The Vision for Green Revolution in Pakistan

(Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri’s Revolutionary Address to the Concurrent Protests in Sixty Cities in Pakistan on May 11, 2014)

 

TRANSLATED BY
Shaykh Abdul Aziz Dabbagh, Javed Iqbal Tahiri

Cover Design
Faraz Alam

Photography
Amir Yusuf Chaudhry

First published July 2014

Contents

Introduction

1. Preface

2. Does the Revolution Movement Pose any Threat to Democracy?

3. Why is Change not Possible through the Parliament?

1. The Incumbent Parliament is Unconstitutional
2. Violation of Articles 62, 63
3. Failure in Eliminating Exploitation
4. Failure in Providing Security to the Citizens
5. Failure in Eliminating Child Labour
6. Failure in Providing Free Education
7. Failure in Promoting Social Equality and Eliminating Backwardness
8. Failure in Providing Instant & Affordable Justice
9. Failure in Special Measures for Women and Children
10. Failure in Enhancing Life Standard of People
11. Defaming Assaults against the Defence Institutions

4. The New System

1. Changing the Governmental and Administrative Structure into ‘Participatory Democracy’
2. Reconstruction of Judicial Structure for Inexpensive and Speedy Justice
3. What will People Benefit from Revolution? The Ten-Point Revolutionary Agenda
4. Mustering Resources for Carrying out Revolutionary Measures

5. How will Revolution Transpire?

1. Conclusion

Introduction

This is binding on the patriotic and revolutionary political parties concerned for the people’s pains and sufferings to keep them posted about the rulers’ strategies, interests and pursuits; and further to lead and organise the masses in order to liberate them from mafias, bigots, corrupt and anti-state elements. The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) is not a conventional political party, only doing electoral politics, but a people-friendly revolutionary party that has carried out an awareness explosion among the masses, giving them a political vision to snatch their rights from the oppressive rulers, and has squarely challenged the corrupt rulers to send their exploitive and authoritarian system and mafias packing. The electrifying PAT call took the oppressed millions to streets who vowed to fight for and win their constitutional and democratic rights. This colossal awareness of the oppressed masses resulting in an unstoppable movement of human rights is in itself a brilliant victory of PAT against the anti-people electoral rulers who have taken the legislative assemblies as hostage.

On May 11, 2014, PAT held countrywide protests in over sixty cities against the bigoted and corrupt anti-people system, marking the first anniversary of the rigged-electoral incumbent democracy. Following the call, people came out in droves that thronged into millions of the persecuted Pakistanis. Unique in nature, these protests were a revolutionary showdown, massively attended by people who affirmed their pledge to their leader in absentia. The Leader of the Revolution, Shaykh-ul-Islam Dr Muhammad Tahir-ul-Qadri, addressed the participants of these protests and the people of Pakistan via video link, also telecast live on many TV channels. In his address, he delineated the policy for the proposed administrative structure of government, the instruments of good governance and the methodology to provide speedy and affordable justice to the masses. Most importantly, he presented his ten point revolutionary agenda before the nation, aimed at prosperity and welfare of the oppressed and deprived masses. He also invited them to come out and join the struggle for a positive and peaceful change and green revolution in the country. Generously hailing the lecture, the intellectuals, thinkers, academia and political analysts saw this revolutionary agenda as a perfect and only solution to the issues facing the country and the masses.

A milestone in the country’s history of political thought, the lecture has been published to make it reach out to general public in addition to the intelligentsia. We can see it will whet the enthusiasm, translating the revolutionary passion into reality.

Muhammad Farooq Rana
Deputy Director (Research)
July 2014

1. Preface

I congratulate the whole nation that, by the grace of God, responding to the call of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), the members of PAT alongside general public longing for revolution have turned out in their millions concurrently in sixty cities bolstering the protests. On the occasion of this historic 11 May protest against the corrupt and exploitive system, I give the good news to my fellow citizens, elders, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, lawyers, traders, labourers, farmers, students and all the downtrodden victims of the authoritarian rule for last 65 years that the days of waiting for the Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan are over. This is the time to rise and free the homeland afresh from the fetters of terrorist, extortionist and corrupt mafias. Come forward, join the revolution, and rebuild Pakistan into a real and people’s democracy.

11 May 2014 is the day of iqama in this peaceful democratic revolutionary journey. On this day, I wanted to see the state of readiness and strength of my people to take to the streets. Your zeal, enthusiasm, resolve and firmness to strive for the rights guarantee the victory. You will now wait for the final call, and the movement of popular, democratic and peaceful revolution will enter into its final phase. The governance of the country will be taken away from the corrupt rulers and will be transferred to the masses; the system of exploitation, extortion, corruption, bigotry and oppression will come to an end and injustice, lawlessness, hunger and destitution will be sent packing.

There is no deficiency of human resources or dearth of material resources in Pakistan. However, because of a few families having usurped these resources, they do not reach the millions of poor people. That has caused the millions in majority face hunger, starvation and diseases; there is no food, drinking water, medicines and treatment, causing the mortality rate alarmingly increasing and rocketing the crime rate shockingly high. The mothers are deprived of babies and vice versa. Society is afflicted with immorality, callousness and extremism and the rulers are only disinterested in peace and security and observance of human rights.

On this occasion, I would like to address the accusation that people will not come out on our call; others say that those who come out are students of schools and madrassas. I challenge them to impartially observe these protests in sixty different cities of the country. What you can see is not children from schools and madrassas but the oppressed and wronged general public; they are people from the middle class, lower middle class and have-nots. There are also people from traders and farmers’ alliances, lawyers, teachers, scholars, the members of the civil society, labourers, office workers and university students.

