Thieves dont fight when they steal

Former Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was a witty man and held a great sense of humor which his daughter Benazir Bhutto inherited too to an extent. On one occasion in Sindh surrounded by Waheed Katpar, Jam Sadiq Ali, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, Maulana Kausar Niazi and federal minister for inter-provincial coordination committee Hafiz Pirzada, while chairing a high-level meeting, Bhutto instantly commented: Thieves do not fight when they steal - they fight when they distribute the booty. Bhuttos quotation is also appropriate on todays Karachi situation. Here the fight is not among the thieves but Dons whose self-proclaimed territories are under dispute. The Dons or mafia chiefs talk in the language of guns and violence. They are not accustomed to reason or logic. Yesterdays thieves have graduated to the level of Dons. Some have the uninterrupted support of their political gurus and big business houses and some have over the years developed growth of their street power. Process began when the Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Chaudhry was confined at the Karachi Airport on May 12, 2007.That was the beginning to the end of rule of law. Might started proving itself the right. Thereafter, whenever elephants fought, helpless minions were trampled. Elephants gained more power during the last few years. Vote of February18, 2008, divided and redistributed power in Karachi. Two more claimants of power surfaced in Karachi - the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Awami National Party. Over three years were consumed during consultations. New battles were developed and the 'knave Rehman Malik without any seriousness kept on organising short-term peace. His efforts seldom brought real peace in Karachi because he kept running like hare and hunt with the hounds. He could neither appease the Muttehida Qaumi Movement nor influence the Awami National Party to operate like a real stake-holder for Karahi peace. In my mind the ANP and the MQM today stand if not redundant, unable to persuade militants to give up fighting and killing innocent people. These two grouping feel comfortable in new blame games - nothing more nothing less. Mantras of Dr Farooq Sattar and Shahi Syed have not changed over three years but the demography of Karachi has changed. Rehman Malik will have to search for new power brokers in Karachi and agree to their price tags for his quest of a sustainable peace in Pakistans commercial capital. Peace of Karachi remains a key to the countrys economic progress. It has never been the case of thieves now. Individuals become thieves for many different reasons, and some may even believe they are justified in doing so for the simple fact they feel that they have also been cheated in some way, however, minuscule it may be. Some individuals actually become addicted to their thievery and are then considered kleptomaniacs by law abiding citizens. It usually starts with small items, but once a thief figures out that he can profit from his thievery, their game is on, and many will continue to steal for long periods of time, or until they are caught and imprisoned. They often steal things as a way of life, and consider it their job. Many thieves are caught and prosecuted repeatedly, and they continue to do their dirty deeds during the rest of their lives. It is now the case of habitual butchers who treat human beings as sacrificial lambs for their power. General Musharraf became a national criminal after May 12, 2007, when he closed his eyes to the wanton killings in Karachi. Instead of feeling guilty, he stated in Islamabad the same evening that they answered power with power. Men without vision have not been able to understand Karachi - its complexion, its habitants and its economic importance. Stakeholders of Karachi include Sindhis, Balochis, Mekranis, Urdu-Speaking population which unfortunately considers itself 'Mohajirs, Punjabis, Pashtoons, Azad Kashmiris, Memons, Bohris, Parsis, Hindus, and newly-settled flood affected Sindhis and military-operation affected Pashtuns from different Federally Administered Tribal Agencies. This is the demographic change which has not been reflected in new voice for Karachis sustainable peace. At an iftar party in the Islamabad club the other day, I was accompanied by two serious men from the Intelligence Bureau. One serving and one retired. Both held a unanimous opinion. No official has 'will to seek a solution of Karachi. Once we feel that there exists a will, the problem of Karachi can be solved through a surgical operation without any discrimination. These men were of the opinion that one day political parties will have to separate themselves from the criminal elements. These criminal elements become a tool for politicians if and when they feel like flexing their muscle to prove their power. The government will have to make a firm decision. 'No more room for Dons 'in Karachi. Official policies should be reflected through articulation of peoples aspiration and not the street power by a smaller armed gang. This is high time for President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minster Yousuf Raza Gilani, Sindh Governor and Chief Minister to deal with Karachi once for all in a statesmen spirit and not in a manner warranted by temporary expediency. These men have sufficient tools like IB, FIA, CIA, Sindh Police and Rangers to offer a promised peace to the people of Pakistan.