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1956 was the only year political views could be expressed freely in Pakistan: BM Kutty – The Express Tribune
KARACHI:
Renowned political analyst and one of the pioneers of Leftist politics in Pakistan, B M Kutty, says the political leadership was blamed for the problems created by military regimes in the past as well.
Speaking at a session organised by the Sindh chapter of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Kutty recalled the mistakes of political leaders since Partition and the space they created for military regimes to take advantage of the situation.
He said the only time Pakistanis enjoyed complete freedom to express their political views was in the year 1956.
It was also the year when the political leadership had the spine to stand up to the pressures of the West.
The difference back then was that progressive parties had an anti-West and anti-Imperialist agenda, while today is it the mullahs who are trying to create the same environment, he said.
He recalled that in August and September 1958, elections had been called in the following March. The National Awami Party (NAP) that had an anti-imperialist agenda was expected to gain new ground.However, the vested interests of the West coincided with those at GHQ and the tragic incident of October 1958 occurred leading to the countrys first martial law.
Kutty says it is wrong for people to believe today that the situation in 1958 was caused by a failure of the political leadership. In fact, he believed that had the military takeover not happened, Pakistan would not have split into two.
The author of the political autobiography Sixty years in Self Exile: No Regrets also said that had the results of the 1970 general elections been accepted, Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman could have saved the country from descending into chaos.
He disagreed with the impression that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was solely responsible for East Pakistans separation and reminded the audience that it was the military regime that destroyed half of the country. ZABs biggest political mistake was that he could have stopped it, but didnt, he said, adding that one cant, however, deny the genius of the man for his other many feats.
Kutty retraced Balochistans history of current problems to the post-1972 Bangladesh situation in Pakistan. Back then, Bhutto was hailed for agreeing to a historic arrangement whereby the Pakistan Peoples Party ruled in the Punjab and Sindh, while the NAP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam had governors and chief ministers in Balochistan and the Frontier province.
But this arrangement too, Kutty believed, was sabotaged by the military regime, specifically by Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan.
He shared an eye-opening anecdote of when the Princess of Iran, Shah Pahlavis daughter Shahnaz had arrived on a state visit to Quetta in the early 1970s. An embarrassing situation was created outside Governor House where she was addressing gathered dignitaries. The body of an activist was placed outside the gates. The Balochistan Students Organisation was already agitating against Iran and the death of a Pakhtun activist, Manaan. Manaan Chowk was named after him. The situation spiralled out of control. Kutty believes it was a conspiracy created by the men in uniform, who soon after gained a foothold in the provinces Lasbela district.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2011.
1956 was the only year political views could be expressed freely in Pakistan: BM Kutty – The Express Tribune
KARACHI:
Renowned political analyst and one of the pioneers of Leftist politics in Pakistan, B M Kutty, says the political leadership was blamed for the problems created by military regimes in the past as well.
Speaking at a session organised by the Sindh chapter of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Kutty recalled the mistakes of political leaders since Partition and the space they created for military regimes to take advantage of the situation.
He said the only time Pakistanis enjoyed complete freedom to express their political views was in the year 1956.
It was also the year when the political leadership had the spine to stand up to the pressures of the West.
The difference back then was that progressive parties had an anti-West and anti-Imperialist agenda, while today is it the mullahs who are trying to create the same environment, he said.
He recalled that in August and September 1958, elections had been called in the following March. The National Awami Party (NAP) that had an anti-imperialist agenda was expected to gain new ground.However, the vested interests of the West coincided with those at GHQ and the tragic incident of October 1958 occurred leading to the countrys first martial law.
Kutty says it is wrong for people to believe today that the situation in 1958 was caused by a failure of the political leadership. In fact, he believed that had the military takeover not happened, Pakistan would not have split into two.
The author of the political autobiography Sixty years in Self Exile: No Regrets also said that had the results of the 1970 general elections been accepted, Sheikh Mujeebur Rehman could have saved the country from descending into chaos.
He disagreed with the impression that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was solely responsible for East Pakistans separation and reminded the audience that it was the military regime that destroyed half of the country. ZABs biggest political mistake was that he could have stopped it, but didnt, he said, adding that one cant, however, deny the genius of the man for his other many feats.
Kutty retraced Balochistans history of current problems to the post-1972 Bangladesh situation in Pakistan. Back then, Bhutto was hailed for agreeing to a historic arrangement whereby the Pakistan Peoples Party ruled in the Punjab and Sindh, while the NAP and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam had governors and chief ministers in Balochistan and the Frontier province.
But this arrangement too, Kutty believed, was sabotaged by the military regime, specifically by Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan.
He shared an eye-opening anecdote of when the Princess of Iran, Shah Pahlavis daughter Shahnaz had arrived on a state visit to Quetta in the early 1970s. An embarrassing situation was created outside Governor House where she was addressing gathered dignitaries. The body of an activist was placed outside the gates. The Balochistan Students Organisation was already agitating against Iran and the death of a Pakhtun activist, Manaan. Manaan Chowk was named after him. The situation spiralled out of control. Kutty believes it was a conspiracy created by the men in uniform, who soon after gained a foothold in the provinces Lasbela district.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 30th, 2011.