If those in government believe that they are the true democratic representatives of people and street power is on their side, then what are they worried about? Why have they closed down bus stations throughout the country? Why have they revoked the licences of transport companies? Why have they forced fuel filling stations to close? If the masses are with them, then why was all public transport shut down 36 hours earlier? It was the requirement of democracy to leave the ground open and allow the masses to decide for themselves. Then they could see whether or not tens of millions of people take to the streets on my call. They could give choice to the people to reject my call, because I am giving it from Canada. But people have no concern with the fact that I am in Canada; they always come out on my call. It clearly means that the masses want revolution. When I will give the final call for revolution, then I will be among the masses; it only takes me 13 hours to get to Pakistan. I will personally lead the revolution of the masses and will remain among people to demolish the brutal system of governance based on oppression, subjugation, corruption and state terrorism. This cowardly step by the government is the first victory of the masses on this journey to revolution, and the rulers have accepted their defeat by exposing their embarrassment and frustration. People have braced up for any eventuality and have the firm resolve to take the revolution to its logical conclusion.

2. Does the Revolution Movement Pose any Threat to Democracy?

On this occasion, I would like to reply to the allegation levelled by the status quo and anti- revolution powers that we are derailing democracy. Our point of view is absolutely clear and categorical that democracy does not at all exist in this country. By bringing about revolution, we are not putting an end to any system there, as nothing like a system exists in the country. We are rather fighting against the absence of a system in the country.

• Democracy is the system premised on good governance, transparency and self-accountability in the institutions.
• Democracy signifies the eradication of corruption through political, administrative, legal and institutional measures.
• Democracy is what eliminates corruption through legal process, and those guilty of corruption are taken to task accordingly.
• Democracy is what protects the sanctity of people’s vote and safeguards their mandate.
• Democracy is what ensures a free, fair and impartial electoral process.
• Democracy is what provides equal representation to all sections of society.
• Democracy is what strengthens institutions through legislation and an automatic system of accountability and provision of justice to everybody.
• Democracy is what obliterates inequality and alleviates poverty from middle, lower middle and destitute classes of society comprising millions of people.
• Democracy and a democratic system is what provides food, shelter, healthcare and justice to the poor.

A dastardly set-up based on unscrupulous underhand deals between major corruption-fed tycoons, ruthless landlords and plunderers claiming to be democratic leaders who call mere electioneering as politics and transfer of power and authority from one to another is not democracy.

This is no democracy to tantalize millions of starving have-nots who are homeless, skimpily dressed, obligated to cast their children into child labour instead of sending them to schools; jobless and unemployed, they trade or prostitute women, or slip into the hands of criminal gangs or terrorist bands. Out of a life worse than animals, they grow into heartless beasts who tear off peace and security of the innocent citizens. Democracy cannot take root in such a society. For true democracy, we have to change the culture along with the system.

3. Why is Change not Possible through the Parliament?

Now I would like to address the question why this revolutionary movement was launched. Why can we not bring about change through parliament? Why do we fail in processing change through the parliamentary, democratic and electoral systems in vogue?

Given the targets of revolutionary movement to restore and establish true democracy, knowing of its stimulant factors merits scrutiny.

3.1 The Incumbent Parliament is Unconstitutional

Change through the current parliament and system is least possible as it was formulated in violation of article 213 section 2(a) and article 218 of the constitution. Article 218 section 3 stipulates that it is the duty of the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to ensure that the whole of the electoral process is absolutely free, fair and just according to the law, and guarantees the elimination of all sorts of corruption.

Therefore, we cannot expect any good from this parliament, which is the product of blatant rigging and which has taken as its legislators the tax evaders, credential-thieves, extortionists, the representatives of dynastic politics, the mill owners, the loan defaulters, the traders and tycoons running business empires around the world. The present government along with the corruption-born parliament is unconstitutional and hence illegitimate. According to the spirit of the constitution of Pakistan, it is now mandatory to divest the poor masses of this corrupt and anti-people government.

3.2 Violation of Articles 62, 63

The articles 62 and 63 categorically state that any loan defaulter or tax evader cannot become a member of parliament, whereas half of the parliament consists of loan defaulters and tax evaders. Consequently, the corrupt have become rulers. Putting in place the incumbent parliament through infringement of the articles of the constitution relating to electoral business does not have any legitimacy; so it has been formulated in sheer rebellion against the constitution of Pakistan. Thus, a parliament that is brought about by violating the constitution can never be called a ‘parliament’, nor can it be termed as ‘democracy’.

3.3 Failure in Eliminating Exploitation

The article 3 of the constitution decrees that it is the duty of the state to eliminate all kinds of exploitation so that everyone can gain employment according to their competence, capability and education and that everyone is paid a salary commensurate with their quality and quantity of output.

Here we also need to ensure whether the conditions stipulated in articles 3 and 4, making the state responsible for such-and-such, are being implemented. Everyone will reply a loud and clear ‘NO’.

3.4 Failure in Providing Security to the Citizens

Article 9 of the constitution prescribes that it is the duty of the state to provide protection of life for everyone.

On April 16, 2014 a ferry sank in South Korea claiming the lives of 300 people. On this, the Prime Minister resigned. This is what a system and democracy is. In our case, as many as 50,000 people have been indiscriminately massacred since the surge of terrorism has seized the country; but has any of the rulers regretted the government’s flop in meeting the constitutional demand, leave alone to resign? When the state cannot provide security to life and property, such a government loses legitimacy and has no right to stay in power.

3.5 Failure in Eliminating Child Labour

Article 11 clause 3 of the constitution disallows children aging 14 years or less to work in a factory. Contrarily, the plight in Pakistan has shamelessly refuted the constitution. According to the UN reports about the period between July 2012 and January 2014, 10 million children had to labour perforce to earn bread instead of being in schools. This expressly reflects total negligence rather indifference to raising an educated next generation. They are criminally disinterested in the future of the nation. Have these so-called democratic rulers, claiming people’s mandate for five years rule, formulated any policy to address this awful state of future generations? For them democracy only means voting them into assembly for five years. Their democracy knows no law, constitution or human rights. They can prove it a false allegation if they have taken any measures to impart education to these ten million children keeping them from child labour and bringing them up as educated citizens. But the truth is that they need uneducated masses to vote them without knowing the significance of the electoral exercise. This is sheer violation of article 11 of the constitution.

3.6 Failure in Providing Free Education

Article 25a states that it is the duty of the state to provide free education to children aging 5 to 16. Then article 37(b) states that compulsory education be provided for free.

