Hopping atop another bandwagon?

The party in power for almost a decade wants an APC

The MQM has suddenly issued a call for an All Parties Conference. What is more, a high level delegation of the party is calling on political leaders to persuade them to support the call. The conference is supposed to formulate a strategy for the country’s “security and survival”. The sponsors hope to invite not only all the political and religious parties but also the armed forces. It is yet not known how the military officers in uniform can be made to join the parleys.

Acting upon the maxim regarding charity beginning at home, the MQM first took the proposal to Zardari who showed little enthusiasm. The president reportedly told the party to approach Raja Pervez Ashraf. There has been no response from the prime minister who naturally would be unwilling to add another complicated issue to his already heavy agenda.

Ch Shujaat Hussain encouraged the MQM to go ahead though he ruled out any discussion related to the forthcoming elections at the APC proposing instead to take up issues like Balochistan, extremism and power shortages.

Showing concern about peace in Karachi, the ANP agreed to the idea of an APC. “There are around five million Pakhtuns living in the city. We want peace there, we want action to be taken against all mafias, including land, drug and arms mafia,” said Haji Adeel.

The MQM delegation also called on Jamaat-e-Islami leadership at Mansoora. Here Dr Farooq Sattar raised the bogey of the US carrier cruising along Pakistan’s territorial waters as an issue of national concern. Coming as it does from a party known for its tilt for the US, it surprised the JI chief who invited MQM to join hands with his party in opposing the US policies.

Sheikh Rashid took the delegation to a public meeting he was to address. During his speech, he informed the audience that he had told the MQM to remove the corrupt government of which it was a part before issuing a call f or an APC.

The two major opposition parties have so far shown little interest in the idea being sold by the MQM and for good reasons.

The MQM joined the PPP-led government after exhausting its tenure as a major ally in the Musharraf regime. The party has been a part of the government without interruption for almost a decade now. It is, thus, answerable for most of the ills the country suffers from including lawlessness in Karachi, extremism, power and gas shortages, and the country’s isolation.

Not that a national consensus is not needed. But the issues have to be clearly defined first, which the MQM has avoided to do.

As things stand, there are four major issues over which a consensus is desperately needed: the existential threat posed by extremist organisations, Pakistan’s relations with neighbouring countries, a political resolution of the Balochistan issue and peace in Karachi.

Unless the three major parries reach an understanding on these issues, the country will continue to face an uncertain future. While these parties oppose extremism in general, they have yet to agree of the vital specifics to be able to eradicate extremism. The PPP owns the ongoing fight against militancy. On the other hand, the PTI considers extremism to be a reaction to the US-led military presence in Afghanistan and drone attacks inside Pakistan. The PML(N) stands in between, sometimes leaning towards the PPP, at others towards the PTI.

While the military is fighting one category of militants, it is reluctant to take action against another. What is more, there are no indications that it is willing to change the policy. A number of banned outfits, operating under new names, continue to collect funds, hold rallies and make fresh recruitment. Unless there is a consensus among the major parties on the issue, there is little hope of the eradication of extremism.

There is near agreement between the three parties on developing friendly relations with India, despite the military still considering the neighbouring country the major enemy. This explains why agreements reached on visa relaxation and extension of trade remain unimplemented. With foreign policy issues still being formulated by those in khaki, military solutions to differences with Afghanistan are generating further cleavages between the neighbours.

Balochistan stands totally alienated on account of the unrealistic policies devised by the offstage players. The attempts by the SC to bring home the disappeared persons were foiled by those who matter. The major political parties owe it to the nation to develop a consensus on how to put an end to the bloodshed and human suffering in the province.

The MQM is mainly responsible for introducing violence in politics and for collecting “bhatta”. What has happened now is that a number of criminal elements have entered the arena challenging MQM’s monopoly. What is more the three alliance partners, PPP, MQM and ANP have totally failed to bring peace to Karachi.

This is, however, an unusual time to hold an APC on these vital matters. The government and the opposition are busy sorting out the issue of the caretaker set up and a date for the general elections. Currently all major parties are focused on the polls. A move to reach understanding on these issues can only be made after the elections.

The writer is a former academic and a political analyst.