Is MQM “Enjoying” The Misery of PPP?

“Is MQM enjoying what PPP is facing from the Rangers now?”

This has been very common question raised by different anchorpersons in their talk shows while discussing the prevailing tension between the Sindh and federal governments over the matter of giving extension to the Rangers.

Logically, this has to be decided by both PPP and PML-N (the parties leading the provincial and federal governments), yet the Pakistani media has been eagerly looking for MQM`s stance over this. The media-men have been monitoring each and every statement, speech and press conference of MQM leaders in order to infer where it was putting its weight. 

However, MQM has been very careful regarding this very serious matter. It has tried to avoid poking its nose in it. It just stood by its basic and unchanged stand that the Karachi operation should continue against criminal and terrorists across the board in the entire Sindh. But question is, why has the media-men and political analysts have given so much importance to MQM`s stance? Indeed, there is a complete background of it. In 2013, when the targeted operation was launched in Karachi, MQM appeared as the biggest victim of this.  Thousands of its workers and supporters were arrested, about hundred of them got disappeared after arrest and dozens were extra-judicially killed. Due to the hostile attitude of the Sindh Rangers, MQM had to face an un-announced ban type situation in Karachi. 

Although MQM`s elected representatives repeatedly called attention of the people and authorities concerned (especially the captain of operation, i.e., CM Sindh) to the victimization during operation, instead of resolving its grievances, they praised the Rangers over their actions. But now, after the arrest of Dr. Asim, PPP seems to be the next victim of the on-going operation. That was the background considering which Pakistani anchorpersons are terming the MQM`s demand to continue operation as “taking pleasure” of the turning situation against PPP. Question is, if MQM`s unchanged stand, can be regarded as its expressing of joy, then what about the unsolicited supports to the Karachi operation from the MQM`s rivals on political, ethnic and sectarian grounds? Should such a support not be similarly interpreted by the Pakistani media and political analysts?

The record shows that since the start of the Karachi operation in 2013, almost all the political and religious parties have fully endorsed each and every phase of Karachi operation during which the Sindh Rangers hit MQM below the belt. In addition to pleading for the operation in talk shows and through press conferences, MQM`s rivals also staged rallies in favor of the Rangers` actions. PTI, Jamat-e-Islami, PML-N, PML-F, ASWJ (a banned group), traders` and oil tankers` associations, all played their controversial role in this connection. Financing and installing hundreds of bill boras with “Thank You Raheel Sharif For Saving Karachi” message were in addition to that.

On top of all, even the people representing the state authorities (Chief Minister of Sindh, Prime Minister of Pakistan, Chiefs Justice of High and Supreme Courts as well as the Army Chief), not only expressed their complete satisfaction over the Rangers` targeted actions, but also pledged to continue the same in any cost. Keeping in view all these, if MQM`s demand to continue the Rangers` operation within legal and constitutional frame work, can be portrayed as its “Enjoying” the troublesome of PPP, why should all the unconditional supports to the Karachi operation (even after several known cases of violation of human rights) not be termed as “Taking pleasure” of the victimization of MQM & Urdu speaking people (known as Muhajirs)? 

Unfortunately, this is not new at all. Karachi-ites have been witnessing all this since the first and formal operation was launched against MQM in early 90`s. When the military operation was being finalized in 1992, it was made very clear before the Parliament that the proposed operation would be against the 72 big fish as per the list presented there. However, the army operation exclusively targeted MQM instead of the listed persons. 
The 92`s military operation continued till late 1999 through its different phases during which thousands of MQM`s workers and supporters became the victims of direct and indirect state`s brutality on ethnic basis. But, instead of making the government officials and the Army chief answerable over having misled the parliament, all the parliamentarians and their so-called democratic parties kept enjoying the “Muhajir-clean up” operation in Karachi.  

In 1971 too, stake holders of the West Pakistan tried to enjoy the operation in formerly East Pakistan against the Bengali community. 
They similarly chose and enforced the option (military operation) in Dhaka (about which the Bengalis were the most relevant to decide) by pleading that majority of the people in East Pakistan wanted that. Then, the reality came up before all and the entire world witnessed what the people of East Pakistan (Bengalis) were actually demanding. Regrettably, no lesson was learnt from the fall of Dhaka and the ill-famed military surrender in 1971 resulted from the prejudiced policies. At present too, logically irrelevant group of people and the authorities are once again conspiring to impose their own decisions on the people of Karachi through force by sidelining their elected representatives (MQM). Question is, will the already tried and failed tactic bring any positive results in return for the country? Can an artificially created support for an ethnically-motivated plan of victimization of a specific party and community, ever result in peace and harmony in the country? At least, I do not think so!