The deplorable fact is that, according to the UN report, of the top ten least educated nations, Pakistan stands second, whereas countries like Ethiopia and Kenya claim a better position than that of Pakistan.

These articles pertaining to people’s rights are mandatory and it is binding on the state to implement them. A government that does not implement these articles cannot be considered constitutional and legitimate; nor does it enjoy any right to stay in power.

3.7 Failure in Promoting Social Equality and Eliminating Backwardness

Article 37 states that it is the duty of the state to take special care to ensure that backward areas see progress in their education and enhancement in economic status.

This is simply regrettable that, even after 65 years, the backward areas are as they were, nor has it been included in anyone’s priorities to put an end to their distress and the shameful backwardness.

3.8 Failure in Providing Instant and Affordable Justice

Article 37(d) states that inexpensive and expeditious justice should be provided to the people of Pakistan. Contrary to this constitutional provision, people cannot even imagine of realizing their rights through legal process without having to pay heavy fees of hundreds of thousands of rupees, nor do they have access to the law in order to gain justice against open and proved injustice and oppression. Delay in meting out justice is the foremost reason for increase in crimes. In the first year of this government, only in Punjab, 2,576 rape cases were registered. This means that in Punjab, a woman is raped every three hours. Many people are killed every few hours. There are targeted killings, terrorism and bombs blasts in the country while the rulers are only engaged in loot and plunder.

3.9 Failure in Special Measures for Women and Children

Article 37(e) of the constitution states that such circumstances should be created so that women and children are not made to work in the professions that are inappropriate and detrimental to their age and gender.

These articles were included in the constitution in 1973. Forty two years have passed. Both the PML-N and the PPP have ruled the country three times each during this period, but these articles of the constitution that make it mandatory upon the state to provide employment to people and free education to children, and prevent children from being forced to work have always been violated and desecrated. Do such people have the right to stay in power and refer to this fraud as a ‘system’?

3.10 Failure in Enhancing Standard of Living

The constitution of Pakistan states that the quality of life for people should be improved and ordains that equal distribution of resources should be ensured to achieve this objective. However, the state of affairs is alarmingly shocking. The reality on ground is that mothers are committing suicide along with their children; household expenditure is being managed through prostitution; kidneys and other organs of body are being sold to make both ends meet; and people with meagre resources and on low incomes are forced to earn their living through illegal ways and forbidden means.

• Article 38(a) states that the accumulation of wealth and resources must stop and they must be distributed among the masses in a just manner.

You can see lofty mansions and palaces where the rulers reside and enjoy luxuries, and in the adjacent localities are the huts where the actual deprived and destitute Pakistanis live in distress and turmoil. On one side, you can witness the standard of living of the rich and privileged. They include landlords, industrialists, traders, masters of exploitation, extortion and corruption, the blood-sucking tycoons and pharaohs of modern times. On the other side, you can observe the standard of the ill-fated masses subjected to misery, suffering, poverty, deprivation and misfortune, in the stretches of Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan and KPK. Both the standards are polls apart.

• Then article 38(d) states that it is the responsibility of the state to provide five necessities of life to the people. The citizens who do not have the means to acquire these must be provided with food, clothing, housing, education and healthcare.

Has every individual been provided with employment? Is everyone provided with education? Does everyone respectably receive healthcare? Does everyone receive justice? Has everybody been provided with a house? The only answer to these questions is a shocking “NO”.

Survey the five-year rule of the last government and one year performance of the incumbent government. It will become vividly clear that the sole concern of the rulers has been to build up their business empires around the world. The unfortunate 200 million people of Pakistan do not fit anywhere in their agenda except for voting them into power through rigging.

• Then article 38(e) states that the imbalance and distance between the standards and quality of the lives of the people created due to unjust distribution of wealth and resources must be removed.

Worthy people of Pakistan! We are waging a constitutional war against this system. From Articles 9 to 40 of the constitution are 32 articles that bestow rights on the 200 million citizens of Pakistan. Our protest is to register the bitter fact that none of these 32 articles has been implemented. Our protest is to make it clear that democracy, resources, governance, power and prosperity have been limited only to a small number of families and have not been taken down to the District, Tehsil, union council and village levels. Prosperity has not touched the homes of the people. Our protest is that practically the constitution has been suspended and principles enshrined in it have been trashed. The incumbent government and its anti-people system of governance is open and proved violation of the constitution. The political parties sitting in the government and their activists who still consider this parliament a parliament and take it as constitutional and democratic are now required to accept the reality after learning about the violations of the constitution they have perpetrated without compunction.

Today, hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets to protest, with tens of millions watching at homes. I ask the whole nation to ponder in the presence of Almighty Allah whether the government has taken any positive step in the right direction. Has the disparity of standard of living and resources among various classes of society been addressed in the last 42 or 65 years? These rulers will never do that because politics is their trade and governance a means of income. These rulers will only nourish their children and families at the cost of the generations of the poor. Therefore, the masses must rise against this anti-people system of electoral practice to vote the corrupt brutes to power. The constitution of Pakistan has made it binding on you to rise and send this unjust and bigoted set-up of wealth-mongers packing.

3.11 Defaming Assaults against the Defence Institutions

The Pakistan Army, the guarantors of the security of the constitution, state and territory of Pakistan, together with the ISI who surveillance the internal and external enemies, have also been subjected to disrepute and defamation. The Pak Army is being duped by the duplicitous action against PEMRA. If they dare the defence forces, where do the weak institutions stand? They in fact intend to malign, demoralise and weaken the defence of Pakistan, which is the agenda of our international foes. Considering them the last obstacle that can make them tumble on their way to plunder, they have attempted to humble the real source of the security of the people and their beloved homeland.

However, the people of Pakistan will not let it happen because all these steps are contrary to the constitution of Pakistan, democracy and the law of the land. The people of Pakistan will secure the supremacy of the constitution and will enforce it (God willing).

The first part of our discourse on ‘why this revolution movement’ concludes here. At this stage, our movement does not aim at holding elections; its objective is to purify the electoral system of its defects and make it transparent. We will certainly conduct elections but only after reforming the system and establishing the democratic values.

