Sindh govt needs to be reminded of its responsibilities
There has been a spurt in incidents of violence in Karachi after takeover by the newly elected government. Target killings have taken toll of political activists from all major parties. During the last few weeks IG Prison’s office inside Karachi jail was attacked, a grenade was thrown at Faisal Base, an attack was mounted on the Rangers post at Kati Pahari, the convoy of Sindh High Court Justice Maqbool Baqar was attacked, educationist Prof Azfar Rizvi was killed and the MQM MPA Sajid Qureshi was shot down along with his son. Since Home Miniser Sharjeel Memon vowed to make Karachi a cradle of peace, Lyari has been made to suffer a bloodbath. The operation by the Rangers failed to eliminate the gang chiefs while it badly disturbed Lyari. The provincial government passively watched as the gang war which forced thousands of Lyari residents to flee the locality in panic, leaving all their belongings behind. Most of them sought refuge in adjoining Thatta and Badin districts where they are camping in the open, braving the summer heat without potable water, food and shelter. Karachi has fallen prey to a number of armed groups who are combating to extend their influence. The MQM’s monopoly over terror has been challenged by the People’s Amn Committee, the MQM (Haqiqi), the LeJ and the TTP. They are all determined to fight for the control of drug trafficking, extortion and other rents. With police recruited on political basis and blue-eyed boys placed in key posts that they are unable to manage, the provincial government is incapable of controlling lawlessness.
That thousands of Lyari residents have turned into Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) brings no credit to the provincial or the federal government. Despite being focused on preparing a national security policy the PML-N government cannot afford to ignore Karachi, the largest city and the industrial hub of the country. The PM has sent Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali and DG IB to meet Sindh chief minister and other key officials and submit a report about the situation. Despite it being a provincial subject, the centre cannot allow continuous deterioration of law and order in any province as it is bound to destabilise the entire country. The Sindh government needs to be reminded of its responsibilities. What is more it should be provided whatever assistance it asks for to improve the situation in Karachi.
Mian Nawaz Sharif had a five-hour long meeting at the ISI headquarters to discuss the issue of terrorism and lawlessness. Among others, he also took the chief minister of Punjab along with him. What was needed was to invite the chief ministers of Sindh, Balochistan and KP too as these provinces have suffered much more from terrorism than Punjab. Their presence would have made the meeting more useful.