Uncalled for and highly dangerous to boot
The sudden and unexpected demand by Altaf Hussain to handover Karachi to the army has rightly been denounced by the federal government as well as the PPP and the PTI. The move by the MQM is aimed at expressing lack of confidence both in the Sindh government and the PML-N’s administration at the centre. What is happening in Karachi despite being highly condemnable is nothing new. The undiminished wave of killings started soon after the three-party coalition with the MQM a major partner took over in 2008. After that the scale of targeted murders continued to rise with every passing year. From an estimated 1,700 killed in 2011, the figure climbed to more than 2,300 in 2012. More than 1,400 killing have been recorded since the start of this year. During the period the metropolis has witnessed some of the goriest incidents in recent history. As revealed during the proceedings of the Supreme Court in the Karachi law and order case, the MQM itself was very much a part of the problem.
The demand has raised questions about the ethnic outfit’s motives. Never before had the party agreed to the army’s induction in Karachi. What has motivated it put up a demand that it had strongly opposed when a part of the government for five years? Posing to act as a bridge, the MQM had expressed a desire to be invited to join both the Sindh cabinet and the PML-N coalition at the center. Is it ‘after me the deluge’sort of reaction after the party was denied the unusual wish? Others think the MQM is out to upset the system at someone’s behest.
On Tuesday gangsters in Lyari attacked members of Kutchi community who had returned only a few days back after being assured of safety by the local administration. Incidents of violence were also reported from other parts of the city. The toll over the last two days has crossed 16. This is highly alarming. Restoring peace in the industrial hub of the country is the responsibility of the Sindh government which can no more claim that coalition exigencies are responsible for the deterioration of law and order. The Sindh government enjoys full powers under the 18th amendment. What is more it has been assured that it would have the full backing of the federal administration in restoring peace. The constitution allows the government to call in the army for assistance in emergencies. This is however done only as a matter of last resort. As things stand the provincial government is confident of restoring peace on its own. The PML-N government which has yet to complete its first hundred days in office is also opposed to involving the army at this stage. Unless both the provincial and federal governments express inability to deal with the situation, any invitation to the army is both uncalled for and highly dangerous.