4. The New System

What kind of system will it be after the green revolution transpires? What system shall we provide to the people of Pakistan and what will they gain from this new system? That is the question now to address. Here I present the salient features of the new system and its plan in brief.

4.1 Changing the Governmental and Administrative Structure into ‘Participatory Democracy’

After the revolution, the current governmental and administrative structure will be changed into new governmental and administrative system, which will be compatible with international standards—the system and democratic structure that exists in Turkey and many other developed countries like South Korea, Japan, China and the United States. The ruling class runs towards these countries for their trade and dividends but does not acquire the system from them. We shall not adopt the whole system in practice in any of these countries; we shall only benefit their experiments in participatory democracy and develop the one that meets our needs and helps building a modern governmental and administrative system in Pakistan. We know we are a hundred years afar. Therefore, we are to shape the Pakistani model according to our circumstances. Here I draw an outline of this model.

• The head of the federal government will be the leader of the nation

The central leader of the federal government will not be the leader of the house but the leader of the nation and will be directly elected by the people. This will put an end to political bargain, horse trading and manoeuvres to purchase turncoats.

• Making a million people share power by delegating authority to grass-roots level

Article 140(a) prescribes to put in place the system of local governments, devolving power to grass-roots level. To make clear the concept of democracy and devising a system, I present here a few examples.

• Turkey: Currently, our population is 200 million while Turkey is 76 million, over a third of our size. Turkey has decentralised all of its system and the governmental and administrative structure transferring all the services to the local governments. This has established their whole system upon true democratic principles. The Muslim country of Turkey with a population of 76 million has 81 provinces. Why are we running with only four provinces? They have developed 957 district governments, 3,216 municipal governments, and have set up 34,395 rural governments underneath. Under this, a Village Cooperation Neighbourhood System has also been raised at the grass-roots level. In this way, by devolving all authority to the lower levels, popular participatory governance has been practically implemented. Financial powers, resources for the prosperity of people, law-making and development authority have all been devolved to the lower levels.
   
• South Korea: In South Korea, under the Special Act for Balanced National Development, 157 governmental ministries, departments and official institutions are being devolved to local governments. This process of devolving power and authority under the National Territorial Development Plans is a phased process from 2007 to 2031, under which all authority will be devolved from central government to local governments.
   
• China: In the same way, in China the governmental structure has been set up at different levels. There are 333 provinces in China, 2,862 district governments under which there are 41,636 township governments, i.e., union councils. Beneath this, there are 704,386 Village Level Regions, which only share authority over resources and developmental matters.
   
• Japan: A modern system also exists in Japan. With 127 million population, Japan has formed 1,719 municipalities under which authority has been devolved to lower levels through city and town governments. This has made possible for Japanese people to participate in the system of governance.
   
• Indonesia, Malaysia and Iran are also practising the same system.
   
• US: America also has this kind of system. She has a population of 320 million with 50 states, 3,024 country governments, 16,405 township governments, 19,429 municipal governments and over 35,000 Special Purpose Governments. The entire governance and administration has been devolved to the lower levels, with only security and international matters left with the centre.

I have presented a model of modern system and true democracy. Why are we going in the opposite direction? Are we from a different planet? Why is there dictatorship in the form of electoral authoritarianism in Pakistan? Why is all power and authority centralised at centre and four provinces in the hands of prime minister, provincial chief ministers and their families. We reject this system on the same basis. Here the development funds are only operated by MNAs and MPAs who misappropriate and embezzle the public money. The corrupt politicians do everything possible to realize their political interests even if they have to make 18 to 20 amendments in the constitution. Every amendment targets gaining greater power and facilitating underhand deals with main political actors to ensure the continuation of their corruption. It is also an irrefutable bitter reality that not a single amendment has, so far, been introduced in the constitution for the betterment of the masses.

Under article 140(a) of the constitution, it is the responsibility of every province to set up a system of local government and devolve political, administrative and financial resources and authority to District, Tehsil and UC (union council) levels so as to make them run the system. To date, this has not been implemented. Is it not rebellion against the constitution? My question is: what is the current status of the constitution? Here all the steps that reduce the power of the rulers taking away authority and resources from them and make the masses strong devolving power to them are desisted and abstained from. On the other contrary, they do not hesitate amending the articles any number of times that enhance and buoy up their power and authority. Today, the people of Pakistan want to make clear through these nationwide protests that the clandestine deal between two parties and those religious parties that are always in government will not work anymore.

• Limited ministries at the centre

Power and authority shall be devolved from the centre to lower levels. The centre should only keep key ministries to deal with currency, defence, foreign policy, higher education, energy, in-land security and counter terrorism. All other ministries and departments will be transferred to the District and Tehsil levels.

• 35 provinces

Under the new system, every division of Pakistan will be awarded the status of a province. In this way, the number of provinces will be increased from four to thirty-five to ascertain that power, authority and resources are devolved down to the District and Tehsil levels and do not remain centralized in the hands of a few thugs. The budget of the governor of every province will be that of a provincial minister or the commissioner of a division. First of all Hazara province will be raised. Commissions were formulated, resolutions were passed in assemblies, and, above all, the people of the region embraced martyrdom for the new province, but the elected authoritarians and the state terrorists did not listen and care for their sacrifices and just mocked them away. In like manner, priority will also be accorded to new provinces in the lower Punjab regions.

• 150 District and 800 Tehsil level governments

To ensure maximum and productive participation of people in governance, 150 governments will be established at district level while 800 governments will be set up at Tehsil level in the whole of the country. The 800 Tehsil governments will consist of 400 city governments and 400 rural governments.

• Over 6,000 Union Council governments

Over 6,000 Union Council governments will also be raised to take the authority and power sharing to the grass-roots level.

• Setting up Village Councils

Village councils and ward administrations will be set up at the rural level.

This is how over 1 million people will be involved in governance. They will consist of both paid and unpaid personnel. The unpaid ones will comprise the volunteers. This is how the true democracy will emerge which we want to gift to 200 million Pakistanis through a peaceful green revolution.

