The Perpetrators Cannot Distract People!

Once again MQM and its leadership are the prime target of severe criticism from its political rivals, anchorpersons and analysts. Whatever news channels we tune into, they can be seen holding MQM responsible for all the problems that Karachi-ites are facing, including the ones that were prevailing even before it stepped into the politics. Question is, how can one be held liable for the problems which initiated even before his/her existence? The purpose of all this mudslinging is nothing, but to demoralize MQM`s supporters. In the this respect, the most common distractor which MQM`s rivals use is the question, “What did MQM give to its voters?” or “How many issues of Urdu speaking community did MQM resolve since its formation?”

Although these seem to be quite valid questions, one needs to go in depth before making any conclusions in this respect.

It should be kept in mind that MQM emerged as Muhajir Quomi Movement for the rights of Urdu speaking people (Muhajirs) in mid 80`s. MQM`s founder Altaf Hussain claimed that Muhajirs were being victimized on ethnic basis. So, he demanded to officially recognize them as the fifth nation of Pakistan (like other ethnic communities namely Punjabis, Sindhi Balochis and Pashtun) and also to provide equal share in country`s resources to them. The Urdu speaking people agreed to these demands and accepted Altaf Hussain as their leader, which was an evident endorsement to the fact that MQM`s claims were justified. Had there been no ethnic victimization and the resulted issues, would the people concerned have voted for MQM? People`s mandate not only proved that there were already very serious issues in urban Sindh before MQM`s emergence, but it also validated Altaf Hussain`s claim that MQM was formed as a reaction to the injustice against the Urdu speaking community. Pakistani political analysts and anchorpersons have made it a habit of criticizing MQM over even petty issues, but none of them ever points out actually who created the issues due to which MQM came into being.

No doubt it is true that almost all the major issues of Muhajirs are still persisting. But, can MQM be held responsible for this? Principally, the burden of responsibility always lies on the shoulders of those who have the relevant authorities and powers. Here, it is important to state that in order to resolve the matters like quota system, law & order and empowered local body`s system, executive authorities and powers are needed. And this is an open secret that MQM never came into the position to form its own government especially in Sindh. Considering the undeniable fact, will it be fair to blame MQM for the persistence of issues?  

To overcome this mater, MQM politically supported bigger parties (like PPP, PML-N and PML-Q) and helped them form their governments after the agreements that they would address the issues of its people. Very unfortunately, none of them kept its promise. No analyst, anchorperson, national leader or Islamic scholar questions the leadership of these so-called “non-ethnic”, “national” and “democratic” parties as to why they did not resolve the issues of Muhajirs despite not only having the required authorities, but also having been politically & morally bound by MQM (through its political support) to do this?

Not speaking of resolving the issues, the Pakistani political elites launched ruthless operations with the aim to wipe out MQM from the political scene. Thousands of Urdu speaking youths were extra-judicially killed and more than that were arrested and brutally tortured. Further, a large number of Urdu speaking employees were sacked from different government departments during these operations which added to the misery of the already victimized community. That was the reply from the state authorities to the MQM`s demand for resolving people`s issues.

Having been disappointed from the country`s political parties, when MQM itself raised these issues in the assemblies and demanded to resolve them, no other party supported it. Whether it was the matter of funds for Karachi, or the suggestion for a new administrative unit for Karachi-ites, all the parties (from PPP to PTI and from PML-N to JI) strongly opposed it. However, they unconditionally supported all those resolutions and bills (laws) which could add to the economic, physical and political victimization of the people of urban Sindh. This was how Pakistani political and religious parties expressed their “love” for Urdu speaking community.

Similarly, Pakistani military establishment badly disappointed the Urdu speaking community. When the political governments of PPP and PML-N were busy in victimization of MQM and its voters, the establishment could have compelled them to stop it just like they did in the matter of extension of Rangers` stay in Karachi despite the Sindh government`s strong opposition. But, it remained silent.

Furthermore, the military establishment could have accommodated thousands of jobless Urdu speaking youths in their under-controlled departments like Army, Navy, PAF, ISI, MI, MP, Rangers and FC. To compensate for the decades-long victimization, the armed forces could have also set up Karachi Rangers (like Sindh and Punjab Rangers), Karachi Constabulary (like FC in KPK) and Karachi Regiments to employ Muhajir youths. But, they never did so. Rather, they pressurized the Sindh government to hire, not Urdu speaking young men, but retired army personnel for Karachi police.

Keeping in view these facts, is it difficult to identify actually who caused the problems and who have been posing hurdles in the way of their solution? Obviously not! Yet, if someone paints MQM & its leadership as liable for this, he is doing nothing, but deliberately trying to weaken the only voice of the oppressed community. And, this is exactly what the real perpetrators (political and military establishments of Pakistan) have longed for.