six weeks later), and the December 2007 assassination of former Prime Minister and leading opposition figure Benazir Bhutto.
    [Show full text]
  • Pakistan 2019 International Religious Freedom Report
    PAKISTAN 2019 INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT Executive Summary The constitution establishes Islam as the state religion and requires all provisions of the law to be consistent with Islam. The constitution states, “Subject to law, public order, and morality, every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice, and propagate his religion.” It also states, “A person of the Qadiani group or the Lahori group (who call themselves Ahmadis), is a non-Muslim.” The courts continued to enforce blasphemy laws, punishment for which ranges from life in prison to execution for a range of charges, including “defiling the Prophet Muhammad.” According to civil society reports, there were at least 84 individuals imprisoned on blasphemy charges, at least 29 of whom had received death sentences, as compared with 77 and 28, respectively, in 2018. The government has never executed anyone specifically for blasphemy. According to data provided by nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), police registered new blasphemy cases against at least 10 individuals. Christian advocacy organizations and media outlets stated that four Christians were tortured or mistreated by police in August and September, resulting in the death of one of them. On January 29, the Supreme Court upheld its 2018 judgment overturning the conviction of Asia Bibi, a Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy in 2010. Bibi left the country on May 7, after death threats made it unsafe for her to remain. On September 25, the Supreme Court overturned the conviction of a man who had spent 18 years in prison for blasphemy. On December 21, a Multan court sentenced English literature lecturer Junaid Hafeez to death for insulting the Prophet Muhammad after he had spent nearly seven years awaiting trial and verdict.
    [Show full text]
  • Alif Ailaan Update
    Alif Ailaan Update February 2014 February at Alif Ailaan • Celebrating one year of Alif Ailaan • It’s In Our Hands: a campaign to highlight the stories of Pakistan’s education heroes • Expanding our reach in Sindh: building bipartisan political consensus for education reform • Deepening our ties in Balochistan: encouraging local government to take ownership of education • Endorsing the Meesaq-e-Ilm, a charter for teaching in Pakistan • Working with parents and communities on the ground 2 2 It’s In Our Hands One year of Alif Ailaan For the past year Alif Ailaan has talked about the urgency of Pakistan’s national education crisis and we have been successful in highlighting that there is a problem. To mark our first anniversary we want to inject a message of hope and purpose into the national education discourse. It’s In Our Hands is a coordinated media campaign to showcase the successes of Pakistan’s education heroes. 3 3 It’s In Our Hands Stories selected from all over Pakistan We selected 31 stories that encompass a wide range of successes, are scalable and replicable, represent public- and private-sector initiatives, and highlight exemplary individual contributions. Sham Baba – Swat . Adam Foundation . NAMAL – Mianwali . ASER . DIL Network . PCE . Sheikh Ijaz – MPA . Master Ayub PML-N . RSPN . Roshan Pakistan . Ilm Ideas – Resources for deaf children . EDO – DG Khan . HEC . Rasoolpur - Rajanpur . Insaan Dost . The Citizens . SOS Children’s Foundation (TCF) Village . Minhaj Education . Alif Laila Book Bus Society Society . Humaira Bachal’s . Umer Saif’s E- Street School Learning Project . Spelling Bee . Archdiocese . Ida Rieu .
    [Show full text]
  • In This Bulletin
    February 2014 - Volume: 2, Issue: 2 Pakistan-Malaysia FTA to be reviewed next month, says Ambassador IN THIS BULLETIN Gwadar Port a test of Pak-China ties: Mushahid K-2 first ascent: year-long celebrations to mark 60th anniversary launched English News 1-15 Bringing back tourists in Pakistan China, Pakistan to forge language cooperation Humanitarian Interventions 16-17 Formation of ‘Tourism Advisory Board’ proposed NTB necessary for strengthening Tourism Industry Tourist train takes a women-only spin through K-P's historical sites Tourism Profile: City 18-19 Train trip to promote tourism in KPK District Karachi Student Exchange to Bolster Ties with Pakistan Kyrgyz tourism at the mercy of Central Asia conflicts Articles 20 PYF reviving sports culture in Pakistan IGP Sindh directs strict security for Sindh Cultural Festival Urdu News 26-29 Youth festival: ‘Heartening’ participation at union council games Pakistan, Greece need to improve economic relations Now, charm of Varanasi attracts tourists from Pakistan and China Maps 21,23,25 Pakistan's Mohenjo Daro ruins 'threatened by festival' Deepening relations: Spanish ambassador supports MoU with Pakistani chambers Tourism Directory 30-34 Sindh festival: Learn from Bilawal, arrange culture festivals in every province! Pakistan, Nepal have potential to enhance trade volume: envoy KARACHI TOURIST GUIDE MAP CELLULAR COVERAGE MAP-PAKISTAN MAPS SAIDPUR VILLAGE COMMUNITY MAP, ISLAMABAD % / + ' + #!1-!< 5 - * - !'-<! + / % !' C** $ + ,!-3!' / <3) $ ?<@;,AB1 , 0( ) - $ - , +4, $ $%/ G + <7AAA 07> -L, +5 - #* , -*2 - - ** / % , A ?0< < ! % &, !'!< 8*/ " 9 +! , ! + ' 3 ; 8 * 0 + A < A * - , ?<@=,?AB1 1 ) !4 , + ( $ !'!< 0( ) ' : +! , 7 - !/ + , ?=@<9,>AB1 - ' / 1 + 3%- !** ( + , , !' 0)8 ' / 0)8 ' / '%2 8 , !<#!<!+ (.( ( , 9 ?<@?,>AB1 + ( 0( 0 ! 3 - + + + - "" / ' 2 ##.