We have completed our homework for the system that Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) wants to enter into force. The white papers are ready. As soon as power is transferred to the people, the new system will be announced and put in place. We will set up our political party government. It will rather be a government and administrative set-up, taking qualified and educated people from the entire nation. They will run the government. The participatory democracy will then take shape.

4.2 Reconstruction of Judicial Structure for Inexpensive and Speedy Justice

As the present system is centralised and resources are only confined to a few hands, it proves of least benefit for the people. It only exhausts one in the process. People are forced to go from civil courts even up to the Supreme Court spending a lifetime in the struggle but justice only proves a mirage that drifts afar until the seeker turns up his toes. People fail to get justice even after spending decades, selling all their moveable and immoveable properties and assets. Justice remains a dream and only leaves the plaintiffs and the defendants in the lurch.

When I was a lawyer in Jhang, an old man came to me with his suit. It was his grandfather who had brought the case to the court and reached the Supreme Court, but the Supreme Court referred the case back to the civil court. After spending thirty years, he was back to square one. In order to gain his rights, the old man had to sell all his land to pay for the costs. He had lost the whole of his wealth and his lifetime but could gain nothing.

Woe to the system, the so-called democracy and the beloved parliamentary structure that fails to provide the poor with speedy and affordable justice. According to an estimate, at present, as many as 1,60,000 cases remain pending in the courts of Pakistan. Who can the poor turn to? In civil cases, justice is so expensive that fees of hundreds of thousands of rupees at a time are paid, yet generations pass, and those who file the case die, with their grandchildren seeking justice, yet uncertain of the consequence.

In recent days, a case was heard in Lahore High Court. Barrister Javed Iqbal Jafri had filed a case in 1996 against 26 politicians who had laundered billions of dollars abroad, which they had mustered through corruption. Later, names of other politicians were also included. The case that was registered in 1996 was heard on May 9, 2014, which was postponed again until May 29, 2014. The case has not yet been settled after 18 years and it is not known how long further it may take. The poor plaintiffs do not get justice even in 25 years and the affluent cannot be held accountable for 25 years. Those who call it a system, democracy or the rule of law should pack up in shame.

• Federal Supreme Court in Islamabad

After the revolution, the central Supreme Court will only deal with the constitutional and state matters and will operate in the federal capital. The common man will not need to travel to Islamabad.

• Supreme Courts will be set up at provinces (current divisions)

Under the new judicial system, a seat of the Supreme Court will be transferred to every division. Every division will have become a province so it will be known as the Provincial Supreme Court. Thus, the journey to the Supreme Court will end at the divisional city.

• High courts will be at the District level

High courts will be transferred to the Districts and they will be known as the District High Courts.

• Session courts will be at the Tehsil level

Session courts, currently stationed in Districts, will be transferred to Tehsils.

• Union council courts will be set up

There will be union council courts set up below the session courts. All minor cases will be heard in the union council courts, and speedy justice will be provided at local level.

• Justice committees will be set up at village level

First of all Insaf (justice) Committees will be set up that will come under the union council courts. Insaf Committees will consist of the area’s respectable, honest, educated individuals of good character who have an understanding of the law and the Shariah. These committees will be given proper legal status so that the day-to-day minor cases and disputes can be resolved there. Bigger cases than these will go to union council courts.

• The poor will be provided with lawyer’s services at the government expense

The state will provide lawyers for the poor. These services will be provided free of charge. The poor will not have to pay any fees at all.

• The police will have to register FIR within 24 hours and forward the case to a court within three days

When a crime takes place, the police will be required to register the First Information Report (FIR) within 24 hours and forward the case to a court within 3 days. The victims will not have to keep visiting the police station to chase but will only report the crime to the police station even if it is only possible by telephone.

• Criminal cases will be decided within 1 to 3 months

Criminal cases will be decided in one month. The second month will be given for the first appeal and the third month for the second and final appeal. In this way, the criminal cases will conclude in three months from the day FIR will be registered to the final appeal.

• Civil cases will be concluded in 6 months

Civil cases will also take 6 months from their beginning to the final appeal. In this way, people will be provided with free and speedy justice. I have completed my homework on the new judicial system. It will be implemented as soon as governance is transferred to the people and new provinces are formed.

4.3 What will People Benefit from Revolution? The Ten-Point Revolutionary Agenda

Now the question arises as to what the people will get from the revolution and the new system. I am giving a 10-point revolutionary charter that has the following salient features.

1. Every homeless family will be given a house and middle class families will be given interest-free loans refundable in 25 years

Homeless families will be given free plots ranging from 3 to 5 Marlas. Interest-free loans will be provided for the construction of the houses, to be paid back in 20 to 25 years. The families unable to borrow and return loans will be presented with the keys of ready-made houses. According to official figures released by the Pakistan government, Canada’s CIDA, Japan’s JICA, Britain’s DFID and the USAID, there are 15 million registered homeless people in Pakistan. If these 15 million people are divided into families, the cost of providing them with 2 to 3 bedroom houses will amount to Rs 700 billion. Therefore, it is possible that the government pays the costs or provides interest-free loans on flexible terms and refundable within 20 to 25 years. Besides this, international donor agencies also provide loans for homeless people.

2. Every unemployed person will be provided with adequate employment or given unemployment allowance

It is common practice in Pakistan that rulers, politicians and the elite plunder billions of rupees under the cover of loans and then default claiming bankruptcy. Furthermore, they also manage to get 25 year stay from courts. This leaves quite a bad influence on our younger generation. Seeing a lot of foul happening without any unpleasant repercussions, they too feel encouraged to default on loans in the same way, saying what harms in acquiring money and backing out later. We do not want to take the people to this crooked path. We will provide employment to youngsters through job planning. No graduate or someone having technical education will remain unemployed.

3. The low-paid will be provided with daily necessities (flour, cooking oil, sugar, rice, milk, lentils, pulses, plain cloth) at half price.

4. For the lower middle class, all taxes added to the gas, water and electricity bills will be withdrawn. They will be provided with these utilities at half rates of the actual tariff.

