Barabri Party Pakistan founded by the singer turned politician Jawad Ahmed is a new entrant in Pakistan’s political arena. This new-born party also participated in General Elections 2018 and managed to gain a few hundred votes. Despite, not winning even a single seat the party chairman and the founding members didn’t lose heart and started preparing for local body elections to mobilize the public for the cause of an equal and egalitarian society.
HoursTv interviewed Imtiaz-ul-Haq, who is Vice Chairman Barabri Party of Pakistan to know his thoughts on new PTI government, challenges the country is facing and how this party aims to solve the problems of a common man.
Interview with Imtiaz ul Haq of Barabri Party Pakistan
Imtiaz ul Haq was a journalist who worked with leading newspapers of Pakistan during General Zia ul Haq’s era. He also served as a correspondent of a national level newspaper in central Asia. He later fled to the Soviet Union where he specialized in media studies and also worked in Moscow radio. After returning to Pakistan he started working with some social organizations and joined Barabri Party Pakistan.
The Ideology of Party
In response to a question which asked whether the party was following a socialist Marxist ideology or its agenda was just to bring an egalitarian society, Imtiaz ul Haq said,
“Our party is an ideological one. This is not like the parties which have feudals, capitalists, and members of the sugar Mafia and land Mafia which are looting the public are not in this party.”
“99% of people of Pakistan are under the rule of 1% feudals and aristocrats. They don’t enjoy a quality of life which is there moral, political and legal right”.
“Section 38-G of Pakistan’s Constitution promises free education, free health, and free shelter and emphasizes on state’s role in providing them basic rights. But, the role of aristocracy is keeping the state from providing these facilities to the citizens. And, Barabri Party Pakistan’s agenda is to offer those rights to the people of Pakistan which are guaranteed by the constitution”.
Land Belongs to God
Vice Chairman of Barabri Party Pakistan opined that Land belongs to God and people. Those who do hard work to grow crops on it have a prior right. He said, “While in power, the party plans to reward the farmers and miners on priority and distribute surplus among the people”. He talked about managing things rather than exploiting them for commercial gain.
Barabri Party Pakistan on Establishment
It is a perception that establishment is one of the major challenges that democratic governments in Pakistan face and that bars Prime Ministers from delivering. Responding a question, Imtiaz Ul Haq said, “Establishment includes all those feudals and capitalists, who were part of other parties that governed the country like PML-N and PPP.”
On Establishment’s Inclination towards Russia and China
Mr. Imtiaz ul Haq opined that current establishment is Pro-Russia, Pro-China, and Pro-Asia, which is a good omen. He referred to how being an American ally cost Pakistan thousands of precious lives of civilians and military. And, how we fought against the Soviet Union while being an American ally but we are benefiting from Russia.
He said, “Establishment must realize the geographical importance of Pakistan, the importance of its deep-sea ports and work to establish a relationship with its neighbors like Afghanistan and Iran. He said,
“I strongly believe that Pakistan holds the Key of peace in Afghanistan”.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g844yOeFjwo]
Freedom from American Pressure
While talking about Pakistan’s troubled relationship with the US, Vice Chairman Barabri Party said,
“Pakistan is the last country in the region which is out of control of America, and this is good for the prosperity of the country.”
He further said, “Establishment’s being Pro-China and Pro-Russia will free the country from American pressure.”
Responding to a question on whether CPEC will Make Pakistan a China’s colony Imtiaz ul Haq remarked,
“If we don’t want our country to become a colony then we will have to learn to stand on our feet”.
He further opined that Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan talks about following China for developing the country but he forgets that that country started progressing by initially curbing feudals and capitalists.
On Dealing with Imran Khan’s Populism
In response to a question on how Barabri Party Pakistan plans to break Imran Khan’s populism which could be a major challenge for the party to achieve its goals,
Imtiaz ul Haq said, “Imran Khan is spending millions of rupees on social media. He has hired thousands of people who without showing a connection with PTI support him. They are not only campaigning for him but spreading the information which is of no use to the public except Imran Khan.”
He shared his opinion that such kind of social media campaign is betraying people from real issues of health and education.
An Early Demise of PTI
Imtiaz ul Haq feared that ruling party’s demise may take even less than five years. He said,
“It took 50 years for PPP to fall, and 30 years for PML-N to fall but PTI may not sustain itself even for 5 years”.
“Imran Khan had no ideology and he only wanted to become Prime Minister. He is the puppet of Sugar Mafia, the richest and the ATM machines.”
Strategy to Provide An Unemployment Allowance of PKR 50,000
Barabri Party Pakistan claims that once in power it will provide an unemployment allowance of 50,000 to the people.
Party’s Vice Chairman says “It is possible to give an unemployment allowance of even PKR 100,000. We will snatch wealth from feudals and capitalists and redistribute it among the public.”
No Place for Elite Class
In response to a question on whether Barabri Party Pakistan which talks about equality will allow everyone equal representation and whether the elite class will be part of it or not, Imtiaz ul Haq replied:
“There is no place of elite class in Barabri Party Pakistan. If they want to join the party then they must show allegiance to its ideology”.
He said, “This is the party of the middle class.”
“The standard of life for the country’s middle class is falling every day. They can’t even build their homes and the condition of the lower class is even worse than this. Therefore when we talk about middle class, then we talk about poor and unprivileged people hence there is no way for the rich to come.”
He further elaborated that every party in Pakistan whether PTI, PML-N, and PPP have been dominated by the elite. And, there are the people who were with Musharraf Zia ul Haq and even Ayub and they were the same who ruled Pakistan in its early days.
He said, “We want representatives of 99% people of Pakistan to reach parliament and not those of 1%.”
Local Body Elections
Imtiaz ul Haq also stressed upon the need for people to take part in local body elections. He elaborated that these elections allow people a greater power of decision making and help devolve power to the grass root level.
He said, “If the public is not included in the decision-making process then there is a danger that confusion, uncertainty, and vagueness will prevail among them.”
On Spreading the Message of Barabri Party Pakistan
Vice Chairman Barabri Party Pakistan told that Jawad Ahmed who as a singer and through his social activism is popular in the world will play a major role in spreading the message and ideology.
He feared that media may not give their ideology enough coverage in a bid to avoid any feud with Imran Khan.
He said the party wants to become more inclusive through local body elections and urges people to participate so that they can become an integral part of the decision-making process and don’t feel left out. It is planning to organize itself at the Union Council and ward level.
Message to People
Mr. Imtiaz ul Haq opined that local body elections allow 500,000 people to become councilors. And, as a whole the mobilize 1500,000 people. In this way, they prove to be a great resource of spreading awareness to the masses at lower levels.
He told that party plans to give tickets to youth, the ordinary people and those who represent the working class. Therefore, it urges the underprivileged people to actively participate in local body elections and utilize the party’s platform to get themselves elected so that to solve the problems of their people.
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