    [Show full text]
  • PAKISTAN KHAPPAY Asif Ali Zardari President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    PAKISTAN KHAPPAY Asif Ali Zardari President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan Editor Zubair Ahmed Kasuri Assistant Editor Fatima Batool Designer Zafar Khan Afridi Published by Flare Cares Separation by Fotoscan Process Printed by Qasim Naeem Printers Stockist Sultan News Agency First Edition 10,000 (September, 2008) Price PKR 500, US $10 Contact: Islamabad: +92-51-2890054 Fax: +92-51-2891339 E-mail: [email protected] “A HOPE IS LOST” A national asset: Asif Ali Zardari The first book on Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Shaheed after her assassination was launched on January 27, 2008 at Bilawal House, Karachi. It is a pictorial review of Mohtarma’s life with 400 pictures illustrating various aspects of her life. PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari while receiving the book from Zubair Ahmed Kasuri acknowledged that the book is really an effort to keep people informed about the various as- pects of their beloved leader Benazir Bhutto. He further accepted that the book is really an asset not only for him but for the nation. He appreciated Zubair Ahmed Kasuri and his team’s efforts in compiling the book in order to make those understand who think that she had taken away the chance of democracy with her. But it seems even beyond the grave, Bhutto still refuse to be defeated hers message is still struggling to prevail in public through the lenses of camera. Karachi: Zubair Ahmed Kasuri presents “A Hope is Lost” to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari at Bilawal House on 27 January, 2008. Preface The victory of Asif Ali Zardari in Pakistan's presidential election represents an extraor- dinary turnaround for the most mistrusted politician in the country.
    [Show full text]
  • Pakistan: Country Report the Situa�On in Pakistan
    Asylum Research Centre Pakistan: Country Report /shutterstock.com The situa�on in Pakistan Lukasz Stefanski June 2015 (COI up to 20 February 2015) Cover photo © 20 February 2015 (published June 2015) Pakistan Country Report Explanatory Note Sources and databases consulted List of Acronyms CONTENTS 1. Background Information 1.1. Status of tribal areas 1.1.1. Map of Pakistan 1.1.2. Status in law of the FATA and governance arrangements under the Pakistani Constitution 1.1.3. Status in law of the PATA and governance arrangements under the Pakistani Constitution 1.2. General overview of ethnic and linguistic groups 1.3. Overview of the present government structures 1.3.1. Government structures and political system 1.3.2. Overview of main political parties 1.3.3. The judicial system, including the use of tribal justice mechanisms and the application of Islamic law 1.3.4. Characteristics of the government and state institutions 1.3.4.1. Corruption 1.3.4.2. Professionalism of civil service 1.3.5. Role of the military in governance 1.4. Overview of current socio-economic issues 1.4.1. Rising food prices and food security 1.4.2. Petrol crisis and electricity shortages 1.4.3. Unemployment 2. Main Political Developments (since June 2013) 2.1. Current political landscape 2.2. Overview of major political developments since June 2013, including: 2.2.1. May 2013: General elections 2.2.2. August-December 2014: Opposition protests organised by Pakistan Tekreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) 2.2.3. Former Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf 2.3.