5. State health insurance system will be developed through which the poor will get free medical treatment.

There will be a facility of state health insurance for the poor and a system for national health service will be set up by which they will receive free medical treatment, including all necessary medicines. In Pakistan, approximately 100 million people, almost half of the population, are deprived of adequate healthcare. In order to provide them with adequate healthcare, the government of Pakistan already receives billions of rupees in aid from international donors under the head of health sector. This is a heart-rending fact that this aid is not spent for the purpose and is embezzled and pillaged through corruption methods. The masses do not know these details. They should be aware that this money is donated for them. Unless these corrupt rulers are done away with, they will continue the loot and keep the poor deprived of this aid coming from international donors.

Pakistani doctors work all over the world against handsome packages and earn millions of dollars a month. They feel enthused with the noble ambition to finance to build basic health care units, rural health centres and small hospitals in Pakistan. However, the corrupt politicians and establishment are a demoralizing factor who impede them by their heinous anti-people designs and activities; they disallow them to risk spending their hard-earned wealth for a noble cause to please their Lord. The truth, however, is undeniable that they want and can set up a network of excellent hospitals all over the country.

6. Free and compulsory education and a uniform education system up to matric level

Education will be free and compulsory up to matric under an equitable and homogeneous system of education. Parents will not be allowed to keep their children from education. The violation of this policy will be liable to punitive action. Those desirous of higher education will be provided with opportunities and the admissions will be based on merit.

In Pakistan, 30 million people are deprived of adequate education. The Pakistani government receives aid worth 200 billion rupees annually from international organisations for higher education. The tragedy is that the foreign aid goes into the pockets of corrupt rulers, politicians and bureaucrats. This is, however, not amazing because if the food and warm blankets donated for flood victims are stolen and taken to the so-called rulers’ homes, how will they spare grants and aid for education from whatever source they reach them?

7. Free 5 to 10 acres of agricultural land for the poor growers

Out of 200 million acres of the total territorial expanse of Pakistan, 100 million acres are agricultural land half of which is privately owned. The remaining 50 million acres divided into 5 to 10 acre units will be distributed among the poor farmers, destitute tillers and lesser cultivators.

8. Women will be provided with respectable employment through home industries for economic stability. They will be given complete socio-economic security by doing away with discriminatory laws. All oppressive laws will be revoked.

Women will be provided with opportunities of employment and means of living through home industrial units so that they divest themselves of dependence and economic assistance and support. Their economic stability is a pre-requisite for their deliverance from coercive and discriminatory laws and customs. Women in our society are subjected to domestic violence, forced marriages and honour killings. They are also denied formal education in backward areas. To set them free from these fetters and perils, black laws that contain women freedom in society will be appropriately amended. This is applicable to both Muslim as well as non-Muslim communities. The post revolution set-up will set the things right by providing the womenfolk with economic independence.

9. Disparity between the pay structures of all senior and junior public and private sector employees will be minimized to the maximum possible extent and the pay scales will be revised afresh.

10. A revolutionary policy will be devised to eliminate sectarianism, terrorism and extremism from the country. Ten thousand peace-training centres will be established for training the people. The Syllabi of seminaries will be revised and amended to promote the cause of peace and intra-faith and inter-faith harmony. The whole society will be purified of extremism making it moderate so that peace, security, prosperity, progress and development can be guaranteed in this country.

Through these steps, conducive environment will be created in the country for investment. This will not only attract big or small traders to invest their capital in Pakistan instead of taking it abroad but will also invite foreign investors and Pakistanis living abroad to invest in Pakistan.

4.4 Mustering Resources for Carrying out Revolutionary Measures

How shall we resource the revolution? Here is a categorical reply. This country has unlimited resources. I shall only mention three aspects to this issue.

4.4.1 Retrieval of the looted wealth from abroad

In order to make this revolutionary manifesto practicable, corruption, first of all, has to be eliminated. To begin with, the looted wealth will be retrieved from Swiss banks. There are 13 banks in Switzerland where laundered money from other countries is deposited. Only two of these banks hold 100 billion dollars deposited by our rulers and political and religious leaders. After revolution, all of these leaders will be brought under controlled and through an agreement with the Swiss banks the looted wealth will be retrieved. An impartial body will be set up which will recover Pakistan’s looted money according to the agreement and international laws. In this way, we shall change the plight of the poor citizens of Pakistan.

The government has also adopted a deceitful approach towards this issue. Why does the government not state on the floor of the parliament the names of those who hold Swiss accounts? The names of the corrupt should be put on record but the finance minister will never do this, nor will he make public the relevant report.

4.4.2 Utilization of unlimited natural resources

There is no dearth of natural resources in Pakistan. Almighty Allah has blessed this land with such rich mineral reserves as morph Pakistan into a wealthy nation like Saudi Arabia and Iran. The tragedy is that the electoral thugs who claim to be the champions of democracy have, to date, not allowed these minerals to be excavated. They are busy refining methodology and linking up with foreign actors to gobble and gulp these resources worth billions of dollars and deprive the pitiable poor nation of this colossal gift of nature.

• In Baluchistan alone, the huge Reko Diq gold mine has one trillion dollars of gold equal to approximately one hundred trillion rupees. The sole Reko Diq is an excessively sufficient source to finance all the various projects the revolution has promised to accomplish to eliminate poverty, educate the younger generation and shelter the homeless masses. The programmes that I have presented for the welfare, uplift and prosperity of the poor and the agenda for structural reforms can all be paid for by Reko Diq alone, provided it is excavated honestly with a patriotic zeal and the commission and kickbacks are dispensed with. The contracts must be concluded with those companies that only take a lawful amount of profit and deliver the net tons of gold output to Pakistan.
   
• The Sandak is another gold mine that offers 50 billion dollars of unclean gold that even out approximately 05 trillion rupees.
• There are platinum mines on the way to Ziyarat from Quetta, which hold 01 trillion dollars of platinum.
• Similarly, uranium mines contain 2 trillion dollars of uranium.
• Further, the border area from Karachi to Jiwani, and the border area with Iran has oil reserves of two trillion dollars.

