Restoring peace in Karachi

Interior Minister on a mission of hope

The interior minister has finally reached Karachi to enhance his understanding of the security situation, as he told the media. The visit was overdue as the conditions in the metropolitan had continued to deteriorate after the change of government at the centre and a single party administration replacing the coalition in Sindh. The last six weeks have seen the killing of an MQM MPA and his son, hurling of grenades inside Karachi jail, attack on a Sindh High Court judge and violence in Lyari that led scores of families to seek shelter in neigbouring districts, with the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) continuing to increase. Only a day before Ch Nisar ‘s arrival, a blast near the ANP office killed two party activists and injured six, while an explosion targeting Karachi metropolitan commissioner killed his police guard. Hopefully the interior minister will meet all the major stakeholders in Karachi to try to understand the dynamics of the country’s economic hub.

Organised violence and crime have been on the rise in Karachi since 2008. They started with target killings which could not be stopped despite promises by Rehman Malik and visits by PM Gilani and President Zardari. Members of the ruling coalition comprising the PPP, the MQM and the ANP held one another responsible for the killing spree. Taking benefit of the incompetence of the government a number of other actors also joined the free for all. Sectarian terrorists launched numerous attacks on the Shia community while the TTP targeted security personnel and installations. Organised gangs of criminals indulged in killings, kidnappings for ransom and bhatta collection. Several remedies which were tried to bring the situation under control failed because the ruling coalition lacked the unity of will and because activists of its components were themselves involved in violence. There were instances when hardened criminals were let off on parole to enable them to abscond. After the police failed to deliver, the FC and Rangers were brought in. Instead of solving the problem, they gradually became a part of it. The policy of using one gang of criminals against another led to further deterioration. Finally, the SC took up the issue, called the provincial chiefs of security agencies, Police and FC as well as politicians from different parties. The apex court issued orders still remain unimplemented.

What is now going to be tested is the interior minister’s ability to take the provincial government along. A remark reportedly made by him earlier did not go down well with the Sindh PPP and the MQM and was later contradicted by the interior ministry. Ch Nisar would do well now to be more careful about the sensitivities of those he has to work with. Nisar has promised to discuss ways of enhancing coordination between the centre and the province in order to improve security. There is a perception that if the federal and the provincial government join hands putting aside political rivalries the task of restoring peace would become easier.