    [Show full text]
  • PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST a Selected Summary of News, Views and Trends from Pakistani Media
    November 2014 PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST A Selected Summary of News, Views and Trends from Pakistani Media Prepared by YaqoobulHassan and Shreyas Deshmukh (Interns, Pakistan Project, IDSA) PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST November 2014 A Select Summary of News, Views and Trends from the Pakistani Media Prepared by Yaqoob ul Hassan (Pakistan Project, IDSA) INSTITUTE FOR DEFENCE STUDIES AND ANALYSES 1-Development Enclave, Near USI Delhi Cantonment, New Delhi-110010 Pakistan News Digest, November 2014 PAKISTAN NEWS DIGEST, NOVEMBER 2014 CONTENTS ABBREVATIONS .................................................................................................. 2 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS .......................................................................... 3 PROVINCIAL POLITICS ................................................................................ 3 OTHER DEVELOPMENTS ............................................................................ 6 AZADI MARCH ............................................................................................ 11 FOREIGN POLICY ........................................................................................ 17 MILITARY AFFAIRS .................................................................................... 23 ECONOMIC ISSUES ...........................................................................................38 FISCAL ISSUES ............................................................................................. 38 TRADE ..........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Pakistan. Country Overview — 3
    European Asylum Support Office EASO Country of Origin Information Report Pakistan Country Overview August 2015 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION European Asylum Support Office EASO EASO Country of Origin Information Report Pakistan Country Overview August 2015 SUPPORT IS OUR MISSION Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union. Freephone number (*): 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (*) Certain mobile telephone operators do not allow access to 00800 numbers or these calls may be billed. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). ISBN 978-92-9243-510-3 doi:10.2847/991158 © European Asylum Support Office, 2015 Neither EASO nor any person acting on its behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. EASO Country of Origin Information Report — Pakistan. Country Overview — 3 Acknowledgments EASO would like to acknowledge the following national asylum and migration departments as the co-authors of this report: Austria, Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum, Country of Origin Information Department Belgium, Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons, Cedoca (Centre for Documentation and Research) France, French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless persons (OFPRA), Information, Documentation and Research Division Hungary, Office of Immigration and Nationality, Documentation Centre UK, Home Office, Country Policy and Information Team The following departments reviewed this report: Ireland, Refugee Documentation Centre, Legal Aid Board Lithuania, Migration Department under Ministry of Internal Affairs, Asylum Affairs Division UNHCR has reviewed the report in relation to information for which UNHCR is quoted as the source, relating to persons of concern to UNHCR in Pakistan (refugees, asylum-seekers and stateless persons in Pakistan, as well as IDPs).
    [Show full text]
  • Discursive Practices in the Portrayal of Political Speeches in English Newspapers
    DISCURSIVE PRACTICES IN THE PORTRAYAL OF POLITICAL SPEECHES IN ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS By Ayyaz Qadeer NATIONALUNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES ISLAMABAD July 2015 Discursive Practices in the Portrayal of Political Speeches in English Newspapers By Ayyaz Qadeer M.A., AIOU, Islamabad, 2009 A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY English/Linguistics To FACULTY OF ENGLISH STUDIES NATIONALUNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES, ISLAMABAD July 2015 Ayyaz Qadeer NATIONALUNIVERSITY OF MODERN LANGUAGES FACULTY OF ENGLISH STUDIES THESIS AND DEFENSE APPROVAL FORM The undersigned certify that they have read the following thesis, examined the defence, are satisfied with the overall exam performance, and recommend the thesis to the Faculty of English Studies for acceptance: Thesis Title:Discursive Practices in the Portrayal of Political Speeches in English Newspapers Submitted By: _AYYAZ QADEER__ Registration #: 495-MPhil/Ling/Jan 10 ______Doctor of Philosophy__________ Degree Name in Full ______English_____________________ Name of Discipline Prof. Dr. Wasima Shehzad___ ___ Name of Research Supervisor Signature of Research Supervisor Prof. Dr. Muhammad Safeer Awan______ Name of Dean (FES) Signature of Dean (FES) Maj. Gen Zia Uddin Najam HI (M) (Retd)__ Name of Rector Signature of Rector _______________________ Date ii CANDIDATE DECLARATION FORM I Ayyaz Qadeer Son of Mian Abdul Qadeer Registration # 495-MPhil/Ling/Jan 10 Discipline English Candidate of Doctor of Philosophy at the National University of Modern Languages do hereby declare that the thesis entitled DISCURSIVE PRACTICES IN THE PORTRAYAL OF POLITICAL SPEECHES IN ENGLISH NEWSPAPERS submitted by me in partial fulfillment of PhD degree, is my original work, and has not been submitted or published earlier.
