Abstarct from Article "Political Slogans in Pakistan by Nadia Khan":
MQM, in our national politics have coined number of political slogans to idolize Altaf Hussain, party’s founder, by coining & chanting Jeeya Altaf in the style of Jeeay Bhutto. As MQM lovers say that our sloganeering basically symbolizes the founder, conveys admiration for him and loyalty to Muhajir cause. Such slogans convey a lot more than hours long speeches or lengthy articles with true arguments. The activists of any political party wouldn’t work on their own unless they have been instructed to do so and MQM “fighters” are die hard lovers of Altaf Hussain, as their slogan is “Hum ko Manzil Nahee Rehnuma Chaheya” means we don’t need to achieve our goals; we need only a leader, is the guiding light for them or Quaid kay ferman pay jan bhee Qurban hay was a candle light for Muhajir activists.
However MQM critics say that you have not seen such an idiotic or funny slogan all the way in slogans history, which says that a leader is needed rather than the goals set by the party. Another view is that leader is having precedence over the targets. Or some analysts say that Muhajir community, who liked MQM only, will not accept anything without Altaf Bhai.
Few Karachi based political analysts did some analysis on to this slogan by extending it to the founder of Pakistan . If this slogan would have been there before partition in 1947 and common people used to say, “Hum ko Pakistan Nahee Quaid e Azam Chaheya” means we don’t need Pakistan ; we need Muhammad Ali Jinnah only. If it would have been the case then most likely, Quaid e Azam himself, should have asked his lovers to stop chanting this slogan.
They say that, no one in pre-partition India had raised any such slogan – we don’t need independence of India ; we need only Gandhi. Even the man with whom Altaf Hussain is inspired in his early political days – G M Syed; his followers, with so much love for Syed, didn’t raise any such slogan. Few say that this slogan is mostly the brain child of military dictators who are the true reflection of MQM’s this slogan such as Yahya Khan proved it with his actions that he doesn’t need Pakistan but his own self was more important than the country. Same is true in case of Musharraf when he was demolishing the institutions and tribal Pakistanis as he felt that his own personality (or his prolonged tenure of govt) is more important than Pakistan or Pakistanis.
Jo Quaid Ka Ghaddar Hay Wo Maut Ka Haqdarr hay, means anyone who betrays Altaf Hussain; only deserves death punishment was quite common among MQM activists during the days of 1992 Karachi Army Operation & there after. As there’s no election mechanism within MQM, the loyalty with Altaf Hussain is trend-setter in the party to gain benefits, national or provincial assemblies’ seats tickets or minister ships portfolios. I believe that within this context this slogan appears to be a practical approach for MQM activists!
Beside that, Karachi residents are aware of few other slogans such as MuhajirouN kay teen Ghaddar – Mir Jaffer, Mir Sadiq, and Mir Khalil ur Rehman. This means there have been three traitors within the Muhajir community, Mir Jaffer who betrayed Muslim Indian ruler Siraj ud Daula during war of Plassey, Mir Sadiq who betrayed Shaheed Tipu Sultan and the founder of Jang group, Mir Khalil ur Rehman. Probably it is assumed that Jang group had betrayed Altaf Hussain, being a Muhajir, by not publishing his photo at his desired place. This was chanted by MQM activists when Jang group of news papers had refused to publish Altaf Hussain’s photo on to the front page of daily Jang, an Urdu newspaper, near the main headline.
It is still in memory of many Karachi residents that they have seen number of banners hoisted in district central where a welcoming note for Altaf Hussain birthday celebration mentioning him as Mohsin e Insaneeyat Ko Salgirah Mubarak means happy birthday to the well wisher of humanity. Whole world knows that this title in Urdu language is meant for last Holy Prophet Muhammad Sallahu Alihay wassallum (peace be upon him) and no one attributed after him for same!
Until recently, MQM’s new slogan Karachi Kis Ka – MQM Ka, means who is the owner of Karachi - that’s MQM, had raised major concerns for other communities residing in the city such as Pathans, who own most of the transport business in the city.
Lawyers’ movement, beside its success, had brought number of literary things such as poetry, poems from Aitazaz Ahsan, and slogans against ex-President Pervaiz Musharraf when he sacked the Chief Justice. Go Musharraf go was quite famous and repeatedly chanted against him in almost all the functions. When it came to docking off Army Chief Uniform, the popular Punjabi slogan Chacha Wardee Lahenda Kioun Naiee, Pension lay kay janda kioun naiee?as asking why Uncle Musharraf is not docking off his uniform and why he is going away by taking his retirement pension, chanted by lawyers had stir the environment.
The lovers of Ali Ahmed Kurd used to chant Dekho dekhko Koun Aaya – Sheer aya sheer aya upon his arrival in lawyers processions.
Communist and Mazdoor Kissan Party (CMKP) workers after the incident of 12th May 2007 in their rallies were using this new slogan against the MQM. It was extremely popular in the rally in front of the Supreme Court building:
Yeh MQM kya hai...MAFIA
Altaf ka yeh...Mafia
Musharraf ka yeh..Mafia
Jarnailon ka yeh...Mafia
Khoonkharon ka yeh..Mafia
Nafrat ka hai yeh..Mafia
Fasciston ka yeh...Mafia
Zaalimon ka hai yeh...Mafia
Yeh MQM kya hai....Mafia
Har zaalim ka yeh..Mafia
Har jaabir ka yeh....Mafia
Makkaaron ka yeh...Mafia
Ghaddaaron ka yeh...Mafia
No comments:
Post a Comment