Mean nothing unless proven
Many who would otherwise blame MQM activists of involvement in target killings, extortion and land-grabbing were left guessing who was behind SSP Rao Anwar’s tirade against the MQM. No police officer is expected to press publicly for the banning of a political party. Soon after Anwar’s press conference IG Sindh transferred him on the directives of Sindh Chief Minister, indicating that the encouragement had not come from the provincial government. The MQM has been invited along with other parties to Prime Minister’s briefing on May 12, indicating that the federal government does not support the move as well. This explains why in TV talk shows on Wednesday night a number of media persons pointed their finger in the direction of the military controlled agencies.
A number of MQM activists including a party leader are presently in custody. The charges against them have been widely publicised without any having been proved. If anyone believes the MQM is out to destroy Pakistan, he should take the party to a court of law. Whether one likes it or not, the MQM bagged over ninety five thousand votes in NA 246, indicating no slippage in its popularity despite the widely publicised accusations and tough competition from two parties. MQM’s media trial would only confirm to its supporters that their leadership is being unjustly demonised. It would thus be counterproductive.
It won’t do calling a party an agent of RAW and expect that people would then pelt it with stones. Accusations of the sort have been hurled too often by the familiar agencies against several political parties, rights activists and media persons. Once it was NAP, the predecessor of the ANP, which was branded as a hireling of RAW and KHAD. Then came the turn of the PPP which was accused of handing over lists of Sikh terrorists to RAW. The PPP was then declared a security risk. None bought the allegations then and none is likely to do so now till these are proved in a court of law.