The Supreme Court has laid it bare. That law and order in Karachi is a problem for the executive and not for the judiciary. That the problem requires a political solution rather than a judicial one. Not being an historic one though, it can still form the basic framework to build future strategy for the metropolis. The decision also has other pointers for the rule of law and upholding of democratic norms (not making a call for the army to intervene and not pitching different state institutions against each other).
The ball is in the government’s court now. Certain issues, already known to the insiders, have just been painted red by the Court. All the political parties and certain banned militant organisations have been found guilty of extortion, killings, possession of illegal weapons and other subversive activities in the city of Karachi as has been detailed in the reports by DG ISI, IG Police, and JIT. Politicians, though the captains of a country’s destiny, are not actually welcomed in any situation at operational level, as with their vested interests – that readers is a fact – they can certainly manipulate the working of executive machinery. That very logic was behind the Court’s decision in ordering the depoliticising the police department and disbanding armed wings in political parties.
Their Lordships’ use of discretion in asking the government to file a reference if it deems fit in banning a political party is, of course, not that simple to implement. The MQM, it is the party against whom allegations have been levelled the most, has just rejoined the ruling coalition. The PPP would not like to lose them as it would upset their electoral math, but it would also be hard pressed by a resurgent opposition for a reference against them. While on the same subject, no-go areas in the city are also not acceptable. They are just too unconstitutional. A political solution is the need of the hour, else there could be an external, more dreaded solution afoot, evident in the warnings given by the military leadership.
If Karachi bleeds, the country bleeds. It is time for the government to pull its act together and assert its rule.