On March 29, 2008 after securing unanimous vote of confidence in National Assembly, the twenty-sixth Prime Minster of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani announced the program for the first 100 days of his administration. After a month of the declaration of the 100 days package, the entire nation is looking towards the newly elected government. It is the first litmus test of the popularly elected coalition government how it fulfills the hopes and wishes of the masses. Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani started his public life as Prime Minister of Pakistan by paying tribute to his leader and the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, who founded the PPP on November 30, 1967 in Lahore. Pakistan people’s Party was established on the basis of BHUTTO DOCTRINE that was;
(1) Islam is our Faith
(2) Democracy is our Policy
(3) Socialism is our Economy
(4) All powers to the People.
Here we will take a bird’s eye view of the Bhutto Doctrine for the interpretation of the its above given principles.
The first and foremost principle is that Islam is our Faith. It means that people of the sub-continent got a separate homeland in the name of Islam. That is why this newly born state was named as Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This principle indicates that the whole system of government will work on the basis of Islamic teachings. As Islam is a complete code of life and provides proper and comprehensive guideline in each and every walk of life. So it is not right to say that the real spirit of Islam was invigorated in the Zia’s era through his policy of Islamization. It is pertinent to note that Pakistan People’s Party was established on the basis of Islamic belief.
The second belief is ‘Democracy is our Policy’. Democracy is a system in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives and send them to the parliament for the purpose of law making. In the democratic system, institutions are stronger than individuals. Elections are held in time for the best interest of the people. There is freedom of speech and expression. People enjoy the right to criticize the governmental policies without any hesitation. Public opinion plays pivotal role in democracy. Pakistan People’s Party is the only political party in the history of Pakistan which has paid a lot for the sake of democracy. It has sacrificed its two chairpersons, the founding father of PPP, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, in the struggle for the democracy. The martyrdom of the leaders and the workers of the PPP have brought the change on the political horizon of Pakistan.
Third principle is ‘Socialism is our Economy’. The term socialism is used to refer to a set of political and economic theores based on the belief that everyone has an equal right to share of a country’s wealth and that the government should own and control the main industries. To create the economc equallbrium in the country, socialism was reffered as a penacea of economic inequalities. The concentration of wealth in the hands of twenty two families in the reign of military dictator Ayub Khan pushed the economy of the state in the quagmire. Rich became richer and poor became poorer. To abridge the gap between ‘haves’ and ‘haves not’ this economc policy was propogated.
Fourth principle is ‘All powers to the People’. In Islamic Republic of Pakistan, sovereignity belongs to Allah Almighty and all powers are delegated to the human beings. It is said that “voice of the people is the voice of the God”. People have the power to elect any government and they have the power to dethrone any governmnet. Population is an essential ingredient of a state. That is why people are the hub of the all activities of a state.
If we look at the prism of history of Pakistan while keeping in view this four principled Bhutto Doctrine, we can see that Pakistan People’s Party’s governments could not follow the same due to the premature expiry of the tenure for one reason or the other. Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was popularly elected twice by the people as a premier of Pakistan in 1988 and 1993 respectively. Unfortunately for the both times, the then presidents used the undemocratic powers vested in them by the eighth (8th) amendment made by the military dictator Zia ul Haq. The power to dissolve the National Assembly was given to the president in the Article 58(2)b of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Now being the parliamentary heir of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, it is the responsibility of Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani to follow the Bhutto Doctrine to solve the problems faced by the country at this point of time. This doctrine has solution of all the ills of the society. The country can be developed and prosperous, if the newly elected government follows the teachings of Islam to resolve the different problems as ‘Islam is our Faith’. By following the second principle, ‘Democracy is our Policy’ this government should respect the mandate that is given to them by the people of the Pakistan. It should act in the way that no military dictator can even think to topple down the democratic government. The day Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani took oath of the office of Premiership of Pakistan, economy of Pakistan was facing the worst phase of its history. This government should assure the equal distribution of wealth to make the people of Pakistan prosperous by adopting the code of ‘Socialism is our Economy’. Population is the backbone of a country, so all powers should be vested in them. It is the true spirit of democracy for that PPP’s chairpersons sacrifised their lives. So, government should empower the people of Pakistan who are the real asset and future of the country. Government can achieve its goals and aims of 100 days package, if it works on the princples of Bhutto Doctrine. Because it is comprehensive and very useful doctrine for all times.
