Yet another exercise in futility

ISLAMABAD - Avoiding to pin any hope on, most of the political stakeholders in Sindh, in general, and Karachi, in particular, have welcomed the PPP's call for all parties' conference on the deteriorating law and order situation in the financial capital of the country. The only voice against the APC was that of Mumtaz Bhutto of Sindh National Front who described it as mere time buying tactics of the bizarre coalition ruling the province. He termed the ongoing grave security situation in Karachi triangular fight among three ruling parties namely PPP, ANP, and MQM for control of the city. "Drugs, weapons, land, and last but not the least political mafia is ruining the peace of city and rendering the government in place as literal failure," he said. "It was the issue of law enforcement. It is a criminal not political issue. Therefore, APC on this issue is just a showcase and another excuse for time pass," he added. He believed that the PPP government neither in centre nor in the province was serious in governance. Thus they masses would have to come out to depose them, he added. "We have not received any invitation for the APC. But we would not attend even if they invite us," he made it clear. Other two parties out of the Parliament so far including the Tehrik-e-Insaf of cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and Jamaat-e-Islami were hopeless for the APC but still they wowed to participate to raise their voice on public issues. Former MNA and JI leader in Karachi Muhammad Hussain Mehnati complained that the government did not implement any of the decisions and declarations of the last APC on the issue of city security. "Still we have to participate if invited in order to put forth our party's stance on the matter of grave concern chiefly for the residents of the city," he added. Similarly, Israr Abbasi, TI Joint Secretary Sindh pointed out futility of the last APC but insisted that his party would participate in the APC in case of invitation. Talking with reference to de-weaponisation of the city, he said, "We had pointed out in the last APC and would insist again to put record straight of the weapon licenses issued during the last 25 years." ANP one of the three coalition partners in the Sindh government was adamant to go the APC with its demand what they call as last option of carrying out an operation clean up by the Army. Qadir Khan, spokesman of the ANP Sindh, was of the view that the police in Karachi have gone totally politicised and it was hardly possible to de-politicise therefore the military operation was the last option. \\He termed the situation beyond understanding that Sindh Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza and Federal Interior Minister Abdul Rehman Malik were unaware of the Rangers' selected operations in Karachi. He pointed out that MQM that had been staunch opponent of the Army or Rangers' operation in Karachi was now insisting on continued deployment of the Rangers. Unlike their earlier stance, the MQM appeared in favour of forces' operation against those who challenge the writ of the government even if they were belonging to any party. Wasim Aftab of the MQM said that the APC should not be a gathering for leisure chat but for concrete solution of the situation by now worrying every one in the city rather across the country. "People of Karachi gets horrified with the name of an military operation as we had a bitter experience of one back in 1992," he said and added but "we always support use of force to establish writ of the government over the criminals and mafia." Hectic efforts on part of this scribe could not succeed in getting comment from anyone of the PPP neither at the central nor at the provincial level. Similarly no comments were available from the PML-Q. PML-N Sindh President Ghaus Ali Shah was of the view that his party would participate in the APC if its leader Mian Nawaz Sharif would decide about it. To a question, he said the responsibility of situation in Karachi was on the three ruling parties that claimed to be representatives of the city and province. "If they are failing to handle the situation it is their inefficiency or lack of sincerity. They should have enough courage to say that they have failed and they need help of other political forces in opposition or elsewhere," he added. Responding the question of army operation as an option, he said, PML-N would always welcome impartial and prudent use of force for the sake of peace in the city.