Dynamics of Biraderi Politics in the Punjab with Special Reference to District Toba Tek Singh

Abstract

The existence of the biraderies (Brotherhood, clans)1 in the social set up of any society is an acknowledged fact. Biraderi politics are deeply impacted on the societal setup, norms, and rituals and culture and politics of specific state if agriculture based economy exists there. Even the rapid changes of the world and the long time span do not affect the persisted nature of the biraderi system and the selfestablished phenomenon rules over the lives of the members that undermine the independence, free will and consequently affect the process of democratization. The biraderi is the most predominant identity insignia in Pakistan. The biraderi forms an imperative dynamic element in an individual‘s life, particularly in the central parts of the Punjab. The analysis and evidence reveal that the biraderi system has been one of the major factors influencing the democratic process since the inception of Pakistan and the politics of biraderies is still playing an important role in the economic and political life of Toba Tek Singh. In contemporary Punjab the hierarchal structure, of the biraderi system is plainly breaking down to some extent – but in political process the significance of biraderi politics has augmented rather than declining in post-independence period that is primarily a colonial product and the post-independence state continued to use the existing ‗overdeveloped‘ state structure that protected, projected, and entrenched the biraderies in this system of power. The historical, political junctures of colonial and post-colonial Punjab discloses that in the milieu of Punjab, the study of biraderi politics has probable new significance as it provides a rational model of manipulation of power through biraderies. It postulates a state where biraderism is used by biraderies as a tool of manipulation through social, economic, and political abstract power by which to strive for control over scarce resources and the remains of colonial rule. In Punjab‘s political history this politico-sociological aspect has received little attention. Biraderi politics, if ever studied, are only dealt with at a national level by stressing the roles of bureaucratic, military elites and parliamentarians that represented by the landed aristocrats. The purpose of this study, therefore, is to analyse through an empirical method that to what extent different following variation of the social, economic and political dynamics of the biraderi politics create adherence in Punjab and thus influence the process of democratization with particular reference to District Toba Tek Singh. 1. Social dynamics; social structure like family, culture, occupation, religion, education, status, titles, gender discrimination 2. Economic dynamics; Economic stability, Wealth, land, business, class structure, dependence, employment 3. Political dynamics; Political participation, e.g. political awareness, elections, voting behaviour, political parties. This study is based on the hypothesis that the domination of biraderi politics is affecting the process of democratization through its socioeconomic and political manoeuvring and hence restricts an individual to take independent decisions. While using the structured questionnaire tool, a survey was conducted in the 21 Union Councils of the district Toba Tek Singh. Results show that dynamics of biraderi politics played an important role in all social, economic, and political aspect of individuals‘ life and his emancipating powers are pledged by this biraderi system.; on the whole 70 to 80 % respondents had endorsed ―Biraderi Politics Questionnaire” of this study and has shown that biraderi politics is affecting the process of democratization. People are well aware of the biraderies ties and evidently reflected their inclination to keep supporting the contesting candidates in the future elections who affirm by their own relevant biraderies. The biraderies, like Arains and Jatt, Sayyed and the native biraderies Kharral are the dynamic biraderies of the District Toba Tek Singh those are dictating the individuals to participate on the basis of biraderi prejudices or biraderism. And thus they serve the higher strata of the biraderies by playing a non-democratic role. The finding of the study is that the dynamics of biraderi politics are affecting the process of democratization and proving as an impediment in the process of institutionalizing of democracy.