As if Karachi needs more
The latest spat involving MQM leader Farooq Sattar and the Rangers seems a kind of prelude to a bigger, deeper incident. Diverging representation of facts and sequence of events often occur initially when opposing parties try to float narratives of their liking; with crucial details usually taking longer to emerge. How is it possible, for example, that Sattar has repeatedly accused Rangers of raiding his home – without reason – and roughing up some of his guards, while Rangers reply that the raid was two lanes away, and an important target killer, (an important politician’s “right hand man”), has been arrested? Why such discrepancy? The ambiguity means either position could be true. It might be that the raid upset the politician for very obvious reasons. And it is just as likely that our law enforcement agencies, never known for their subtlety, are overplaying their hand, as usual.
But the MQM is a different kettle of fish than your average Karachi political party with an armed wing – and there’s no political party in the metropolis without a mini army. MQM is also a political behemoth. Its clout ensures diplomatic muscle across the political landscape, and it has done progressive business with many parties in the centre. It is also the only party that allows ordinary working class people to climb up the political ladder. And while its turf war tendencies have allegedly played no small part in keeping Karachi in perpetual chaos, it has also been the only party to continuously warn about Talibanisation of the city. Its members have also, for better or for worse, limited TTP advances in the south, especially when the police seemed incapable, or unwilling, to take the bull by the horns.
Prudence now dictates that the law takes its course. A thorough probe must be conducted that will settle rumours and presumptions once and for all. It must be known who and what the Rangers were looking for, and how close or far they were from Sattar’s house. And once the investigation is complete, strict legal action should follow. This exercise must not, however, compromise the Karachi operation, which has already not been much to write home about. All efforts must be made to cleanse and safeguard the port city. It has already suffered more than its share.
A response to ‘MQM tensions’
A ‘spat’ normally takes place between equals. So you lose ground before you could even begin and the assertions which follow offer little or no insight. Here we have one of the country’s finest legislative minds, Dr. Farooq Sattar, a vociferous and visionary parliamentarian for nearly 3 decades who has served the Government of Pakistan as a minister in several administrations, also in the capacity of chair or a member of various parliamentary committees. He entered the public office at the age of 27 and remained in the public and media scrutiny since then. He is respected by friends and foe alike and revered and loved by his supporters. On the other hand we have Rangers, a state functionary which is stationed in the metropolis for almost 2 decades and has miserably failed the objectives of their presence in Karachi. They proved utter waste of tax payers’ money. There has been undeniable evidence of Rangers operating above all legal parameters and engaging in extra judicial killings of Karachittes. Time and again to justify their their pay cheque they have conducted poorly planned and plagued with prejudice raids. The one conducted in PIB colony was just another in the series suffered by the Karachiites. The apprehension about the incident being a prelude to something bigger and deeper remains unsupported by evidence and clearly not based in facts.
Your response to the incident lacks attention to detail and is inadequate in its analysis of the two narratives offered. You have failed to recognize that a parliamentarian has nothing to gain from building a narrative away from the way events unfolded that night. On the other hand, Rangers are held accountable for their performance. They are frustrated because of tremendous pressure to produce results. Unfortunately their actions appear more like those of occupying forces rather than driven by the aim of protecting citizens of their own country. Incidents like a young man killed by Rangers and another a taxi driver shot dead before his toddler son have made them lose trust of the people, hence their poorly calculated and mindless moves. I will give you just two examples which will enable you to understand whose narrative is credible. In his media briefing Dr. Farroq Sattar stated that his licensed weapon was taken away and the canopy outside his house for the guards was brought down. Beside the fact that such actions betray Rangers’ contempt for the residents of Karachi and their representatives, but also nullify their claim that the 'raid was two lanes away'. Hope just these two happenings will allow you to understand the location raided was that of Dr. Farooq Sattar’s. There are more such loopholes and discrepancies in their narrative which were left unplugged by the Rangers who are suffering from lack of commitment to unbiased and across the board operation.
It is interesting to see a complete departure of objective and unbiased journalism which is indicative of the fact that little attention was paid to the module, perhaps, journalism 101 which discouraged the use of emotive and pejorative words and consider its use as against journalistic ethics. You seem to feel quite comfortable in referring to a political force which is secular and progressive and draws its strength from the oppressed middle class as 'political behemoth'. This 'political behemoth' as you like to refer to it, enjoys the unwavering support of the masses for 3 decades. You might benefit from the fact that the most educated and informed voters of the whole of Pakistan support this 'political behemoth', so you are not only attacking this political force but also challenging and contesting the intellect of the Karachites for choosing this 'political behemoth', elections after elections after elections. Apart from the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court making a generalised statement about political parties having militant wings there has been no judgments by the lower or higher courts which could give you reason to suggest that MQM has an armed wing. MQM has been absolved from fabricated cases, such as the murders of Hakim Saeed and Major Kaleem. So why make statement which cannot be substantiated.
Of course, it is imperative that the happenings of the raid are probed. Independent investigations should be conducted about yet another politically motivated action by the Rangers in the dead of the night. Also, the impetus and the outcome of the raid should b made clear. One more thing which is much desired in general and in particular in terms of this blog is objective reporting and analysis. Better luck next time
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