Roz Aik Cheez Toot Jaati Hai: MQM to Sit in Opposition at the Federal Level

Adil Najam

I am reminded today of that great sher by that great sage, Jaun Elia:

koun is ghar ki dekh bhaal karey
roz ik cheez toot jati hai

The news is that the MQM has decided to sit in opposition at the Federal level (key word: “Federal level”). Supposedly the JUI is also sitting in the opposition now (although I am still not clear what has happened either with them or their Ministers; but, that, then, is the JUI!). On very rough math – and all math in Pakistan politics is always rough, as is Pakistan politics itself – this means that we now have a minority coalition in government (158 v. 173).

Political speculations and hawaii punditry is all ablaze (when is it not!) and all sorts of conspiracy theories float around. Some are even floating names on new Prime Ministers and at least one person in Mr. Zardari’s close circles seems to be already making a play for the job. Interestingly, no one is suggesting that Mr. Zardari’s job is in peril.

So, what is one to make of all of this. I, for one, make very little. I stand by my view that the government will stay. Certainly Mr. Zardari will, but I think that could still mean the entire government. It may very well and very soon heat up to be something more, but for right now I think these political shenanigans are exactly that. Political shenanigans.

No one knows the rules of politics in Pakistan than the MQM and the JUI. Both have made political moves. And so will the PPP. Even more importantly, so will the PML(N) whose move is yet to come and may well be the decisive one.

So, I say, lets wait and see what happens. This bandar ka tamasha is just beginning. Enjoy it while it lasts. As you do so, here is another gem of a sher, this one from Sahir Ludhianvi.

tumm mein himmat hai tou duniya say baghawat kar lo
warna maan baap jahaN kehtay hain, shaadi kar lo

It has long been a favorite of mine in other contexts but I last heard it about 10 days ago from none other than MQM’s Farooq Sattar – now the leader in residence of MQM at the ‘Federal level’ – who was speaking to the graduates of the Dadabhoy Institute of Higher Education (DIHE; I was one of the convocation speakers and we shared the stage and a few pleasantries over what was a fairly long ceremony, made longer by Mr. Sattar’s  speech studded with many many ashaar).

Supposedly this was his message to the young graduating class, but I think part of it was directed at the PPP Minister Pir Mazharul Haq, who was also one of the speakers. I was not sure if the verse was a good fit there, and am not sure if it is an ideal fit here. But, at least, its a good sher. To the extent it had a point in that context, the point is the same in this context: It is easy to talk about baghawat (rebellion) but ultimately each baghawat has to be judged by one’s actions and not just by one’s slogans. Let us, then, wait and see where this particular baghawat leads us.