The World vs. Pakistan:
On the global stage, a full spectrum of ideologies can be observed among the political parties. Ranging from the extreme left to the extreme right, a serious competition exists among the two sides, with the right wing seeking the establishment of traditional politics, while the left works to introduce reform and progressive politics. Unfortunately, a quick look at Pakistan’s mainstream political landscape reveals the absence of such an ideological contrast.
Pakistan’s political arena is dominated by similar narratives. It has a few parties representing the extreme right wing, such as the Jamaat-e-Islami, led by Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rahman, and the Jamiat Ulemaa-e-Islam (F) led by Maulana Fazl-ur-Rahman. Similarly, the center-right wing is represented by parties like the Pakistan Muslim League (N) led by Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf led by Imran Khan. The political scene is further diversified by the presence of centrist parties such as the Pakistan People’s Party and the Muttahidda Qaumi Movement Pakistan. While the sheer number of the political parties present in Pakistan makes it difficult to keep a count, one question that becomes increasingly obvious is: Where is the left wing of Pakistan?
The Silence of the Left:
The failure of Pakistan’s Left to enter (and stay in) the mainstream politics is not a coincidence. Rather, there is a set of reasons, internal and external, behind this occurrence. The lack of prominent leadership of the left-wing parties, inadequate decision-making, and their silence in the parliament, as well as the general public, are some of the factors amplifying the political imbalance. Pakistan’s political association with the USA, an anti-communist state, since its inception, coupled with the oft-present dictatorial regimes, has also played a significant part in silencing the left.
At the dawn of independence, the left wing of Pakistan seemed promising as several progressive political parties emerged on the horizon of the newly formed nation. One of these was the Communist Party of Pakistan, founded by Sajjad Zaheer, a notable intellectual and a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India, as a continuation of the Communist Party of India after the partition of the subcontinent in 1947. Emerging as a political organization with great potential to promote the leftist ideology, it aligned itself with the Leninist-Marxist approach of communism. The inclusion of figures like Jam Saqi, Mirza Ibrahim, and Sobho Gianchandani further established its credibility. This was, however, short-lived as the party was banned in 1954, mainly due to its association with communist groups and alleged involvement in the Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case (1951).
The Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case (1951)
The Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case (1951) was a colossal setback for the Left. It not only marked the beginning of the repression against the Left but also left a lasting impact on Pakistani politics and shaped its trajectory for years to come. It was the first alleged coup attempt in Pakistan, though masterminded by Major General Akbar Khan, it was also alleged to have the involvement of leftist intellectuals including Sajjad Zaheer and Faiz Ahmed Faiz. Dissatisfied with the government’s policies, they reportedly planned to overthrow the government of the Prime Minister at the time, Liaquat Ali Khan. The plot was exposed before it was carried out, and the people involved faced charges of treason and conspiracy against the state.
It was due to this involvement that Sajjad Zaheer and Faiz Ahmad Faiz also faced charges of treason. Faiz Ahmad Faiz was initially given the death sentence; later, however, he only had to serve jail time. Both Faiz and Sajjad had to face 4 years in jail, after which Sajjad was deported to India, where he continued his political journey by rejoining the Communist Party of India (CPI), while Faiz chose to continue his struggle in Pakistan.
The Aftermath of the Conspiracy:
After the conspiracy case, serious action was taken against the left. Leftist parties at the time included the Progressive Writers’ Movement, a literary movement in pre-partition India that later became active in Pakistan, and had writers like Saadat Hassan Manto, Habib Jalib, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Fiaz Ahmed Faiz, etc. as its members. Similarly, the Democratic Students Federation (DSF) was a political movement established by progressive and left-leaning students in 1949 that became highly influential during the early 1950s and often organized protests and demonstrations.
After the ban targeting the Communist Party of Pakistan was implemented, the Democratic Students Federation (DSF)was also banned, and the Progressive Writers’ Movement was forced to disband. Furthermore, the Progressive Papers Ltd., a publishing house owned by a progressive politician named Mian Iftikharuddin, was taken over as a part of the broader crackdown on the reformist voices, resulting in repression of the leftist perspectives. Legislations like The Press and Publications Ordinance (1963) and the Customs Act (1969) were introduced to exacerbate the erasure of progressive literature in Pakistan.
The Eventual Rebirth of the Left:
Another force that emerged during this period was the Pakistan People’s Party of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Many progressive leaders joined the party due to the left-leaning socialist ideology of the PPP’s manifesto. But as the party progressed to government, it took actions against the left wing itself, leaving its socialist promises behind. In response to this, leaders like Meraj Muhammad Khan and J.A. Rahim, who were the founding members of the PPP, left the party.
It was after these blows that the leftist movement’s leaders were fragmented and forced to go underground, at least until the formation of the National Awami Party (NAP) in 1957. NAP became the umbrella sheltering the left from state repression. It was a coalition of the leftist, socialist, and regional nationalist leaders, blending Marxist ideals with regional nationalism. This coalition, too, was banned by the Bhutto regime in 1975 following allegations of its involvement in anti-state activities.
After facing the ban, NAP was also regrouped and reorganized as the Awami National Party (ANP) in 1986. Since the reorganization, however, its focus has mainly been on Pashtun nationalism rather than the socialist rhetoric and promotion of leftist ideology.
The Present Scenario:
The current Pakistani politics revolve around populist leaders selling big dreams to the masses; the Left seems to have run out of the dreams that they can sell. It was no accident that the PPP became a mass party in order to achieve national significance.
In Gustave Le Bon’s words in ‘The Crowd’:
“Masses have never thirsted for truth; whoever can sell them an illusion is easily their master.”
In the current political scenario of Pakistan, leftist politics has come to a halt. It is now limited to drawing room discussions and seminar-mode political activism led by left-leaning academics. A majority of the Left comprises people who are unaware of the struggles of the masses they stand for; it would not be unfair to say that their self-prescribed higher moral ground and all-knowing attitude alienate them from the layman. Some of the current left-leaning political parties somewhat active at the grassroots level include the Mazdoor Kisan Party (MKP), Awami Workers Party (AWP), and the Haqooq-e-Khalq Party (HKP); however, they are yet to achieve significant success.