Editorial

Politics, change — and flux

The MQM and its leadership has painted itself into a corner that its political rivals can now besiege at their leisure

Editorial September 04, 2015

STOCK IMAGE

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) appears to be marching resolutely backwards towards its future — at least its elected representatives do. Negotiations between the government and the MQM appear to have collapsed, not that they were making much progress anyway. With both sides now entrenched, the government will in all probability pursue ‘carrot and stick’ but there is no telling where that might lead. The MQM for its part accused the government of ‘not being serious enough’ which, decoded, means that the government failed to accede to everything demanded by the MQM. Leaders of the party who had waited for hours in Islamabad in the hope that they would be called back to the negotiating table, eventually left.

Thus the MQM has, like the Pakistan-Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) before it embarked on a path of denial of representation for every single one of the millions that voted for it. The MQM members of the Senate, the National Assembly and the Sindh provincial assembly are now saying that their resignations are irrevocable and should be accepted as such. If taken as such, then by-elections will have to be arranged and the struggle for power run yet again.

Whether one supports the PTI or not, one cannot escape the perception that it has altered the dynamics of the wider politics of Pakistan. It may have failed in its attempt to take national power, and equally failed to prove that the 2013 election was rigged everywhere, thus cheating the PTI of the victory it believed was its by right. But it has challenged the old order, and nowhere more so than in Karachi, the MQM stronghold. Again it did not ‘win big’ in Karachi but it polled in sufficient numbers to indicate a strong vote bank. It will be this that the MQM will be eyeing in the event of by-elections and old loyalties may no longer be assumed to hold fast. The MQM and its leadership has painted itself into a corner that its political rivals can now besiege at their leisure as political flux works its mysteries.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2015.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

COMMENTS (1)

S.R.H. Hashmi | 8 years ago | Reply When you say “The MQM for its part accused the government of ‘not being serious enough’ which, decoded, means that the government failed to accede to everything demanded by the MQM” don’t you think you are being a bit unreasonable with MQM? In the circumstances where the Rangers openly declared that they will target the sector and unit incharges of MQM (just for being that, and without even any involvement in criminal acts), when undeclared restrictions are being imposed on the party to stop their day-to-day activities, and when they are being refused to collect hides during the forthcoming Eid which provides the bulk of the funds for the massive charitable work they do, in short when overt and covert action is being resorted to put MQM out of business, just what other options does the party have? Also, the sector and unit offices of MQM are being targeted, but MQM (Haqiqi) is seen – and most probably encouraged – to open new offices in the city, reminding one of an earlier brutal operation against MQM during which MQM (Haqiqi) was being supported and encouraged to take over from MQM (Altaf) and after which operation, final victory was declared by proclaiming that the back of the MQM has been broken. Also, reports had recently appeared in the media that during Islamabad sit-ins some Generals, including active-service ones, seemed to favour Imran Khan but were ruled out by General Raheel Sharif. Perhaps the sentiment is still there in some sections of the army and Imran Khan appears to be receiving encouragement to take over Sindh, especially Karachi. Knowing Imran Khan who lacks depth and the spirit of cooperation and acts in a dictatorial manner, and has proved himself good only at politics of agitation and disruption, he could hardly be a suitable person for Sindh where there are rural, urban and many other divides. Slightly digressing from the subject, I would say that Afghan President Ashraf Ghani started with Pakistan on a positive note and with an open mind, and initial inter-actions created a hope of improved relations between the two neighbours as opposed to conditions during Hamid Karzai’s rule. However, forced by circumstances, he is revising his opinion and it won’t be long before we would see him as another Karzai. And Sartaj Aziz’s recent meeting has failed to pacify and satisfy President Ashraf Ghani. However, instead of taking these matter seriously, and concentrating on addressing Afghan grievances and elimination of terrorism – which is alienating not only Afghanistan but many other countries as well - the powers that be seem to be content with defeating MQM and conquering Karachi which, in their opinion, seems to be the only trouble spot in the country, as regards militancy, corruption and all things bad and ugly that one could think of and the rest of the country enjoys perfect peace and tranquility, with saints and angels inhabiting it. I wish and pray that our higher ups set their priorities right. Karachi

Replying to X