Power versus people

Business Recorder

4 days ago

There is a standoff between power and people, each holding on to its domain. In a democratic dispensation, power flourishes from the support of the people. Misuse of power creates ill-will that is usually difficult to bridge.
Without the effective support of people, power tends to adopt extortion methods to fulfil its needs, which then leads to a clash. The mantra of 'Sub Theek Hay' (all is well) does not hold ground when people are made to suffer by the misuse of power. For the country to flourish the two must work with understanding; otherwise, the decline cannot be reversed. Irreversible declines invariably lead to a collapse.
Major course correction is needed before it is too late.
I remember the fall of the all-powerful Field Marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan. After completing ten years in power, he decided to celebrate his decade of progress. Little did he know it would prove to be the decay of his rule. While it was the best of times for few, it was the worst of times for many.
When people took to the streets he was baffled. All was not well as he was made to believe by the sycophants that surrounded him. By March 1969, he was powered out by the powerful as he had lost public trust and support. It was indeed a sad ending for an individual who had supported his master's will against the will of the people he was required to serve. His 'Friends not Masters, a Political Autobiography' failed to restore the people's trust in him.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) emerged from the ashes of the Ayub regime. I remember the day in November 1967 at the YMCA hall on the Mall where he announced the formation of his party. It was the first real political party of the country based on people's power. His anti-establishment stance was well taken by the masses.
When he came into power he called his regime 'Awami Hakumat' (people's government) which indeed it was. In the words of his own Comrade Hanif Ramay, ZAB then drifted towards power and was ultimately eliminated.
The 'Mazboot Kursi' (strong seat of power) could not save him. Yayha Khan, the second usurper, had to surrender to the will of the people in East Pakistan. The third usurper who considered himself to be above the constitution met a tragic end. Pervez Musharraf had to live in exile after his trial and conviction under Article 6. His supra-constitutional acts could not save him.
It is widely believed that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. People provide the umbilical cord to power, which cannot be disrupted. Power itself is always a burden which is carried by the people; in other words, it is a cost on their head which must be borne by the people willingly in the best national interests. Unwilling extortion leads to turmoil.
The US war of independence started on the principle of 'No Taxation without Representation'. In other words, people decide the distribution and utilization of their tax money collected by the powerful, not the other way around as has been the case in the land of the pure. Despite widespread suffering of the people, the party is unending for the individuals enjoying power.
To determine the will of the people, votes are counted. Credible elections are the only means of determining the people's mandate. The Islamic Republic of Pakistan has a track record of manipulated electoral exercises, only the contests in 1970 and 2024 count as credible, but both failed to strike the much-needed balance between power and people. It is widely believed that the US Constitution enacted in 1787 is the best written document ever. It starts with the words, 'We the people allow the government'.
In other words, the power always remains subservient to the people as regulated by the agreement between the rulers and the ruled. No one has ever dared to cross the constitutional boundaries in over two centuries of its enactment. The balance between power and people is remarkable. The law enforcement agencies are allowed to use guns, so are the people under the right to bear arms. There are no exit-control lists; no one can be stopped from leaving the country under the right to travel. Exit stamps are not required.
The US Constitution is hailed as the 'Miracle of Philadelphia' but unfortunately the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan remains under constant threat of the powerful while the people helplessly watch. Both Zia and Musharraf introduced amendments at will, while under the so-called 'Hybrid System' they are being forced through the parliament.
The 26th amendment and now the 27th is being worked upon by the powers under the unwilling gaze of the people. Such gross imbalances lead to instability. Absolute power can never lead to stability. Investors, both local and foreign, shy away from conflicts. Even the best intentions fail in an environment of tussle. I remember during my days at the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) we were involved in building a model farm near Ormara in Baluchistan. Wind pumps were to be used to extract groundwater, combined with drip irrigation technology.
As we were driving down the picturesque coastal highway, the road suddenly ended. While going through the detour, I asked our local contact about the washing away of the road. With remorse, he said, the plans are made in Islamabad to be implemented by NHA (National Highway Authority); no one ever consults the locals who know the ground realities. The first major rainfall and the portion of the highway was swept away by the gushing water. No power could come in the way.
Man-made power has serious limitations which must be understood. There is a concept of 'Awaz-e-Khalq' (voice of the people), which must be heard; otherwise, power is toppled like the washing away of the coastal highway of Baluchistan by the gushing waters.
No nation can sustain such continuous losses by not reaching out to the very people the power is meant to serve. Yes, power is needed to run the affairs of the state but not without the support of the people; it is the lesson of history, which cannot and should not be ignored.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025