Political Parties in

Pakistan.

Zahra Bhatti
January 11, 2011
 Table of Contents

Role of Political Parties .......................................... 2

Political Parties and the Civil Society...................... 2

Major parties and coalitions ................................. 3

Pakistan People’s Party.......................................... 3

Pakistan Muslim League (N) Party......................... 3

Pakistan Muslim League (Q) Party........................ 4

Muttahida Qaumi Movement(MQM).................... 5

Awami National Party(ANP)................................... 5

Critical Analysis .................................................... 6

Conclusion ............................................................ 7

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 ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES:

In democratic societies, political parties play a significant role in articulating citizens

aspirations. Upon gaining people's support and electoral trust, they serve as a vital link
between the state and society. However, Pakistan's elitist political scene portrays a
totally different picture. There are over 90 fringe political parties cherishing religious
and nationalist ethos and less than a dozen mainstream political parties struggling for
breathing space to survive. Though the country appears to be fertile land for growth of
political parties, owing to multiple factors, very few would fit into any strict definition of
a proper political organization.

Political Parties and the Civil Society:

Long before the emergence of advocacy dominated non-governmental organizations,

Pakistani civil society comprised lawyers, journalists, teachers, trade union activists,
social reformers and religious groups. During the 1960s, the student groups had anti-
establishment orientation and often identified themselves with democratic political
struggles and many were integrated with the political parties. Political parties, however,
by and large failed to become an impressive aggregate of public opinion. Their
effectiveness and allowed the armed forces to dabble in politics and monopolize state
resources and control government apparatus. The civil society, therefore, has been left
heavily dependent on its apolitical professional associations.

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 Major parties and coalitions

Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians:

An electoral extension of the Pakistan People’s Party, formed in 2002 by the PPP for the
purpose of complying with electoral rules governing Pakistani parties. The Pakistan
People’s Party was founded on November 30, 1967 by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. PPP is the
largest political party of Pakistan. This party has been active in Pakistani politics since
the separation of the East Wing from the rest of Pakistan. socialist mandate of "Roti,
Kapra, Makan“. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto wanted closer ties with China and more attention to
the lower classes. Benazir Bhutto adopted conservative privatization policies in order to
secure funding from the United States and the World Bank. Although twice elected
Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto was criticized for corruption and extrajudicial killings.
The PPP currently holds 126 seats in the National Assembly and 27 seats in the Senate. It
is the current government of Pakistan. It forms the provincial government in Sindh and
is the official opposition in Punjab.

Pakistan Muslim League (N):

Second biggest party in Parliament centrist conservative party that has been led from by
former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. Although twice elected as Prime Minister, Nawaz
Sharif was criticized for widespread corruption and extrajudicial killings by opponents
specially MQM and other groups, against whom he took action for their crimes against
humanity and corruption during his power. Its popularity has been considerably weaken
due to support of religious extremist group and poor administration of the Punjab.

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Pakistan Muslim League (Q):

officially called the Pakistan Muslim League centrist conservative party and 3rd biggest
party after PPP and PML(N) in parliament, born from the dissenters of the PML N,
following the arrest and exile of PML leader and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif through
the help and rigging by former dictator Pervaiz Musharraf formed Government After
2002 election absorbed some minor parties through power-sharing agreements in 2002
general elections.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement:

largest liberal political party of Pakistan party which holds immense mobilizing potential
in province of Sindh. The student organization, All Pakistan Muhajir Student
Organization (APMSO), was founded in 1978 by Altaf Hussain which subsequently gave
birth to the Muhajir Quami Movement in 1984. The organization maintains liberal,
progressive and secular stances on many political and social issues from 1992 to 1999,
the MQM was the alleged target of the Pakistan Army's Operation Cleanup leaving
hundreds of civilians dead.

The MQM is one of few socially liberal political parties in Pakistan and organized the
largest rallies in Pakistan in protest of the actions of al-Qaeda on September 11, 2001
demonstrating sympathy with the victims of the terrorist attacks.

Mutahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) is the second largest party in sindh and the
traditionally the third largest in the country, however it currently holds fourth highest
number of seats in the National Assembly while maintaining its second position in the
Sindh Assembly.

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Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal:

coalition of six religious parties consisting of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), Jamiat Ulema-e-
Islam(F) (Assembly of Islamic Clergy, Fazl-ur-Rahman Group), Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (S)
(Assembly of Islamic Clergy, Sami-ul- Haq Group) Jamiat Ulema-e-Pakistan (Assembly of
Pakistani Clergy), Tehrik-e- Jafaria Pakistan, Jamiat Ahle Hadith and a few more. The
religious alliance formed the government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in 2002. It leads the
coalition government in Baluchistan with PML(Q). This group has broken up with JUI-F,
which left to be a part of coalition PPP government and take part in the 2008 general
elections. MMA is de-centrist. It is strong in the two small provinces. It is legally ultra-
conservative and economically socialist. It strongly opposes US military presence in
Pakistan. The MMA that contested the 2002 general election has disbanded, according
to the head of Jamaat-e-Islami.

Awami National Party:

has 13 seats in the National Assembly and 6 Senate seats.The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa

province government is run by the ANP.

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 Critical Analysis:

Pakistan People’ party has remained in power many a time. It is considered a symbol of
democracy by many of us. But, its chairpersonship has never been given to the Non-
Bhutto. In other words, Party is Bhutto family’s legacy. After, Zulifqar Bhutto, Its
founder, Benazir Bhutto, his daughter took the charge. After her, her son, though she is
still politically immature.

PML(N) is not the original party which gave us Pakistan. This party was created under
the auspices of Gen Zia. The product of Dictatorship will produce dictatorial democracy
This party is Dynastic party as well. Mian Family is the owner of this party.

ANP is a regional party (confined to Pakhtun-majority areas) and has never taken charge
of whole Pakistani Government, though, at provincial level it has remained in power
many of the time. It, too, is Dynastic and hence ownership of Khan Family. Gafar khan,
wali khan, etc and now Asfandar yarwali have all remained its chairmen. Outsider can’t
be its chairman, because it is not other’s ownership.

MQM is too the product of Gen Zia Dictatorship. After Zulifqar Bhutto’s death, in order
to break the strength of Bhutto's party MQM was created through the backing of Zia.
How peaceful this party is, you know all.

PML(Q) was created at the behest of Gen Musharraf. It is also product of Dictatorship. It
was created with the sole aim to support Dictatorship In the garb of so-called
democracy.

Nearly all religious parties use the name of Islam. Whenever dictatorship has come in
power, these parties have supported them in one way or other. For Instance, these

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religious parties got united under Musharraf’ rule and were called: Muttahida Majlis-e-
Amal (MMA). They jointly gave approval to 17th amendment, allowing Musharraf to
stay in Uniform as well as in presidency.

CONCLUSION

Ritualistically, every party has its manifesto issued at election time but these
manifestoes hide a number of contradictions. First, while they consciously try to be “all
things to all people”, they are also high nuance documents - nuances that only seasoned
and native political analysts can adequately fathom.

Second, while manifestoes tend to address a long list of problems, they evade
prioritizing them - as well as the pledged solutions.

Third, while they promise an array of outputs, they rarely specify how resources, not
only financial and economic but political, administrative, cultural and social are to be
generated and allocated to mutually competing promises.

Fourth, parties are rarely serious enough to sift through and solve even serious
contradictions among pledges made in their manifestoes.

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