(1) Islam is our Faith
(2) Democracy is our Policy
(3) Socialism is our Economy
(4) All powers to the People.
Here we will take a bird’s eye view of the Bhutto Doctrine for the interpretation of the its above given principles.
The first and foremost principle is that Islam is our Faith. It means that people of the sub-continent got a separate homeland in the name of Islam. That is why this newly born state was named as Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This principle indicates that the whole system of government will work on the basis of Islamic teachings. As Islam is a complete code of life and provides proper and comprehensive guideline in each and every walk of life. So it is not right to say that the real spirit of Islam was invigorated in the Zia’s era through his policy of Islamization. It is pertinent to note that Pakistan People’s Party was established on the basis of Islamic belief.
The second belief is ‘Democracy is our Policy’. Democracy is a system in which all the people of a country can vote to elect their representatives and send them to the parliament for the purpose of law making. In the democratic system, institutions are stronger than individuals. Elections are held in time for the best interest of the people. There is freedom of speech and expression. People enjoy the right to criticize the governmental policies without any hesitation. Public opinion plays pivotal role in democracy. Pakistan People’s Party is the only political party in the history of Pakistan which has paid a lot for the sake of democracy. It has sacrificed its two chairpersons, the founding father of PPP, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and his daughter Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, in the struggle for the democracy. The martyrdom of the leaders and the workers of the PPP have brought the change on the political horizon of Pakistan.
Third principle is ‘Socialism is our Economy’. The term socialism is used to refer to a set of political and economic theores based on the belief that everyone has an equal right to share of a country’s wealth and that the government should own and control the main industries. To create the economc equallbrium in the country, socialism was reffered as a penacea of economic inequalities. The concentration of wealth in the hands of twenty two families in the reign of military dictator Ayub Khan pushed the economy of the state in the quagmire. Rich became richer and poor became poorer. To abridge the gap between ‘haves’ and ‘haves not’ this economc policy was propogated.
Fourth principle is ‘All powers to the People’. In Islamic Republic of Pakistan, sovereignity belongs to Allah Almighty and all powers are delegated to the human beings. It is said that “voice of the people is the voice of the God”. People have the power to elect any government and they have the power to dethrone any governmnet. Population is an essential ingredient of a state. That is why people are the hub of the all activities of a state.
If we look at the prism of history of Pakistan while keeping in view this four principled Bhutto Doctrine, we can see that Pakistan People’s Party’s governments could not follow the same due to the premature expiry of the tenure for one reason or the other. Shaheed Benazir Bhutto was popularly elected twice by the people as a premier of Pakistan in 1988 and 1993 respectively. Unfortunately for the both times, the then presidents used the undemocratic powers vested in them by the eighth (8th) amendment made by the military dictator Zia ul Haq. The power to dissolve the National Assembly was given to the president in the Article 58(2)b of the Constitution of Pakistan.
Now being the parliamentary heir of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and Benazir Bhutto, it is the responsibility of Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani to follow the Bhutto Doctrine to solve the problems faced by the country at this point of time. This doctrine has solution of all the ills of the society. The country can be developed and prosperous, if the newly elected government follows the teachings of Islam to resolve the different problems as ‘Islam is our Faith’. By following the second principle, ‘Democracy is our Policy’ this government should respect the mandate that is given to them by the people of the Pakistan. It should act in the way that no military dictator can even think to topple down the democratic government. The day Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani took oath of the office of Premiership of Pakistan, economy of Pakistan was facing the worst phase of its history. This government should assure the equal distribution of wealth to make the people of Pakistan prosperous by adopting the code of ‘Socialism is our Economy’. Population is the backbone of a country, so all powers should be vested in them. It is the true spirit of democracy for that PPP’s chairpersons sacrifised their lives. So, government should empower the people of Pakistan who are the real asset and future of the country. Government can achieve its goals and aims of 100 days package, if it works on the princples of Bhutto Doctrine. Because it is comprehensive and very useful doctrine for all times.
