Editorial

President’s speech on Karachi

President Zardari and his team need to work out a strategy to achieve some modicum of peace in Karachi.

Editorial November 15, 2012

In the speech he delivered in Malikwal in Mandi Bahauddin district, President Asif Ali Zardari focused on issues in Karachi. He insisted that the state had not lost the ability to govern the city and that things were not falling apart, as seemed to be the case. Many, of course, would disagree. During the last week alone, 50 people have been killed in Karachi. For the year 2012, the figure already stands close to 2,000, according to human rights monitoring groups. These statistics do not exhibit any real evidence of an ability to control law and order in a city which has, once more, fallen into near complete chaos.

President Zardari blamed the happenings in Karachi on elements that wished to disrupt democracy and the democratic system in the country. No doubt, events in the capital of Sindh act to destabilise the nation. But whether we can blame everything that goes wrong in our state on conspiracy theories is questionable. Yes, now and in our past, we have faced many attempts to deliberately sabotage the working of the civilian government. While it cannot be denied that there may be an element of truth in the president’s words, the reality is also that Karachi is stricken by many ethnic, sectarian and political tensions and that violence in the city can erupt at any moment — sometimes, without any apparent reason at all. Somehow, authorities need to manage these matters and get things under control. They have so far failed in this completely.

President Zardari and his team need to work out a strategy to achieve some modicum of peace. While he has spoken of the development work achieved by his government in various areas and announced new schemes for Mandi Bahauddin, the fact is that many people live in fear everywhere in the country due to the breakdown of law and order. Karachi is a hotspot. It needs to be tamed if order is to be maintained in the country and stability restored so that democracy is not damaged.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2012.

COMMENTS (8)

M.Ahmer Ali | 12 years ago | Reply ***@HH:Pakistan is a failed state, thanks to PPP*** Highly respected sir please correct your statement because Pakistan is not a failed state but PPP's government made Pakistan a failed and indebted state by its substandard and the most worst ever economical and financial policies and by reaching the corruption on its the highest level..... Never forget it and always remember that any state can't make itself economically and defensively prosperous and economically and defensively weakened and indebted but the only leaders play the most important role to make any state prosperous and strong economically or weak and indebted economically and defensively because the state is run by the leaders and the leaders don't run by the state....

sattar rind | 12 years ago | Reply

i see no chance of peace in coming long time in Pakistan. specially when USA will leave Afghanistan 2014 we will observe the very dangerous war / civil war in the region ... and Karachi is not on the moon.

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kanwal | 12 years ago | Reply

Zardari and likes in both military and civilian elite are favored by the karachi issues. Keeps people busy, does nt it?

HH | 12 years ago | Reply

Pakistan is a failed state, thanks to PPP...

Muneer | 12 years ago | Reply

The situation in Karachi and Quetta calls for a bold and proactive approach from civil administration,police,Rangers/ FC and intelligence organisations against the perpetrators of violence. But in the existing hostile judicial environments, there does not seems to be any will to do that.The way a sepoy of Rangers and DG Rangers were handled some time back by the media/apex court is an example of such environments. To control an aggravated law and order situation,enabling environments and aggresive approach is required.

M.Ahmer Ali | 12 years ago | Reply ***He insisted that the state had not lost the ability to govern the city and that things were not falling apart, as seemed to be the case. Many, of course, would disagree. During the last week alone, 50 people have been killed in Karachi. For the year 2012, the figure already stands close to 2,000, according to human rights monitoring groups. These statistics do not exhibit any real evidence of an ability to control law and order in a city which has, once more, fallen into near complete chaos.*** Zardari would you like to explain and define honestly,sincerely and truly that If this not failure,inability and disability of state then what is called the failure,inability and disability of any state in your cerebration and whose responsibility is to eradicate/uproot/control terrorism from the country and when you shall accept the failure of your government whereas daily 5 to 10 innocent people are killed in Karachi and whose responsibility is provide security and protection to the nation from the terrorism and innocent and sinless killings???? Please pay attention on the nation's security as well as of yours own,ministers and bureaucrats....

usmany | 12 years ago | Reply

Anywhere else in the world, this utterly out-of-touch assessment of your economic capital would be a complete outrage. but then this is good old pakistan. home sweet home :)

Jahangir Mari | 12 years ago | Reply

If the Capital of Sindh province cannot be governed by the PPP government, then the Sindh card falls trampled on the ground. Crippling Karachi = Crippling of Pakistani Economy = Crippling of Pakistani Armed Forces. General Kiyani and his close aides need to wake-up. In the end, Karachi situation is the loss and crippling of the Pakistani Military. It is never a loss & crippling of Mr. Zardari !

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