Calling for the army?

MQM Chief Altaf Hussain’s call for the army to be deployed in Karachi to tackle a law and order situation that refuses to be tamed, with a new round of gang warfare in Lyari following the return of the internally displaced people of the Kutchi community, has immediately resulted in an outcry from political parties. They have warned that taking this step would be a mistake, and that the civilian authorities need to take charge of the situation. The PTI, the JI, the PML-N and the PML-F have been among the groups condemning the call, alongside Sindhi nationalist forces.

Their reaction is understandable. Given our past history, military intervention of any kind is always an uncomfortable idea and, as a nation, we need to develop the capacity to deal with various situations without the army. But it is also true that right now, Karachi, as our commercial hub and largest city, desperately needs some semblance of order. Without discussing the political and practical intricacies involved in any summoning of the army, it cannot be disputed that the situation in Karachi has to be a priority. The violence in Karachi, the operation of mafias and gangs backed by political forces, the targeted killings and the other acts of crime have reduced the city to chaos with life paralysed in many quarters. Entire communities, such as the Kutchis in Lyari, live in fear. Hundreds of Kutchi families who fled Karachi in the wake of the gangster warfare there have recently returned to their homes, only to face violence again.

In this context, as the debate over army deployment continues, the notice taken by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of events in Karachi is welcome. He has said that a cabinet meeting will be called to discuss the situation. We must hope this happens as soon as possible. Karachi needs urgent attention; the single trip to the city a short while ago by the prime minister is not enough. Decisions are required to tackle the security nightmare that has unfolded over the years, to review the poor performance of the security forces and determine what needs to be done next to re-establish some sense of security in a city torn apart by violence.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2013.

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