IN addition to the establishment’s incessant meddling in political matters, the lack of internal democracy within political parties has also hurt the evolution of Pakistani democracy. Most mainstream parties are operated as family firms. Merit is disregarded, and those pledging eternal fealty to the party chief or their family have the brightest prospects of moving up the ranks. Perhaps this is why three leading lights who were until recently associated with two of Pakistan’s biggest parties are now considering setting up their own political group. Former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, ex-finance minister Miftah Ismail, part of the PML-N, and ex-PPP senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, who have been addressing seminars over the past few months from the ‘Reimagining Pakistan’ platform, are reportedly close to forming a new political party. Talking to DawnNews recently, Mr Khokhar said the new outfit would likely be announced “this month”, while Mr Abbasi was in London a few days ago apparently for a farewell call on Nawaz Sharif. The latter’s imminent departure from the N-League is said to be amicable.

While there is no shortage of political parties in Pakistan, and the prospects of the trio’s new outfit may not be too bright considering the crowded field, it would be worth looking at the factors that drove the three leaders from their old parties. Mr Abbasi was reportedly uncomfortable with the dominant, and unchallenged, role of Maryam Nawaz in the PML-N, while Mr Ismail was unceremoniously moved from his position as finance minister in the PDM government to make way for Ishaq Dar, another Sharif family member. Meanwhile, Mr Khokhar has talked of being uncomfortable with decisions taken in “closed rooms” by parties, hinting at the lack of internal debate. It is no secret that the PPP, PML-N, ANP and JUI-F, amongst others, are dominated by families, while the PTI is a one-man show. What Pakistan needs from parties, new and old, is an internal democratic culture and pro-people politics driven by ideology and based on merit that addresses the structural faults that lie at the core of the crises we confront. No unelected saviours and no benevolent foreign benefactors opening their spigots and unleashing a flood of dollars and riyals will address our problems. Only a genuine democratic culture, where parties recognise merit and pay heed to dissent, can rescue us from the abyss.

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2023