By Amir Zia
The News
April 28, 2014
The coming together of political forces should ideally be seen as a welcome step. But political alliances should be based on principles, clear-cut objectives and vision for tomorrow rather than on getting handful of cabinet portfolios. The marriage of convenience never works – especially in an ethnically diverse and politically polarised province such as Sindh.
This time, there was no political chest-thumping when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement rejoined the Sindh provincial government as the junior partner of the Pakistan People’s Party. In fact, some senior leaders belonging to both the PPP and the MQM appeared quite sheepish while trying to explain the rationale behind conducting the same failed experiment yet again.
Their embarrassment remains understandable. Only till a few days back, the PPP- MQM lawmakers were locked in bitter verbal brawls inside Sindh Assembly as well as outside despite efforts by their top leadership for a patch-up in the recent months.
The wide gulf of differences and mutual distrust between the urban and rural representatives manifested itself on almost each and every issue. Whether it is the thorny and emotionally-loaded question of the quota system in Sindh, or relatively smaller issues pertaining to the creation of a new district in Karachi and setting up of a university in Hyderabad, these two sides love to disagree.
If on paper, the MQM wants a powerful local bodies system and immediate holding of local elections, the PPP’s interest lies in running the affairs of Sindh as it has been doing since 2008. If the people of Karachi crave for a modern mass transit system, the PPP leaders see holding a Rs450 million-worth Sindh Festival a far more important activity. From the allocation of funds and provincial taxation to the issue of exercising administrative authority over the key urban departments, the interests of the PPP and the MQM diverge on each one of them.
The ongoing operation against criminals and terrorists in Karachi is also a huge bone of contention. Just less than a week before shaking hands with the PPP, the MQM leaders were spitting fire and brimstone over the issue of ‘extrajudicial killings’ and ‘mysterious disappearances’ of its workers allegedly by law-enforcement agencies.
The MQM says that at least 25 of its workers have been executed by the law enforcers and another 45 remain in illegal detention, falling in the dubious category of ‘missing persons’, since the start of the Karachi Operation in early September. The party announced a series of protests on April 17, holding the Sindh government responsible for these killings and forced disappearances of its workers.
But the pendulum of their relations suddenly swung from one extreme to another at a time when it appeared that the MQM was gearing up to increase the political heat. However, the new deal again failed to give any public roadmap that provides the basis of their partnership.
For the MQM, so far the gains boil down to getting two of its men inducted as ministers and three as advisers in the Sindh cabinet, with a promise for a few more slots in the near- to mid-term. Being part of the Sindh government will also provide some shield to the MQM workers, who are being targeted in the Karachi Operation.
The PPP hopes to bring some stability in Karachi and manage its own lawmakers more effectively when it decides to execute an in-house change to replace its aging Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.
But these are short-term tactical reasons for the partnership as the two sides failed to give any vision about their province or how to bridge the rural-urban divide and remove at least some of the irritants that bedevilled their relations in the past.
There also appears to be no agreement on how to bring peace and rule of law in Karachi, which has transformed into the most dangerous city even by the standards of the lawless country called Pakistan. Every party – political, ethnic, religious, nationalist or outlawed – has huge financial stakes in this mega city. Extortion, ‘donations’, land grabbing, and direct and indirect links with crime mafias are some of the major means to earn megabucks here. No wonder, turf-wars, killings and violence remain order of the day in Karachi.
During their 2008-13 stint in power as coalition partners, the PPP and the MQM militants were often at each other’s throats, fighting bloody turf wars as their top leaders were vowing to stay together. Both the PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari and the MQM’s Altaf Hussain failed to bring their rank-and-file, and even many of the first and second tier leaders, onboard about the wisdom of an alliance between the rural-urban representatives.
Yet again, the entire thrust of forming a coalition government has come from the top. Zardari and Hussain managed to agree on terms and conditions despite some serious reservations within their party ranks and support-base. “The MQM has been trapped again”, a senior MQM leader confided requesting anonymity. “It was Rehman Malik (the former interior minister) who pulled off this deal because of his excellent relations with our Quaid (Hussain).”
And within the MQM, when the Quaid speaks all the others toe the line – no matter what remain the lessons of history. “We were taken for a ride during 2008-13 as none of the major grievances of urban Sindh got addressed from the holding of local elections to our concerns about the criminal activities of the Lyari Aman Committee. I expect no different results again.”
