Political under currents

Asif Haroon Raja

Pakistan seems to have come out of political crisis created by PTI, Tahirul Qadri group and their political associates after the judicious ruling given by the judicial commission concerning charges of rigging in 2013 elections. It’s economic and energy woes are also being gradually surmounted. War on terror is in a decisive phase and has achieved very impressive results. Lawlessness in Karachi has been substantially controlled by the Rangers while Balochistan situation has significantly improved. Army image and that of Gen Raheel Sharif is sky high. Never before in history of Pakistan has any army chief been respected so intensely by the public. Civil-military relations after several hiccups have steadied and are now tuned to one frequency. Media is showing a measure of maturity while dealing with Indian media’s abrasiveness. Tense geo-political environments owing to hostility of India, unfriendliness of Afghanistan, frostiness of Iran and dual faced policy of the US have also witnessed a gradual change for the better. Barring Indian antagonism, other fronts have shown visible improvements. China’s $46 billion investment for CPEC has brought about a radical change in the fortunes of Pakistan and things have started to appear much brighter.  Well reputed media outlets like Bloomberg, Forbes and Economist have given positive reports about Pakistan’s economic future. Preparations are afoot to celebrate Pakistan Day with great zeal and fervor.

Amidst the happy tidings, India’s bellicosity and aggression along LoC in Kashmir and working boundary in Sialkot sector, together with RAW’s involvement in restive areas of FATA, Baluchistan, Karachi and its false flag operations in Gurdaspur and Udhampur are eyesores troubling Pakistan. The other thing which has caused anguish to every Pakistani is the role of MQM’s Supremo Altaf Hussain. He is continuing to hurl anti-state and anti-Army/Rangers statements and has now crossed all limits by inviting sworn enemy of Pakistan, India as well as NATO to come to the rescue of Mohajirs in Karachi who in his jaundiced view are being persecuted by the Rangers. The role of MQM leaders is deplorable. Turning a blind eye to the joys of Karachites, who for the first time after 1985 are breathing freely and enjoying peace of mind, they are slavishly endorsing Altaf’s creepy statements and stubbornly defending his stance. Not a single MQM political leader, Senator, official has denounced Altaf. Rabita Committee in Karachi led by Farooq Sattar has gone a step further by writing letters to all foreign embassies in Islamabad including India seeking their intervention in Karachi. This is another matter that in this timeframe, mercifully Pakistan is not isolated, has become relevant and is looked at with respect among world community. Otherwise, opportunist India could have pounced upon this opportunity.

After all this, to still say that Altaf and a tiny group within MQM are bad and all others clean is travesty of truth. Barring few, all others are directly or indirectly linked to Altaf’s policy of terrorism and fascism. Tanzeemi Committee based in Nine Zero (Azizabad) coordinates the activities of Sector/Unit HQs in Karachi and the latter assign targets and launch target killers, extortionists, kidnappers, robbers, land grabbers, drug mafia. They also monitor and provide shelter to the militants/criminals. Governor Sindh has also been sheltering criminals till recent. Tanzeemi Committee operates under Rabita Committee, which is also involved in money laundering to London and in supervising money collection by Khidmat-e-Khaq Foundation. It is also connected with militant base in South Africa, training camps in India, and transit points in Dubai, Hong Kong. Hence, all acts of terror perpetrated by MQM’s militant wing are in the knowledge of Rabita Committee as well as other senior office holders.

No MQM leader can dare defy the orders of Altaf since he is directly connected with Sector/Unit commanders and on many occasions he passes orders to eliminate those who defied him or were getting popular. No strike, rally can take place in Karachi without the orders of Rabita Committee duly cleared by London Secretariat. Altaf’s venomous speeches which are listened to by the captive audience are organized/facilitated by Nine Zero. Political face of the party conducts media war, indulges in blackmailing tactics and always plays the ‘victim’ card. Militants involved in heinous crimes are projected as political activists and those killed as Shaheeds. While MQM claims to be a party of lower-middle class, all its leaders are rolling in wealth and have acquired property abroad. Quite many have now slipped away to Dubai, Dallas, Canada.    

Straight-talking, honest and well-meaning Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Sirajul Haq has controlled the damage incurred to the party by his predecessor Munawar Hasan who had brazenly put TTP militants killed in combat in the category of Shaheeds and had deprived the killed soldiers of this status. Siraj sensibly avoided dharna politics despite being coalition partner of PTI and all along tried to defuse the crisis. He has forcefully condemned Altaf Hussain for his anti-state activities and correctly stated that Karachi belongs to all and not to a single community. He rightly said that Altaf did politics in the name of Mohajirs and cheated people of Karachi.

