Target killings, extortion, kidnappings, gun battles, encroachment and land grabbing, street crimes — what’s not there in Karachi which you could expect in a lawless metropolis? Who in Karachi will not wish to put a permanent lid on this unabated chaos? Talk to anyone in Karachi and you will find every other person directly or indirectly impacted by the crime with no course to get relief. Just two years back, Supreme Court took suo motu action on worsening law and order situation in the city, weeks long sessions were held getting all stakeholders to put up their viewpoint/findings, and finally the court came up with a number of recommendations for the Sindh government to implement.
One of the recommendations was to eliminate militant wings of political and religious parties in Karachi. Who is not aware that the MQM, PPP, ANP, Sunni Tahreek, JI either promote such wings (or at least provide tactical support) for political gains and to make quick money? The present government started an operation against criminals in Karachi in 2013, moving on at questionable pace as there was no visible improvement in law and order situation — killings, extortions, kidnappings for ransom and operation against all these crimes continued in parallel or better say both got adjusted to each other.
In this backdrop, Rangers’ raid on MQM’s headquarter, March 12, brought many surprises and led to speculations, questions and motives behind it. As per Rangers statements, they have arrested target killers and illegal weapons from the MQM offices and around. This is not the first time such an operation has been launched to rid the city of criminals. The 1990s has seen not one but several successive operations in the city. Why is it so that Karachiites are afraid that history is going to repeat itself? When operation against MQM was started in 1990s, MQM was at the lowest ever level of popularity in urban Sindh due to their arm twisting and illegal activities. But within few years, it regained its strength while keeping the vote bank intact and triumphed in the elections that followed the operation. Why did that happen? Why did Karachiites choose to again support MQM? The answer is quite simple: action against MQM got politicised in which LEAs appeared to be acting as a party, an aggressive party, against a victimised one, not only MQM but all the Urdu-speaking community.
Events of the last few days are flagging the same trend — LEAs are behaving as a party to let MQM take the victim role. A protestor was shot dead at point blank during the raid on 90 (during which no one resisted the arrests despite access to weapons) – a Ranger soldier with a pistol was blamed for the shooting. Footage shows Rangers firing live ammunitions to disperse the crowd. Then came the appearance of the accused in the court to get official remand for further investigation. They were paraded in the court blindfolded walking with each other’s support.
The social media started comparing these footages with the appearance of Lakhvi, alleged mastermind of Mumbai attack, in court. Another unusual thing happened — Rangers started issuing press releases on daily basis providing the details of confessions they were extracting from the accused. What’s the legal value of these press releases unless these are presented in a court of law for prosecution? They may provide material for breaking news, glaring with confessions and hot topics for talk shows. This is what MQM calls its media trial.
Karachiites want this operation to succeed and rid the city of all the criminals — not only of one party but of all the parties. If LEAs fail to maintain the neutrality, then we are doing a futile exercise. The only outcome would be extension of Rangers’ stay in the city who are already stationed here for the last two decades.
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
