MQM’s nemesis

Zulfiqar Mirza’s arrival in London has sent alarm bells ringing in the highest MQM circles. Possessed by the idea to expose the MQM leadership which he has accused of conspiring with a foreign power to break up Pakistan and of conducting acts of terrorism as a policy, Mirza has put his political career at stake. Sindhi nationalists have accused him of trying to steal their thunder to rehabilitate the image of the PPP. The MQM has hinted at the PPP leadership using Mirza to pressurise it. Still others in the country have admired Mirza for the tenacity and courage he has displayed.
The development poses problems for both the PPP and MQM. The PPP is already under pressure from dissidents. While Qureshi has left the party, there are reports of others mulling to follow suit. What is more, any action against Mirza has the potential to hit the PPP in Sindh where the opposition is beginning to make inroads. Being an erstwhile close friend of the president and a former home minister of Sindh, Mirza is an insider whose allegations against the MQM cannot be rejected out of hand. He has reached Britain at a time when the enquiry in Imran Farooq’s murder has entered a crucial stage with the reported arrest in Karachi of two MQM activists accused of murder. The fact that Mirza is accompanied by Sindh Information Minister has further strengthened the suspicion that his mission enjoys the blessings of some of the PPP high-ups.
The likelihood of the PPP government once again losing MQM’s support cannot be ruled out. Gilani’s desire expressed in the NA for peace with the opposition in therefore quite understandable. In view of the trust deficit between the government and opposition leading to calls for mass resignations from the assemblies expressions of good wishes alone might not help. The government has to take concrete measures to build bridges with the opposition. While Mian Nawaz Sharif has once again stressed that change in government should only be brought through democratic means, he still maintains the PPP leadership has failed to fulfill any of its promises. Gilani has to address these concerns through meaningful CBMs to ensure that the system faces no serious threat.