Perilous Peace

By Amir Zia
The News On Sunday
October 31, 2010

Violence in Karachi stems from massive economic stakes rather than ideological or political grounds.

They are supposedly partners in the ruling Sindh coalition, but distrust and revulsion to one another run deep in their rank and file. Since the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Awami National Party (ANP) joined hands to run the show in this ethnically divided and polarised province after the 2008 elections, their zealots are locked in a low-intensity bloody conflict to gain an upper hand in its capital, Karachi.

It is a turf-war and a battle for supremacy that has been raging for the past several decades. And with each passing year, it has intensified because the state institutions miserably failed to lay down and enforce rules of the game.

The bloody contradiction among the key and marginal political players stems from the massive economic stakes that fuels violence, crime and terrorism in the country’s industrial hub and largest city rather than ideological or political grounds.

The result: Karachi continues to bleed. Non-stop political assassinations, kidnappings and torture of political rivals, mass murders of civilians and destruction of private and public property keep the cauldron of Karachi on the boil all the time.

The recent spurt of violence, which gained momentum in the run up to PS-94 by-elections, killing more than 75 people just in four days — October 16-20 — has again underlined the gravity and complexity of the situation. The climax of this latest bout of bloodshed came when gunmen riding motorcycles sprayed bullets on shopkeepers in Kabari Market, located in the volatile Shershah neighbourhood, killing 13 civilians and wounding many more.

These killings not just sparked more violence, but further strained ties among the coalition partners, who managed to put a gloss to their widening rift and tussle with an announcement that both the PPP and the MQM continue to work for peace in the city where more than 1,100 people have been killed so far this year.

But the target of achieving peace is easier said than done.

"Peace can only be achieved if the ruling parties agree to walk the talk," a senior police officer, requesting anonymity, tells TNS. "The latest bloodletting is not just the simple issue of bye-elections. There are many factors and players involved. It is a far bigger and complex problem… the fire can be ignited on any pretext."

And indeed that has been the pattern of violence in Karachi. An operation against encroachers, a road accident, an ill-fated love affair between a married Baloch woman and an Urdu-speaking man, as it happened earlier this year, or a bigger political question can plunge the city into violence and chaos. The irony is that followers of not just key parties, but also smaller ones have their share in the bloodletting.

Faisal Subzwari, a senior MQM leader and a provincial minister, told TNS that several MQM activists were murdered in the run-up to the PS-94 by-elections. The seat fell vacant following the murder of MQM’s Sindh Assembly member Raza Haider, who was gunned down in August allegedly by militants of a banned sectarian group.

The ANP pitted its candidate in this constituency, considered a MQM stronghold for the past several elections. But later, the ANP boycotted the polls, accusing the MQM of using strong-arm tactics.

Subzwari, however, said ANP’s goal was just to create an impression that it remains a major stakeholder in Karachi. "In 2008 elections, ANP secured barely 960 votes against our candidate’s more than 80,000. It was never a serious contest as we again secured this seat hands down."

But the victory came at a heavy price because of the violence ahead and after the by-elections in which all the three coalition partners say that they lost loyalists along with scores of ordinary citizens.

Jamil Somroo, a senior PPP leader and an advisor to the Sindh Chief Minister, told TNS that his party did not field a candidate against the MQM in line with President Asif Zardari’s policy of reconciliation. "We believe that it was the time to show graciousness… MQM’s MPA was murdered. It was the aggrieved party. We also requested the ANP to withdraw candidate in MQM’s favour."

However, not all the PPP leaders want to be that gracious with the MQM. Abdul Qadir Patel, PPP’s Member National Assembly, claims that statistics of killings show that the non-Urdu speaking people, including Baloch and Pakhtoons, lost more lives. "This does not mean that the PPP does not have Urdu-speaking people in its ranks," he was quick to add.

For the ANP, its tussle with the MQM emerges from the fact that this urban-based party remains intolerant to accept any other new rising force in the city.

"In the last elections, we won two provincial seats. Now they fear that we would get four in the next elections," Ameen Khattak, ANP’s provincial general secretary, tells TNS. "We say that peace cannot be achieved by mere statements… let’s have dialogue and list issues. In Karachi, Pakhtoons struggle for getting education and employment."

While indeed the list of grievances, not just from the ANP, but also the MQM and the PPP, remains a long one, reflecting the myriad social, political, economic, infrastructure and development issues of this mega-city, a senior police official says that all the major parties in one way or the other contribute to the prevailing lawlessness.

"The issue of criminalisation of politics remains unaddressed," said the police official. "This is the core problem. Land encroachers, drug peddlers, assassins — all operate under the cover of this political party or that. "The Kabari Market killings were also carried out by criminals because of the rift over extortion money," he claimed.

MQM officials blame the militants of ANP and pro-PPP Peace (Amn) Committee of Lyari for working hand-in-hand to disturb the peace of the city.

The Peace Committee comprises followers of Rehman Dakait, who was killed in a controversial police encounter in 2009. Rehman had tried to enter politics and build a support-base through social work. His followers, now led by one of his relative, Uzair Baloch, even keep some of the key PPP stalwarts, including Nabeel Gabol, from entering their constituency. Police say that the Peace Committee activists had their fair share in the October killings.

Subzwari said that in the past politicians used to patronise criminals. "But in Lyari, it is the criminals, who patronise politicians."

PPP’s Patel admitted that some hot-heads within the PPP ranks and the Peace Committee think that they can expand base by imitating the MQM and its ‘gun-culture’. "We see more violence now because there are forces which now challenge the MQM."

Subzwari said that peace suits his party. "MQM and the city benefit from peace in terms of increased economic activity and development."

"There are hidden hands within the establishment and the government which have not changed their mindset. They fan violence. Yes, the top PPP leadership can be for reconciliation, but as far as Karachi is concerned, hawks within the PPP seem to prevail."

As Karachi remains on tenterhooks fearing a new bout of violence, the uneasy Sindh coalition has survived for now. And even if this uneasy partnership survives, will it change the fortunes of Karachi, resolve its protracted issues and bring a sustainable peace here?