MQM insiders say that some provincial assembly members were keen to join hands with the PPP, while a number of the National Assembly and Senate members wanted a hand-shake with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz at the centre. The hardliners wanted to stay in the opposition, challenging the wisdom of joining, especially the provincial government with their inability to address any of the major issues concerning their voters.
However, the pro-PPP argument prevailed because the MQM needed a little breathing space on an urgent basis against the backdrop of the Karachi Operation and desire to resolve at least some of the issues of their followers, if not the city. In a nutshell, the MQM’s decision to become junior partners in Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s cabinet for the third time is based more on expediency rather than any long-term strategy to serve the interests of the urban Sindh.
The same is the storyline for the PPP, in which members from young Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to a long line of other hawks were firmly opposed to embracing the MQM again. It was Zardari and his close coterie of confidants, who succeeded in imposing their will and an unpopular decision, especially in the rural areas.
“We don’t need the MQM”, said a visibly upset PPP Sindh Assembly member, accusing the urban-based party of violence and killing many PPP workers. “In Sindh’s politics, the MQM is more of a liability… our leadership should have concentrated on expanding its influence in Karachi rather than comprising with the MQM.”
Many supporters and leaders of the two parties feel that have been trapped in an alliance that failed to deliver in the past and is unlikely to do so again this time. The wounds of the recent past are still fresh and there is simply too much bad blood.
Yes, the coming together of political forces should ideally be seen as a welcome step. But political alliances should be based on principles, clear-cut objectives and vision for tomorrow rather than on getting handful of cabinet portfolios. The marriage of convenience never works – especially in an ethnically diverse and politically polarised province such as Sindh.
What our beleaguered province needs from its representatives are sincerity, moral uprightness and intellectual honesty, which can pave the way for a consensus on the basis of give-and-take and resolve the long standing issues. But if history is any guide, these are the very qualities that are found wanting in our leaders.
Will it be any different this time around? Even the statements of the PPP-MQM leaders fail to give any hope let alone their actions. It is simply the politics of convenience as the key life-and-death issues including peace, prosperity and improving the quality of life of the masses continue to stay on the backburner. Let’s admit it. Even the people of Sindh stay trapped between these two parties.
The News
April 28, 2014
The coming together of political forces should ideally be seen as a welcome step. But political alliances should be based on principles, clear-cut objectives and vision for tomorrow rather than on getting handful of cabinet portfolios. The marriage of convenience never works – especially in an ethnically diverse and politically polarised province such as Sindh.
This time, there was no political chest-thumping when the Muttahida Qaumi Movement rejoined the Sindh provincial government as the junior partner of the Pakistan People’s Party. In fact, some senior leaders belonging to both the PPP and the MQM appeared quite sheepish while trying to explain the rationale behind conducting the same failed experiment yet again.
Their embarrassment remains understandable. Only till a few days back, the PPP- MQM lawmakers were locked in bitter verbal brawls inside Sindh Assembly as well as outside despite efforts by their top leadership for a patch-up in the recent months.
The wide gulf of differences and mutual distrust between the urban and rural representatives manifested itself on almost each and every issue. Whether it is the thorny and emotionally-loaded question of the quota system in Sindh, or relatively smaller issues pertaining to the creation of a new district in Karachi and setting up of a university in Hyderabad, these two sides love to disagree.
If on paper, the MQM wants a powerful local bodies system and immediate holding of local elections, the PPP’s interest lies in running the affairs of Sindh as it has been doing since 2008. If the people of Karachi crave for a modern mass transit system, the PPP leaders see holding a Rs450 million-worth Sindh Festival a far more important activity. From the allocation of funds and provincial taxation to the issue of exercising administrative authority over the key urban departments, the interests of the PPP and the MQM diverge on each one of them.
The ongoing operation against criminals and terrorists in Karachi is also a huge bone of contention. Just less than a week before shaking hands with the PPP, the MQM leaders were spitting fire and brimstone over the issue of ‘extrajudicial killings’ and ‘mysterious disappearances’ of its workers allegedly by law-enforcement agencies.
The MQM says that at least 25 of its workers have been executed by the law enforcers and another 45 remain in illegal detention, falling in the dubious category of ‘missing persons’, since the start of the Karachi Operation in early September. The party announced a series of protests on April 17, holding the Sindh government responsible for these killings and forced disappearances of its workers.
