Anarchism spreads in Pakistan

OpinionAnarchism spreads in Pakistan

By Agha Iqrar Haroon

Agha Iqrar Haroon is a Development Observer. His area of work includes Central Asia, South Asia and Eastern Europe region
Agha Iqrar Haroon is a Development Observer. His area of work includes Central Asia, South Asia and Eastern Europe region

Pakistan represents “young society” because its 45% population comprising of youth. Historically, youth is always attracted by Philosophical Anarchism because it represents revolt against society and rejection of state obligations.

   

Political scene in country is becoming distasteful by every passing day as media and certain political personalities are allowed to defame and abuse constitutional and state institutions including judiciary; parliament, democracy; bureaucracy and civil and military investigative agencies.

Alarmingly, state institutions like judiciary are avoiding taking action against those who are maligning them for corruption without having substance and verifications.

Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaaf (PTI) is known for its culture of accusing people and institutions and this culture is openly encouraged by its Chairman Imran Khan (IK). IK had been promoting in his speeches that democracy is (was) not delivering; Parliament is a forum of thieves; higher courts are providing selective justice and rulers are exceptionally corrupt. Interestingly, he is part of Parliament, seeking justice from judiciary (which is component of democracy) and ruling KPK province. He enjoys every fruit of democracy but never leaves any chance to undermine it (democracy).

In the meantime, corporate media is mastering in abusing state pillars like civil bureaucracy, Parliament and the Democracy. Now it is also targeting functionaries working within military organisations.

While commenting on unpublished report of Dawn Leaks, a popular anchor Dr. Moeed Pirzada twitted as

“If after all these months heads of ISI, MI & IB can’t determine who actually leaked to Dawn then why not resign”.

It may be mentioned that Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) is headed by a Lt. General and Military Intelligence (MI) works directly under Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) for all practical purposes.

Another anchorperson Dr. Danish while commenting on unpublished report of Dawn Leaks says (Translation from Urdu):

“Corrupt mafia, corrupt system and beneficiaries of corrupt system– all have gather along”

These two above mentioned twits are cited to give a feel about what Pakistani media is thinking about states institutions like Intelligence Bureau, Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) because these three organisations were responsible to probe case of Dawn Leaks.

The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb has confronted chairman Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Imran Khan to present proof of his latest allegation of Rs10 billion offered to him for not speaking against the Panama Papers.

It may be mentioned that Imran Khan told participants at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC) in Peshawar that he had been offered Rs10 billion by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government to back down from the Panamagate Case.

Marriyum Aurangzeb while addressing a press conference here in Islamabad on April 26, 2017 presented two video clips of IK in which he asked his followers to keep building public pressure on state institutions those are busy in Panama Papers investigations. It may be mentioned that Intelligence Bureau, Inter Service Intelligence (ISI) and Military Intelligence (MI) are investigative agencies of Joint Investigation Team (JIT) constituted by Supreme Court to probe questions raised by Supreme Court.

Marriyum Aurangzeb demands that IK should disclose the name of the persons, institutions or parties who had offered him Rs10 billion.

She called Khan’s allegation totally baseless and a continuation of his attitude of leveling baseless allegations against the personalities and institutions of the country.

There is no doubt that IK has a long history of accusing and defaming people and institutions without having evidences against them.

It looks that IK intentionally or unintentionally is promoting Philosophical Anarchism in Pakistan.  The Philosophy Anarchism promotes that the state lacks moral legitimacy. Philosophical Anarchists do not believe that they have an obligation or duty to obey the State and practically do not believe in State institutions. Although philosophical anarchism does not necessarily imply any action or desire for the elimination of the State, this philosophy works to make State institutions non-functional.

It looks that Imran Khan is successful to pressurize state institutions which are avoiding responding allegations against them.

I cannot comment whether IK understands the danger of spreading Philosophical anarchism in the country or not, but I am sure Philosophical Anarchism can be exceptional dangerous for a multiethnic society like Pakistan.

Whether the State itself is involved in spreading anarchism or it has failed to snub it? This question needs to be answered by State establishment.

Pakistani society has multiple social fault-lines those are already hampering this nuclear South Asian state socially. We have seen in history that political Anarchism is extremely dangerous in multicultural, multi-ethnic societies where some groups can appear with a thought that existing state has become undesirable, unnecessary, and harmful and needs complete overhauling through destroying existing state institutions. This transitional phase of overhauling sometimes results is disintegration and vanishing of state. Can we take this risk?

Disclaimer:

The views and opinions expressed in this article/Opinion/Comment are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Dispatch News Desk (DND). Assumptions made within the analysis are not reflective of the position of Dispatch News Desk.

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