Sadly, in last 65 years, none of the rulers have given any serious thought to this huge treasure nature has offered us, nor have these thugs permitted any excavation. Yet they claim they are democratic leaders of the nation who come to power with the mandate to rule over the country for 5 years. Whosoever lays bare their ravage and plunder is blamed to be an anti-constitution element going to create anarchy in the country. So they ask for revolution.

• Gawadar can produce annual revenue worth 20 billion dollars.

Allah Most High has blessed Baluchistan with so much of natural resources that Pakistan can become as prosperous as Saudi Arabia and the UAE in about two decades. We shall advance in this direction in the very first year after revolution and transfer of power to the people of Pakistan as envisaged in the preceding pages. That is destined to change the living conditions of the poor.

The actual issue is that the rulers do not let it happen because their priority is the commission they are avaricious to settle with the foreign companies and are disinterested in and indifferent to making Pakistan a prosperous country and change the destiny of poor Pakistanis. They are so jealously hostile to the masses that they do not tolerate anyone else becoming moneyed and affluent.

The present rulers have held several meetings with foreign actors to sort out the issue but they ask for 10 billion dollars in advance, before signing the deal, in addition to their share, which they are hungry to fix separately. They are conducting negotiations with eight of the world’s largest gold mining companies. They have had meetings in Dubai, London, Jeddah and New York in this regard. If required, I can also state the dates of these meetings and the addresses of the offices where they held these parleys. They first ask for bribery and kickbacks and have cast the nation into the hell of terrors, tortures, arsons, massacres, extortion, kidnapping-for-ransom, robberies, plunder, suicides, prostitution, gang rapes, acid attacks, domestic violence, brutality, immorality and evils that beggar description. Only Almighty Allah knows if they have faith in the Hereafter and the Last Day accountability.

4.4.3 Elimination of corruption

The third means of providing resources for the implementation of the revolutionary agenda is the elimination of corruption. No one will dare perpetrate corruption of any form after the revolution and take-over of power by the people.

Corruption in Pakistan deprives its economy of 100 billion rupees a month, although the reports reflect 1500 billion rupees per annum. These are official figures. The former Chairman NAB and international agencies also concur. Bribery, kickbacks and commission are the types of corruption. Taking a 30% to 40% share of major deals too is corruption. Corruption is also in practice in the telephone department, electricity connections, changing/repairing transformers, correcting bills, tax, revenue and customs duty, etc. In short, not a single department or office is an exception to corruption, plunder and sleaze. The thugs are in power; they do not leave any chance to suck the blood of the poor.

If we succeed in controlling and reducing only 25% of this monstrous volume of corruption, exploitation, bribery and fraud, we can recover and save 25 billion rupees a month and spend the same to uplift the living of the poor. A 50 % prevention of corruption can save us 50 billion rupees a month. In this way, 600 billion rupees can be recovered annually from the day-to-day corruption, which will be spent to erase misery and distress of the poor and the destitute.

Nothing like transparency and accountability exists in our country. Corruption and proscribed earning and profiteering is the order of the day. In order to conceal their corruption and illicit activities, the two electoral bulls have struck a clandestine deal to appoint the Chairman National Accountability Bureau of their mutual choice or have even the ombudsman of their own liking.

4.4.4 Eliminating tax leakage and broadening the tax net

According to a Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) report, Pakistan suffers an annual loss of 2 trillion rupees through tax leakage. We shall gradually control this menace by taking the tax evaders to task.

According to the FBR, 3.8 million people do not pay tax and have to be dragged into the tax net. The tax net will, therefore, be broadened through consultation with traders and other people related to the process, so that people start paying their taxes voluntarily. This will add 5 trillion rupees annually to the national income and broaden the base of the available resources.

Alarmingly, the government itself is involved in tax evasion. The present government issued 80 Statutory Regulatory Orders (SROs) in the past eleven months for their political people, exempting them from paying tax. This has afflicted the treasury with a loss of 500 billion rupees in eleven months. I have all the details and reference numbers of these SROs to produce as evidence. The rulers have exempted their own sugar mills from taxes and excise duty, executing tax exemptions and deductions. This is the two-pronged attack against the national exchequer. They not only evade paying tax themselves but sections of the government also exempt others to safeguard personal interests. Over and above all that, every government department defaults payments and heavy amounts are outstanding against them.

4.4.5 Proper collection and transparent distribution of Zakah

Zakah (the alms-due) is a great source of economic relief and stability for the poor and the have-nots. If Zakah is collected transparently and the trust deficit among people is reduced to zero, billions of rupees can be collected and spent on the prosperity of the downtrodden classes.

Everyone knows that before the commencement of Ramadan, people withdraw their money from banks because they do not trust the government set-up of Zakah distribution. The Zakah committees meant for distribution comprise the political favourites who hide behind false alibis and consume it themselves instead of paying it to the orphans, widows, the sick and other poverty-stricken folk, as if they have lost faith and do not fear Allah and the Day of Judgement. If the Zakah money is not wasted upon government luxury and corruption and a just and corruption-free system is put in place in the country, people will trust it and get ready to pay Zakah through their bank accounts.

Many large welfare organisations of the world are being run by Zakah donations from Pakistanis. People want to pay Zakah and spend in the way of Allah Most High. Take the example of today, May 11. We did not pay a penny to any local PAT organisation in 60 cities to arrange buses and other transport vehicles. They paid from their pockets not only for transport arrangement but all the expenditure incurred on multiple activities pertaining to these countrywide protests. They are spending for the sake of changing the system for the greater good of the poor masses and the establishment of true democracy in the country.

4.4.6 Coercion-free economic policy

After revolution an independent, solid and stable economic policy will be designed and enforced. The State Bank, all scheduled banks, bureaus such as DFIs and SECP and others will be freed from political influence and coercive measures by the government especially for political appointments and transfers. In this way, all of the 58 institutions about which the supreme court gave a ruling on 22 July 2013 that the prime minister or other politicians cannot appoint their heads will be made independent. The incumbent prime minister rejected the ruling of the Supreme Court by issuing a notification, allowing him to appoint his personal employees as heads of 40 of the 58 bodies so that they could massively enjoy corruption sports under the protection of their own appointees to the concerned departments.