But the pendulum of their relations suddenly swung from one extreme to another at a time when it appeared that the MQM was gearing up to increase the political heat. However, the new deal again failed to give any public roadmap that provides the basis of their partnership.
For the MQM, so far the gains boil down to getting two of its men inducted as ministers and three as advisers in the Sindh cabinet, with a promise for a few more slots in the near- to mid-term. Being part of the Sindh government will also provide some shield to the MQM workers, who are being targeted in the Karachi Operation.
The PPP hopes to bring some stability in Karachi and manage its own lawmakers more effectively when it decides to execute an in-house change to replace its aging Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah.
But these are short-term tactical reasons for the partnership as the two sides failed to give any vision about their province or how to bridge the rural-urban divide and remove at least some of the irritants that bedevilled their relations in the past.
There also appears to be no agreement on how to bring peace and rule of law in Karachi, which has transformed into the most dangerous city even by the standards of the lawless country called Pakistan. Every party – political, ethnic, religious, nationalist or outlawed – has huge financial stakes in this mega city. Extortion, ‘donations’, land grabbing, and direct and indirect links with crime mafias are some of the major means to earn megabucks here. No wonder, turf-wars, killings and violence remain order of the day in Karachi.
During their 2008-13 stint in power as coalition partners, the PPP and the MQM militants were often at each other’s throats, fighting bloody turf wars as their top leaders were vowing to stay together. Both the PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari and the MQM’s Altaf Hussain failed to bring their rank-and-file, and even many of the first and second tier leaders, onboard about the wisdom of an alliance between the rural-urban representatives.
Yet again, the entire thrust of forming a coalition government has come from the top. Zardari and Hussain managed to agree on terms and conditions despite some serious reservations within their party ranks and support-base. “The MQM has been trapped again”, a senior MQM leader confided requesting anonymity. “It was Rehman Malik (the former interior minister) who pulled off this deal because of his excellent relations with our Quaid (Hussain).”
And within the MQM, when the Quaid speaks all the others toe the line – no matter what remain the lessons of history. “We were taken for a ride during 2008-13 as none of the major grievances of urban Sindh got addressed from the holding of local elections to our concerns about the criminal activities of the Lyari Aman Committee. I expect no different results again.”
MQM insiders say that some provincial assembly members were keen to join hands with the PPP, while a number of the National Assembly and Senate members wanted a hand-shake with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz at the centre. The hardliners wanted to stay in the opposition, challenging the wisdom of joining, especially the provincial government with their inability to address any of the major issues concerning their voters.
However, the pro-PPP argument prevailed because the MQM needed a little breathing space on an urgent basis against the backdrop of the Karachi Operation and desire to resolve at least some of the issues of their followers, if not the city. In a nutshell, the MQM’s decision to become junior partners in Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s cabinet for the third time is based more on expediency rather than any long-term strategy to serve the interests of the urban Sindh.
The same is the storyline for the PPP, in which members from young Bilawal Bhutto Zardari to a long line of other hawks were firmly opposed to embracing the MQM again. It was Zardari and his close coterie of confidants, who succeeded in imposing their will and an unpopular decision, especially in the rural areas.
“We don’t need the MQM”, said a visibly upset PPP Sindh Assembly member, accusing the urban-based party of violence and killing many PPP workers. “In Sindh’s politics, the MQM is more of a liability… our leadership should have concentrated on expanding its influence in Karachi rather than comprising with the MQM.”
Many supporters and leaders of the two parties feel that have been trapped in an alliance that failed to deliver in the past and is unlikely to do so again this time. The wounds of the recent past are still fresh and there is simply too much bad blood.
Yes, the coming together of political forces should ideally be seen as a welcome step. But political alliances should be based on principles, clear-cut objectives and vision for tomorrow rather than on getting handful of cabinet portfolios. The marriage of convenience never works – especially in an ethnically diverse and politically polarised province such as Sindh.
What our beleaguered province needs from its representatives are sincerity, moral uprightness and intellectual honesty, which can pave the way for a consensus on the basis of give-and-take and resolve the long standing issues. But if history is any guide, these are the very qualities that are found wanting in our leaders.
Will it be any different this time around? Even the statements of the PPP-MQM leaders fail to give any hope let alone their actions. It is simply the politics of convenience as the key life-and-death issues including peace, prosperity and improving the quality of life of the masses continue to stay on the backburner. Let’s admit it. Even the people of Sindh stay trapped between these two parties.
No comments:
Post a Comment