‘Pakistan’s current social and political crisis can be understood in many ways, under various perspectives. But today I want to discuss only one perspective, i.e. the tussle between the old elites and the new ones, and the changes that have come as a result.
By new elites I mean the people who came to the fore during Musharraf’s time, including property tycoons like Malik Riaz and Aleem Khan. Then there are people belonging to agri business like Jahangir Tareen, and people like Chaudhry Sarwar, Azam Swati who brought their money from abroad and now they are asking for their share from the old business elites.
They have formed an alliance with the establishment and that is at the core of the problems we see today. Interestingly, the old industrial and business elites also came into existence under Ayub Khan’s regime and with the help of Ayub and Zia replaced the feudal elite, like Daultanas, Tiwanas, Mamdots and Nawabs of different areas. They have been almost completely removed from Pakistan’s politics.
Though some of them, like Shah Mehmood Qureshi, still persevere. But the way business and industrial elites replaced feudal elite, the propertied elites today are challenging the business elite. Now let’s see how chaotic this war of elites will be and what kind of changes it will bring to the society.’
By new elites I mean the people who came to the fore during Musharraf’s time, including property tycoons like Malik Riaz and Aleem Khan. Then there are people belonging to agri business like Jahangir Tareen, and people like Chaudhry Sarwar, Azam Swati who brought their money from abroad and now they are asking for their share from the old business elites.
They have formed an alliance with the establishment and that is at the core of the problems we see today. Interestingly, the old industrial and business elites also came into existence under Ayub Khan’s regime and with the help of Ayub and Zia replaced the feudal elite, like Daultanas, Tiwanas, Mamdots and Nawabs of different areas. They have been almost completely removed from Pakistan’s politics.
Though some of them, like Shah Mehmood Qureshi, still persevere. But the way business and industrial elites replaced feudal elite, the propertied elites today are challenging the business elite. Now let’s see how chaotic this war of elites will be and what kind of changes it will bring to the society.’