4.4.7 Loans from international monetary organisations will be conditional on parliament’s approval

Loans will be taken from the IMF, World Bank, ADB and IDB only if people will allow. The parliament will approve the loans and nothing will take place covertly, keeping people in the dark.

It is worthwhile to mention here this important survey report. In 28 years from 1985 to 2013, the total amount of loans borrowed by our governments from IMF and World Bank amounted to 59 billion dollars. The average of this amount worked out on annual basis comes to 2.1 billion dollars. The incumbent rulers who once used to raise the slogan to ‘pay back loans and make progress’ have now taken a U turn, contracting approval of 24 billion dollars loan in instalments just in eleven months’ rule; most of it has been received. That is not the end of it; they will take further loans every year. In addition, short-term loans will also be taken. If this government stays in power for 5 years, it will amass debt many times more than taken in last 28 years, leaving the Pakistani generations buried under a monstrous debt.

4.4.8 State institutions to be made profitable

Pakistan Railways, NHA, PIA, WAPDA, Pakistan Steel, Port Qasim, KPT, OGDC, PSO, SSG/SNG and many others are being eyed for privatisation. They were profitable or capable of becoming profitable. We will make all of them profitable again within 18 to 24 months. They will generate a trillion rupees revenue every year.

Under the current corrupt system in Pakistan, the process is reversed. Instead of making these state institutions profitable, they are being sold obviously for the rulers to make money and also to pay instalments of World Bank and IMF loans, which they have already planned how to gulp.

The crux of these facts is that, rich in minerals, our country does not lack resources. It is the electoral thugs who claim to be the political leaders with a 5-year mandate who have eaten into its roots. God willing, the popular green revolution will put the country on the road to progress and prosperity.

4.4.9 Government will adopt austerity

The government will observe austerity and avoid lavish and unnecessary expenditure. Millions of rupees creep into the pockets of MNAs and MPAs in the name of development funds. The salaries of the poor and lower level employees only increase by 5% to 10% while the salaries of MNAs and MPAs are raised by 100% to 200% through a bill passed in the assembly. Their corruption knows no limits; they go to any extent of loot and plunder. The revolution will put an end to this filth. Furthermore, the trillions of rupees wasted upon official residences of the president, prime minister, and the salaries, perks and privileges for chief ministers, ministers and advisers will be controlled in the first month by setting up the austerity standard.

The present prime minister does not even travel by the scheduled PIA flights. When he flew to Turkey with a delegation of 20, a PIA airliner was chartered from the national carrier. The plane waited for them in Turkey for three days, which caused further losses to PIA. When they were to return from Turkey, the departure was suddenly delayed. Everyone including the PIA management was shocked because of the sudden delay. It so happened that the cuisine of a certain Turkish restaurant was very much liked by the premier. Due to his engagements, he could not take that food. It was decided that they would depart after the PM had taken food in the restaurant. That delayed the flight.

This cannot be called a national leader’s attitude. With such rulers, national institutions cannot prosper; they run into loss.

5. How will Revolution Transpire?

Lastly, let us see how and through what means this green revolution will come about.

The revolution will be completely a legal phenomenon, in total conformity to the stipulations of law. We have fully delineated its legal framework and completed constitutional homework on its mechanism. Its blueprint is ready. There is nothing to worry; it is going to take place in consultation with the people. However, at this stage, it is not worthwhile to make it public. The nation should not be concerned about this. I will not give the full details now but will do so at the right time. I have only disclosed today how it is going to benefit the masses.

I have an advisory council consisting of about two hundred experts at home and abroad. Eight member and ten member teams have completed their work on many of its aspects. They have worked out all the details and are about to accomplish its finalization. Perfectly satisfied with its financial feasibility, I have presented it to my people today.

5.1 Conclusion

O people of Pakistan! It is not Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri and his party alone which will bring about revolution in the country. As you have come out today, work diligently and raise your strength to 10 million and dig in your heels to accomplish the revolution, holding fast to your cause. The blood-sucking rulers will never protect your honour, nor will they provide for the poor, helpless and starving masses. They can neither manage education nor employment for your children. Their loot and plunder will never allow you to share power and participate in governance. Nor can they provide justice at your doorstep. It is you who will make the real democracy reign supreme. It is you who have to rise to bring about the peaceful green revolution. The ripe time has reached you. The dark night is about to end and the revolution is about to dawn. Rise! Step ahead! And march on until you unveil the bright morning of revolution. Struggle and struggle persistently, for your struggle is the mercy of Almighty Allah.

The day is not far when every sad face will bloom with smiles; dry eyes will glow bright; the depressed and gloomy will enter light and the households buried in dark will be illumined with relief and prosperity. Pakistan will advance on its way to the bright future as a developed nation. No dictator will be allowed to conspire to weaken the Pakistan defence forces or harm judiciary and damage state institutions. They will go behind bars, will be held accountable for corruption and will have to return every looted penny to the nation.

O people, the unemployed, labourers, farmers! O Oppressed people! O you languishing in poverty, O you the destitute, sighing with starvation! O you, committing suicide on injustice! O you forced to kill your children for hunger! Rise! Today is the day of iqama, for your deliverance, for change, for revolution! Rise to snatch your constitutional rights, the right to live, the right to dignity, the right to shelter, the right to earn your bread and the right to rule. O people! Get ready to establish the prayer of revolution; rise and straighten your rows! It is a matter of days now. The call will be given soon. The day of revolution has drawn near. God willing, when the date is given, then, with a strength of 10 million, we will embark on changing the fate of the poor and end the rule of pharaohs. All services and institutions will stand by people.

I am fighting a war for your generations. I am fighting a war of the poor. I am fighting for the 180 million people of Pakistan. I am fighting for justice. I am fighting for real people’s democracy. I am fighting for the implementation of constitution. I am fighting for the revival of Islamic values. Almighty Allah will send down His assistance, and in the end Pakistan and the people of Pakistan will win the victory.