The governor’s return

One can never be quite certain what is likely to happen in politics, especially when dealing with the MQM and its contact vis-à-vis alliance formation and attacks on those deemed its enemies. Just weeks after Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ebad resigned from his post amidst a furious exchange of words between the MQM and PPP, there are now indications that he is headed on his way back to resume his duties as governor.

It is hard to say exactly how this turn of events came about or even if it is final in terms of the agreement reached between the two parties. It is said that the PML-Q and its leader, Chaudry Shujaat Husain, played a key role in the series of mediations which led to this. With the MQM, it is always hard to know which way the breeze is blowing. If Dr Ebad does indeed take back his resignation, this would be another change in the rapidly swirling political realities of Karachi. Some semblance of accord between the MQM and PPP would obviously be a welcome development in the context of the city and its people who fear another descent into violence as political alliances fall apart. It may not be possible to avoid this. The worst affected party in all this is the PML-N. In fact, it has been left looking rather silly, all its attempts to win over the MQM having failed. The Sharifs will not be happy. The ANP rather graciously has welcomed the return of the governor and has stressed that peace is important for Karachi. We must hope that this development can ease the way towards bringing back some of the harmony the city has lost as yet another loop forms itself on the increasingly complex political landscape of a city that has, in recent times, seen far too much violence. It will be fascinating to see how things pan out from here and what the future developments are on a Karachi scene which has changed as regularly as the images of a kaleidoscope over the last few months.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2011.