Land Reform Would Give Pakistan a Second Chance

By Mahjabeen Islam-Husain

In a startling turn of events, Pakistan's destiny appears to be at the brink of major change. Again it is our luck—do we realize our potential, or do we continue to wallow in the familiar abyss of poverty, illiteracy and the ever-widening gap between the priviligentsia and the have-nots?

If indeed former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had intended to remove his Commander-in-Chief Pervez Musharraf from his post, a more intelligent approach might have yielded the desired results. Just as Musharraf's plane (with 198 others on board) was to land at Karachi airport, Sharif placed the requisite medal on Musharraf's anticipated successor, Ziauddin. This while Sharif's staff was busy ordering Musharraf's plane to divert to India, or to the city of Nawabshah. In the nick of time Pakistan's army was able to take over Karachi airport. The plane landed with 5 minutes of fuel remaining, and the intended victim was suddenly the country's chief executive.

With a population of 120 million, a high illiteracy rate, an economy in shambles and now major political upheaval, Pakistan's problems acquire an intensity faced only by an unfortunate few of the world's nations. The intensity is greater for the irony that is involved, in that Pakistan is blessed with natural resources, a very strategic geo-political position, and most of all a very talented and hard-working population.

The root of Pakistan's problems, especially the reason for democracy being an elusive "novelty," is the high illiteracy rate, which in a sense is perpetuated by its feudal system.

At the time of the partition of the Indian subcontinent, the predominantly Hindu areas were industrialized, and the majority in India's Congress Party were industrialists. In contrast, what became Pakistan was poorly industrialized, and except for Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the Muslim League was made up largely of landlords. Even in what is now India, most of the landlords were Muslims.

The Congress Party's industrial base already pointed toward land reform, and the bonus of eliminating the wealth of Muslim landlords must have been difficult to pass up. Feudalism was abolished in India and, despite practically the same problems of population and illiteracy, India remains a democracy.

Pakistan's problems are perpetuated by its feudal system.

Pakistan's fate was the diametric opposite. The activists in the Muslim League developed political clout on the basis of their wealth, which in turn was primarily land ownership. The cycle of abuse had begun, and sadly is firmly set till today, all of 52 years later.

The many modes of the pillage of Pakistan have been the subject of various best-selling books there. Landlord families extended their power in nefarious ways and many a time all too blatantly. More land was acquired sometimes by simply buying it, and at other times by threat and intimidation of sisters who were deliberately kept single, so that land did not go out of the family. The rebellion of the victims at times acquired even darker proportions, involving murders of expedience.

The sadder part yet is the fallout on the economy and literacy of Pakistan. The tillers of the soil remained at the mercy of the landlord, receiving only barely enough money to get by. Elevating the educational level of the farmers was of no concern to the landlords. In fact, keeping them teetering at the brink just enlarged the stature and power wielded by the wicked.

These same landlords held chieftain positions in villages; if ever there were local elections, guess who was the candidate? At the provincial and federal levels again the well-known, land-wealthy families entered elections and, with Pakistan's short democratic history, mostly got nominated to influential positions.

And so, while the villager lived from meal to meal, the landlords, entrenched in their power, enjoyed rides in $45,000 Land Cruisers, arrogant in the air-conditioned luxury of power and plenty. Many sent their offspring to name-brand institutions in the West, and the wealthy son now had the power that education can bring.

Capturing clout and maintaining power has always been the first concern of these rapists of the land. It was always cheaper (and probably more fun) to bribe the income tax officer than to pay the hundreds of thousands owed to the nation. This perpetuated the lack of basic facilities to the population at large. It did not really matter that the village had no electricity. The Big Guy always did because he had his own generator, and in any case he did not live on his land, just off it, in more ways than just living in the city.

Rogue Legislation

And so, while in the village the workers were at the mercy of the master's whim, in the city and at the provincial and federal levels the population at large was at the mercy of legislation passed by the rogues in power. If landlords themselves were not in legislative positions they made sure that they were the financiers of those who were, as well as those who wanted to be.

This particular point in Pakistan's history is an opportunity that must be realized. To stay in power the army requires neither votes nor money, in contrast to an elected government that is greatly dependent on lobbyists and special interests. Land reform is the elixir that can change the collective destiny of the people of Pakistan.

Pakistan's is largely an agrarian economy. If the land is divided and given to the person who tills it, right there you have transformed that individual's life. The control this would give to the hardworking people of Pakistan is a debt they have been owed for decades. The owner of the land then has the power to improve the lot of his family by encouraging education, understanding family planning, and valuing health and its maintenance.

Just as the family unit has a direct impact on society, similarly changing the lives of individuals will have a profound and incalculable effect on the economy, the literacy, the politics and the governance of Pakistan.

Every Pakistani is currently an advocate of his or her own personal prescription for change in Pakistan. Mine is that General Musharraf should implement land reform, stay in power a year, two at most, hold elections (barring Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif from standing for any office) and then make a graceful exit.

As they say, "If wishes were horses, beggars would ride." Already I can feel the wind in my hair.

Dr. Mahjabeen Islam-Husain is a Sunni Muslim Pakistan-born family practice physician living in the Midwest. She and her husband, a Pakistan-born Shi'i Muslim who also is a physician, have three daughters, and both are active in their local Islamic communities and in national Muslim-American affairs. She may be reached via e-mail at tennisjunkie@pol.net