Political Parties.

I was watching a programme on BBC yesterday. It was about how The Conservative party bought David Cameron to shape the outlook of the Conservative Party. The foundations of the Conservative Party were very much the ideas of Margaret Thatcher. Her ideas were modern for that time. But she also believed in sticking to the roots. Once a journalist asked her, ‘Is there going to be a new start?’ and she replied, ‘why what is wrong with the old one?’ She was the Prime Minister of England from 1979 to 1990. After her, the Conservative Party hasn’t won any elections. The Conservative party, talked on the same lines and loss the other 2 elections in which, Tony Blair won the elections and in 2005, David Cameron was bought to light. He promised of changed and a better future. Although he was a breath of fresh air and a new change in the Conservative party but the conservative’s loss the elections again in 2005 to Gordon Brown.

While, I was watching this program, I began to wonder, how in the U.K and in the U.S.A they have just two parties. In the U.K, the Conservatives and the Labour and in the U.S.A, the Democrats and the Republicans. If one party is in power, the other party is always there to cross and balance on issues. To check if the later party is performing it’s duties correctly and also condemning and asking questions about their policies and practices. At the very core, are the values behind each party. If you ask the people here, they would either favour the Conservatives or the Labour. In the U.S.A they would be either the democrats or the Republicans. It is because; it depends on the basis of what they stand for. Their leadership styles, agendas are different. Hence, a person can relate to either party based on their own perception. They have a whole ‘motto’ ‘ideals’ ‘set principles’ behind the foundation of the party. In the book ‘the audacity of hope’ by Barack Obama, he talks about the democrats’ style. Their values, their beliefs, their leadership style and then about what he feels about those simple values and ideals. This is the core idea behind having a party. One that you could relate to, one that could stand up for your views. For the people’s view, if not all, but most of the time.

Then my mind raced towards our politics. I started to think, out of all the parties that we have in Pakistan. Not one has any set of principles, ideals, and a mission statement. They all stand for themselves; or rather for power and money. Although personally, I can’t relate to any Party. I was wondering if any one could relate to them? If yes, then on what basis? They don’t promise us any kind of a leadership style, or any ideals, or the shape of the economy is they do come to power. All they talk about is themselves. About who should we support. But why? Just because, they have a dynasty. Or that there father or mother was in politics. Is that enough? This also, brings to my mind the role of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. At the mere age of 18, he has been passed on the Kingdom from his mother. But what is his qualification? We don’t even know him. His ideas, his ideals, his principles. He has lived all his life abroad, and now he just become the Co-president and his father with all the corruption charges becomes the President of Pakistan, but on what basis?

Today, I switched on Geo. And Nawaz Shariff was addressing a crowd in Shaikhupura. He is a former Prime-Minister of Pakistan and could be the next Prime-minister of Pakistan. But what does his party stands for? I listened to him in disbelief. More than once I heard him swearing, and asking people to take out 2 or 3 weeks from their life and give it to Pakistan and the first week should be dedicated to restore the judiciary, but why and how? and what about the remaining 2 weeks? he never explained! He sweared on God wasn’t there to talk about the verdict, he mostly did! I was thinking, what is the need to bring ‘God’ in here. Is this any sort of professionalism? If you want power, why don’t you talk about your policies, basis of the foundation of your party? What you have done over the years for Pakistan. The issues that needs to be addressed. The poverty level, rules and regulations, general situations. Where are these points? I listened to it and thought, what does he as a person stands for? All I saw was a circus of people around him, and he introducing each member in that circus, telling the crowd that how close they are to him. But what about us? How would they shape our economy? What did they bring to us when they were given the power? What do they stand for; just for power and money!!