    [Show full text]
  • Impact of Benazir Bhutto Death on Performance of PPP and Electoral Politics of Pakistan 2008 -2013
    Impact of Benazir Bhutto Death on Performance of PPP and Electoral Politics of Pakistan 2008 -2013 Syed Karim Haider Sheikh Shaukat Ali Abstract Benazir Bhutto the first female prime minister of Pakistan was born in Karachi, Pakistan, on June 21, 1953. She played very important role in the surviving years of Pakistan people party when party was under the struggling under the strict martial law of General Zia Ul Haq. After the death of Zulfiqar ali Bhutto Pakistan people‟s party future was uncertain but this uncertainty was turned into bright future for the party under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto the daughter of founding father of Pakistan people‟s party. In 2007 once again clouds of uncertainty was hindering around the party when Benazir Bhutto was killed in terrorist attack. She was bold leader of the nation who just after the end of martial law win the elections and in 1988 and was sworn in as the first female prime minister of Pakistan. At the age of thirty-five, Benazir Bhutto became the first woman and the youngest person ever to head the government of any Muslim nation. Benazir Bhutto came in politics mainly due to her lineage that was, her family‟s position and political power. Pakistan people‟s party managed to survive after the death of its founding father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto because there was his political heir Benazir Bhutto. How Pakistan people‟s party managed to survive after the death of Benazir Bhutto when there was no leader of such caliber to replace Benazir Bhutto in the party.
    [Show full text]
  • The Empowered Women of Rural Sindh
    Note for Record By: Shoaib Sultan Khan January 12, 2018 Subject: - The Empowered Women of Rural Sindh In 2009 when Chief Minister of the province Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah approved launching of Union Council Based Poverty Reduction Programme (UCBPRP) for the two poorest districts of Sindh, because of my experience in India of mobilising over 10 million rural women in State of Andhra Pradesh through UNDP and World Bank assistance, I submitted to the Chief Minister that UCBPRP will only work with women. He smiled and observed you may try. The women of Kashmore and Shikarpur responded so enthusiastically and positively that UCBPRP was picked up by European Union in 2015 giving funds to implement empowerment of women in another eight districts, in addition to four districts being funded by the provincial exchequer. This brought the rural women being empowered to over one million. As EU, while initially UCBPRP, renamed Sindh Union Council and Community Economic Strengthening Support Programme (SUCCESS), conveyed to the Provincial Government a message that EU was not a substitute to government and expect remaining districts to be taken up by the provincial government, in 2017 Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah made funds available to cover another six districts by UCBPRP. On January 8, 2018 the launch of the UCBPRP in six districts was organised by Sindh Rural Support Organisation (SRSO) at Sukkur, which was graced by Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, ex-Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah and a large number of other distinguished guests including Provincial Page 1 of 5 Ministers, Senators, MNAs, MPAs, Chairman Planning & Development Department, Commissioner Sukkur and provincial and local officials.
    [Show full text]
  • PPP Refuses to Break with Feudal Traditions
    PPP refuses to break with feudal traditions https://internationalviewpoint.org/spip.php?article1403 Pakistan PPP refuses to break with feudal traditions - IV Online magazine - 2008 - IV396 - January 2008 - Publication date: Wednesday 2 January 2008 Copyright © International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine - All rights reserved Copyright © International Viewpoint - online socialist magazine Page 1/2 PPP refuses to break with feudal traditions Appointment of 19-year-old Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as the new chair of Pakistan Peoples Party is an attempt to keep the feudal traditions of politics in South Asia. [https://internationalviewpoint.org/IMG/jpg/bhutto.jpg] Bilawal Zardari, with his father Asif Ali Zardari, left, and party president Amin Fahim The PPP central executive committee approved the appointment of Bilawal Asif Zardari, unanimously in its meeting on 30th December at Nuedero Sind. He is son of Benazir Bhutto who was assassinated on 27 December, nominated him. According to the will of Benazir Bhutto read out in the meeting, Asif Zardari, husband of Benazir Bhutto, was to be appointed as chair of PPP in case Benazir Bhutto is not there. However, Asif Zardari then went on to suggest his son Bilawal as new chair. A student of Oxford University, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the eldest and the only son of three children of Benazir Bhutto. Born in Pakistan but never lived here after he went to school. Asif Zardai will be co-chairperson of PPP. By these developments, PPP has effectively been again in the total control of Bhutto family. PPP leadership had kept the same feudal traditions during the last 40 years of existence.
    [Show full text]