Martyrs of Democracy | Ghulam Haider Wyne
The struggle for democracy and empowerment of people is not easy. People have sacrificed their lives for a prosperous democratic Pakistan. PMLN as the largest conservative political force in Pakistan has seen sacrifices of its major regional and central leaders. Martyrs of democracy is not a tale, it is a history that is written by the blood of those who sacrificed their present for our future. Ghulam Haider Wyne was one such hero who was brutally martyred by terrorists in Mianchannu (A small city on Lahore-Multan National Highway) during the campaign for general elections in 1993. This first episode of Martyrs of Democracy is dedicated to the former CM Punjab, Late Ghulam Haider Wyne.
Ghulam Haider Wyen was always a hard man to hold back. He was among the most down to earth politicians who never capitulated even the most adverse circumstances. Throughout his political life he served Pakistan Muslim League as a die hard karkun and his peculiar disposition towards the fellow workers remained same even after he was elected as the CM Punjab. The lifestyle of Wyne tells us that he had never dreamt that he would be the CM of the largest province of Pakistan. He was a true rags to riches story unfolding in an Arcadian town of Mianchannu.
Wyne belonged to a lower middle class family and uplifted his carrier from a post of a stanographer to the Punjab's number one in a span of three decades. Wyne was a high school student when his family migrated to Pakistan. He could not continue his studies after metric due to financial problems.
He made his politcal debute as an ordinary worker and by his hard work he was elected as a BD member in 1961 during the autocratic period of Ayub Khan. He was elected as general secretary PML, Punjab when various factions of Pakistan Muslim League allied after the disintegration of Pakistan. From then on, he experienced each and every slot of the political system. The sheer shard work made him an integral part of Pakistan Muslim League.
In 1985 he was elected as Member Provincial Assembly Punjab and in 1988 he was elected as Member National Assembly of Pakistan. He was assigned portfolios for provincial minister for education, industry, Planning & Development and Labor & Industry during Mian Nawaz Sharif tenure as CM Punjab. He was given the chores of leader of the opposition in NA in 1988 but later he abandoned the seat for Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi on the behest of the party. After the dismissal of PPP govt. in 1990 he was nominated as the care taker CM Punjab. He won 1990 elections on provincial seat and was elected leader of the house Punjab Assembly on November 08,1990 with an over whelming vote of 201 against his PDA rival and leader of the opposition Rana Ikram Rabbani who polled only eight votes. He had to go a long way before finally holding the slot of CM Punjab. He was unanimously elected as President PML Punjab. The only office that remained to be occupied by him was that of the Prime Minister.
He was termed as the biggest trouble maker by the rival political leaders as he being aware of the whole political system inside out, never let the political leaders to get away with their fallacies. He had always been obsessed with the rules and regulation as he never took any decision which was not in accordance with the books. In a country where nepotism and favoritism is considered to be the only merit, he initiated and adhered to a policy according to which each and everyone was to deserve in compliance with the rules and procedure. During his regime his performance was considered to be memorable. During his tenure he vested powers to the ministers but directed them to adhere on the merit policy. For the implementation of merit policy in its true essence, he went to the extent of taking action against the wife of former provincial Law minister Nasrullah Dreshak, Sarosh Sultan who was involved in co-operative scam. It should be kept in mind that Nasrullah Dreshak was among those 4 IJI members who proposed the name of Wyne for the election of CM .
He also developed serious differences with then PA speaker Mian Manzoor Watoo which resulted in his deposition from the seat of chief minister. Throughout his political carrier, he thrived with his hands clean and he had no regrets as such. The only blot he used to regret was his decision to join Ziaul Haq Majlis e Shoora. Much to the annoyance of others, Wyen played a key role in abolishing the dual membership of assemblies and the local bodies. His biggest achivement during his chief ministeship was to put a lid on out of turn promotions. Throughout his service as a CM Punjab he did not even make a single direct appointment to the privileged posts like Tehsildars and Sub inspectors. As politics of the country thrived on these things, his colleagues developed certain kind of hatred for his hard lined policies.
He being a strong Leaguee was always against the moves to weaken PMLN. I wonder what he would thought if seeing Chaudharies making Q league. Once in May 1992 while addressing the supervisory committees for PML enrollment he said " The "Ghapla League" Functional league and Eid Millan party were considered moves to weaken the PMLN. Some disgruntled elements are busy in such moves after having failed to get the party tickets". As President of PMLN Punjab, he also directed to finish 40,000 primary units of PML in Punjab.
