When in London…..

…do as the Karachiites do

It appears the revolution of educated, middle-class politics is being exported to London as well. During a recent speech by PPP firebrand Dr Zulfiqar Mirza in the city, hecklers, believed to be activists of the MQM, disrupted the gathering and the ensuing tumult resulted in some of the audience members sustaining injuries. The police acted quickly and controlled the situation, using necessary force. Till the filing of this editorial, none of the major TV stations in the UK have been running a marathon session decrying a victimisation of an enlightened political party. A stark contrast from Pakistan.

Dr Mirza claims he is not one given to go out of the country to talk about local politics but the visit was necessary as the Imran Farooq murder case – about which he claims to have some leads – was in the jurisdiction of the London police. For better or for worse, London has had a place in our politics. During our history, many leaders have gone into exile there, operating from the UK before making good their return. Others have met there and signed declarations. The city has otherwise hosted many nationalists and dissidents from many different political parties, across the political and ethnic divide of our polity. The prime example being the MQM’s own leader Altaf Hussein, who has had the distinction of not returning to his country despite his party having successive stints at being in power.

The MQM’s appeal to the UK authorities to take care of the situation specifically on account of incitement of racial hatred in particular is a profile in chutzpah unto itself. As is the plea to British authorities not to “allow the British soil to be used for creating lawlessness in Karachi”. It is hoped the British authorities remain objective and that the law enforcement agencies in Pakistan itself take a leaf out of their book. Views, politics and ideologies aside, no state should ever cede its monopoly on the use of violence.