Level-playing field: Nisar offers Rangers for Karachi by-election

As tempers flare, Sindh imposes Section 144 in Karachi for one month

ISLAMABAD/ KARACHI:

With tensions rising between the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the race for NA-246 (Karachi VIII), the federal government has jumped in to lower the temperature by offering to deploy paramilitary Rangers for the by-polls scheduled for April 23.

Workers of both parties have clashed twice within five days in Azizabad, considered an MQM stronghold, as preparations for the upcoming elections gather pace.

On Saturday, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said if the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) wanted, paramilitary troops could be deployed in Karachi to ensure a peaceful by-election. Later, Interior Secretary Shahid Khan contacted the Sindh government and offered the services of Rangers for the by-polls.

The development came within hours of the Sindh government’s decision to impose Section 144 in the metropolis for one month in view of growing fears of clashes between supporters of the rival parties. The government also warned political parties to adhere to the code of conduct devised by the ECP.

PTI chief Imran Khan has already called for the deployment of Rangers during the by-election on NA-246, vacated by Nabeel Gabol, owing to what he terms ‘fascist tactics’ of the MQM.

While the PTI had not specifically requested the ECP for this, the interior minister directed his ministry officials to coordinate with the Sindh police chief and the chief secretary to make necessary arrangements for the security of PTI rallies.

“Every political party, including PTI, should have independence to hold rallies in Karachi,” Nisar said in a statement. “The behaviour being shown against the PTI in Karachi is not political in its nature and against democratic norms.”

Imran warns Altaf

Reacting to Friday night’s attack on a PTI election camp, Imran took to Twitter and said the MQM could only win elections by using ‘Hitler’s Nazi party fascist tactics’. “PTI has got a team of lawyers ready in London to press charges against Altaf if any PTI member is harmed during the NA-246 election campaign,” he tweeted.

Later in a video message, Imran requested the people of Karachi to vote for his candidate, claiming it was a golden opportunity to change the fate of the city. Irrespective of winning or losing the by-election, he added, PTI’s effort would definitely make a difference for the people of Karachi.

PTI Additional Secretary General Saifullah Niazi said the party chief had talked with a competent lawyers’ team in London and would press charges against the MQM supremo if any PTI worker was hurt. “We want to continue our campaign in a peaceful way and also want the people of Karachi realise they can have a peaceful environment,” he said.

MQM responds

Addressing a press conference at Azizabad’s Jinnah Ground, MQM’s Kanwar Naveed, who is in the race for NA-246, alleged that the PTI had the backing of the establishment and was using state machinery in contesting the elections.

“The PTI is the good boy of the establishment while the MQM is the bad boy,” he said. “But at least provide us the space to breathe.”

He claimed whatever happened on Friday night was the outcome of the public rage against the language the PTI had been using against the representatives of the people of Karachi and MQM chief Altaf Hussain.

He also brushed aside any question of MQM boycotting the by-election. “No matter how much state’s machinery the PTI uses,” he pointed out, “we know we have the power of public with us.”


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