The allegation against him of being vindictive to his party mates was perhaps owing to the fact that he always detested to oblige the party mates in violation of the rules and regulations. Wyne was known to take stern actions when it comes to party. On August 22,1991 PML dissident Zahid Sarfraz was expelled form the party upon not responding at the show cause notice issued by Sec. Gen. of PML. Wyne in his decision stated that this action has been taken on the recommendation of PML working committee. He was also the founder of Nazria-Pakistan trust. During the Nawaz- Ishaq crisis he stuck to his guns and made all efforts to save PML government in Punjab. He use to be quite critical of Ghulam Ishaq Khan and he always termed him as the root cause for putting the country in dire-straits.
Wyne had to face the music for his hard lining policies when the vote of no confidence was tabled against him. Although many of the MPAs voted against him to save the assembly from being dissolved yet a number of them also took revenge as they had faced a lot of distress at the hands of the late Wyen by not complying with their vested interests.
Being the head of PMLN Punjab and former CM Punjab he was actively involved in uplifting the lives of people of Punjab. The politics of Wyne was so clean that even the opponents during his life and after his murder still praises him.
After being dethroned from the seat of CM, he continued to strives against the decision of the President pertaining to the dissolution of assemblies. His never-say-die attitude enabled him to take on the untoward events and strive for the best. He was quite optimistic that the coming elections would pave way for PML to enter the power corridors again.
He had always been critical and hostile towards the policies of PPP. He hold PPP responsible for disintegration of Pakistan. He spent all his life contesting elections against jageerdars and waderas, who were not ready to accept the idea of a a middle man holding the office they considered their birth right. For the very reasons he had a soft corner for the small agriculturists of the country.
The darvesh, who had always dressed most humbly had no enmity with any one except for the few who came under fire due to his strict merit policy. He was contesting elections from NA 123 on PMLN ticket and was hoping to win the elections when on 29th of September 1991 he was murdered.
Views of Rana Iqbal Speaker Punjab Assembly on Barsi of Ghulam haider Wyne | Year 2010
The stories of his murder as per the news reports are as follows.
"The suspected murderer was son of a suspect who was killed in a police encounter during Wyne's tenure as CM Punjab. The day on which Wyne was murdered he was coming back to his hometown Chichawatni from a village Shahkot. His driver and two other workers were also with them. The suspects had left no choice for Wyne to escape as they had destroyed a small bridge on canal. They ordered the drivers and two other workers out of the vehicle and forced them to turn their face towards the fields. Meanwhile, Ch.Wyne had locked the vehicle doors. The killers forced him to open the door but he didn't. They broke the front left door and reportedly one suspect put his 0.12 bore gun on his chest and took no time in triggering it. Later, they dragged him out of vehicle and confirmed that he is dead, they left the place. "
"Basti nusratpur is situated along the left bank of Ravi River and is 14km away from MianChannu. It is widespread and about 25 families of Malooka caste comprising about 500 to 600 persons reside there. Most of the inhabitants of this basti are said to be professional criminals. They reportedly used to commit crimes in different areas of Multan Division and earn their living through their means. Police could not crush these criminals because they used to cross the river and take shelter there. Malookas are notorious criminals and local landlords also allegedly use the for their political and other ends. Ch. Ghulam Haider Wyne reportedly directed the Talumba Police to take stern action against these criminals and consequently their ring leader was killed during the police encounter in 1992. The activities of the criminals of Basti NusratPur were under control during the period of the chief ministership of Ch. Wyne.
Mr. Wyne murder appears politically motivated because the residents of the Basti had hatched plot to murder him and made all preparations. They were all out to murder him at all cost and they took the positions at different points of his route. They first planed to murder Mr.Wyne in the Basti soon after his arrival and then to kill him in the way if he escapes the first attempt. "
The NATION report on 30th of Sept. 1993 provided facts that the whole area is a stronghold of Malooks who have criminal cases against them. Another news report of 30th of September 1993 tells us that former PM and President PMLN Mian Nawaz Sharif was seen in great grief on hearing about the barbrousl murder of his companion. He was addressing a public meeting that he turned into a condolence meeting. He said "No true Pakistani can assassinate a person like Ghulam Haider Wyne". He said the principled Wyne, who had been working for a Nobel cause with a missionary zeal, has laid down his life for Pakistan , PMLN WILL CONTINUE HIS MISSION.
It was also reported that on hearing the news of the incident, Nawaz Sharif become impassionate and started weeping abruptly. He was of the view Wyne's death showed that the true Muslim leaguer is willing to pay the supreme sacrifice for the cause of Pakistan.
Paying rich tributes to Wyne Mian Nawaz Sharif Said
"Ghulam Haider Wyen was a true and loyal Pakistani and pioneer of politics of decency."
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