PTI’s Faisal Vawda has taken a bold stance by challenging Altaf and his coterie in their home base of London and furnished evidence of their money laundering and anti-Pakistan activities to the Metropolitan Police. Imran Khan has also never minced his words in exposing MQM. AJK Parliament has taken a lead over all others by sacking two sitting ministers of MQM for refusing to condemn Altaf’s anti-Pakistan diatribe. Sindh Assembly has done well in passing a resolution to condemn Altaf’s anti Army/Rangers statements. Other provincial Assemblies have also passed similar resolutions. Balochistan Interior Minister has demanded that MQM be declared a terrorist group and banned. The public has widely censured Altaf’s outbursts. While some federal ministers in their individual capacity have joined the bandwagon of anti-Altaf campaign, the government’s stance has remained wishy-washy and conciliatory governed by political expediency. The Speaker National Assembly for no understandable reasons spoke to Altaf in London on phone to bailout PTI in the face of resolutions moved by JUI-F and MQM to de-seat PTI legislators. This act again governed by selfish political motives and not by national interests was not well received by the public. 

After successfully dismantling the militant’s network in North Waziristan, the last stronghold of TTP and its affiliates, Operation Zarb-e-Azb has spread its tentacles all over the country in the light of aim and scope of 20-point National Action Plan conceived in December 2014. Killing of Malik Ishaq, his two sons and accomplices in a police encounter in Muzaffargarh is a big setback for the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, linked with Taliban and Daesh. Sleeper cells of other militant groups in urban centres are on the hit list and it seems none will be spared. Killing of notorious Ladla in Balochistan has considerably weakened Lyari gang in Karachi. Afghan Basti in Islamabad, which had become a den for the terrorists and a constant threat to residents of the Capital city, has been demolished. Army is helping in imparting special training to the Police in provinces and in Islamabad. Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan since 1979 have been largely registered and their return to Afghanistan is being regulated. Efforts are in hand to shift IDPs to their homes in South and North Waziristan and rehabilitate them.               

NAB and FIA have been activated and several bigwigs involved in mega corruption have been nabbed in all four provinces. Several ministers/officials of PPP in Sindh fearing arrest have quietly slipped out of Pakistan and Zardari has made Dubai as its roving HQ where chief minister Sindh and others have attended his meetings. Efforts are in hand to get back the wanted persons through Interpol. Unprecedented step taken by GHQ to punish two Army generals involved in NLC scam has not only been wholeheartedly applauded, it has silenced the critics of Army and also given a loud message to the government to emulate its example and carryout across the board accountability of all.

Joint Intelligence Directorate under NACTA is finally being made operational which will enable 23 intelligence agencies to sit under one roof and jointly coordinate and monitor intelligence activities. Supreme Court Bench has given a landmark decision to allow military courts to function for two years to tackle terrorism related cases of serious nature speedily. This decision as well as removal of moratorium on hanging has frustrated the wicked designs of those not interested in eliminating crime and terrorism. Some steps have been initiated to regulate foreign paid NGOs actively involved in subversion and stoking ethnicity/sectarianism/terrorism, but a lot is still to be done. 

Reconciliation package announced by Apex Committee of Balochistan to win over estranged Baloch leaders and fighters in an effort to defuse separatist movement aided by India is a positive initiative and is bearing fruit. In this, chief minister Dr. Abdul Malick and 12 Corps Commander Lt Gen Nasser Janjua are in the lead role in winning the hearts and minds of the Baloch. Notwithstanding their sincerity of purpose, one cannot overlook the dirty role of Brahamdagh Bugti, Suleman Dawood (involved in murder of son of Maj Gen Asmatullah Niazi), Harbyar Bugti and other exiled Baloch leaders who have been playing into the hands of foreign powers since 2006 to destabilize Balochistan and kill Pakistanis. Rather than appeasing them and thus hurting the sentiments of the families who lost their dear and near ones, they should be preferably isolated and forced to beg forgiveness. Otherwise, tomorrow similar concessions will have to be extended to Altaf, Fazlullah and Khurasani. Operation Zarb-e-Azb, operations in Karachi and Balochistan must be continued with full commitment and taken to logical conclusion.