ANP: Never say die!

By Benazir Shah
ZoneAsia-Pk

HE’S LOST 819 OF HIS PARTY COLLEAGUES TO TERRORISM, AND SURVIVED AN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN 2008. WE RECENTLY SPOKE WITH ASFANDYAR WALI KHAN, CHIEF OF THE TALIBAN-THREATENED AWAMI NATIONAL PARTY, WHICH GOVERNED KHYBER-PAKHTUNKHWA PROVINCE UNTIL MARCH, ABOUT SATURDAY’S ELECTIONS AND MORE. EXCERPTS:

The ANP has been mercilessly attacked by the Taliban in the run-up to the elections. As a result your party has been unable to campaign freely. At any point, did you consider not participating in the May 11 polls?

In the last four years, our party has lost a total of 819 workers. Why are we being targeted? Simple: [the Pakistani Taliban] want to keep us out of the elections. For Pakistan these are not just any elections, the new Parliament will have to deal with 2014, when NATO and ISAF forces withdraw from the region. When 2014 comes around, they do not want liberal people to be in the government. These forces want a free hand to do whatever they want, but they will not keep us out. This is not just a war between ANP and the Taliban or Asfandyar Wali and [Taliban kingpin] Hakimullah Mehsud, this is a war between two mindsets. The liberal, progressive, and democratic are on one side. On the other end are those who ruled Afghanistan and later surfaced in Swat. If we back off now, we let them win. The more the elections are delayed, the more bloodshed there will be. It is not going to get any better.

How is your party campaigning?

We cannot run advertisements like the other parties. We just don’t have that kind of money. It is common knowledge how much these [cable news] channels charge for broadcasting ads. Our local workers move door to door. The day Haroon and Ghulam Ahmed Bilour were attacked in Peshawar [on April 16], we lost 17 workers. The very next day pamphlets were distributed in the city warning people not to hoist any flags of the ANP or display its posters and stickers. And the same evening in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Swabi, and Mardan our party circulated thousands of stickers. The stickers had the party’s [electoral] symbol on it, which is the lantern, and a slogan, “Country or Coffin.”

Your partner parties the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and Pakistan Peoples Party have also been specifically targeted by the Taliban.

There is some misunderstanding. ANP has not gone into an electoral alliance with the MQM. PPP, MQM, and ANP have borne the brunt of terrorist attacks. We thought that if we got together to raise our voice against the bloodshed, the impact would be different. But let me clarify, again, that this is not an electoral alliance. It might not help the situation, but the three of us share an enemy. The people of Pakistan had been fooled for a very long time in believing that Karachi is the turf of the MQM and ANP. Now at least everyone knows the truth.

Is it accurate to say that the bloodshed in Karachi over the past five years is a result of turf wars among militias affiliated with the ANP, MQM, and PPP?

If I had a Pakhtun militant wing in Karachi, would I be targeted the way I am today? Please do not push us to the wall. That is my biggest fear. Do not push us to a situation where we decide to defend ourselves. The day we start defending ourselves, things are going to take a very ugly turn! If I had a militant wing in Karachi, I don’t think anyone would have had the guts to attack me.

‘The true referee of the electoral showdown is Hakimullah Mehsud.’

Will election results accurately reflect voters’ choice?

Let me make it very clear, ANP has been shoved into a wrestling ring with its hands tied. The opponents stand across from us and their hands are free. Until now, we were under the impression that the referee for these elections was the chief of the Election Commission of Pakistan, Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim. I have the utmost respect for him. But the true referee of the electoral showdown is Hakimullah Mehsud. Look at his statements, he’s “allowed” Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl), Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf to hold public rallies, and he’s not “permitted” ANP, MQM or PPP to do the same. Is this his decision to make? Mehsud has clearly defined his friends and his foes.

After the attack on Haroon Bilour, you wrote to the Election Commission demanding more security. What became of that?

Copies of the letter were also sent to the president, the caretaker prime minister, and to the chief justice. Nine days lapsed and nothing happened. There wasn’t a word from the ECP. On the 10th day, Ebrahim showed up on television claiming he never received any such letter. That is the last I heard of that. The Election Commission is telling us to make our own security arrangements. Use your own untrained security guards, they say. Now, if these untrained security guards are enough to guard me and my candidates, then they must be capable of also guarding the country? The government took my security away in a very awkward manner, at 9:30 p.m. one night, without even informing me. The security that had been provided to me consisted of one policeman and four guards. The Election Commission denies it ordered it, but then there is written evidence proving it requested all security be withdrawn.

Will you accept the election results without any hesitation?

No, that will depend. It will depend on the results and how things shape up. As far as electoral alliances are concerned, it is still too early to decide that. Let me repeat, since this is a war between two mindsets, I will not go for an alliance with a party which belongs to the other camp. Let’s not name anyone. However, I would like to add that of late there is a new phenomenon arising before the elections. A few days ago, two Jamaat-e-Islami workers were caught with 90,000 fake ballot papers. Now new reports are emerging-I am still trying to confirm them-that a Jamaat aspirant’s house was raided and another 30,000 to 35,000 bogus ballot papers have been recovered. If these things start developing then there will be a big question mark on the upcoming elections.

What should be the chief priority of the next elected government?

Terrorism needs to be addressed immediately. One has to take control of the field. Right now, the ownership of the field is being challenged. We can continue to fight among ourselves about what we may want to plant in the field, but first we must own it.

ELECTION WATCHES

By Adam Raj
Newsvine

The Caretakers are in and have started caretaking. The Election Commission under the wise Chief Election Commissioner has swung into action and is working round the clock to clear up all the preparatory work before Election Day. The military and the judiciary are supporting the process staying strictly within their own domains. The media is in frenzy as it keeps pace with all the developments, analyzes events and presents viewers with debates and predictions of the likely outcome. Except for pessimists who  always see a half empty glass everyone thinks the elections will be on schedule and that they will be free and fair with the military completely neutral. The stage is set for the dynamics of the elections to play out and the ball is in the courts of the political parties and the Election Commission and of course the Caretakers.

That there is much outside interest is evident from the flurry of diplomatic activity now in progress as preparations are made to monitor the election process and gain as much insight as possible into possible scenarios. The British made waves by releasing a survey that has almost 95% percent of the Pakistanis surveyed saying that they thought their country was headed in the wrong direction. Around 70% view the Army, the Judiciary, the Media and the Religious segments favorably and an equal percentage seems to have negative views of the Federal and Provincial governments and the National and Provincial assemblies. Nearly 38% favor Sharia Law over democracy according to the survey. Obviously the desire is for change that leads to good governance after the elections.

The US Embassy under the new Ambassador is  reaching out to the various Baloch groups, the ANP, the ‘establishment’, media and civil society as well as NGO’s. Almost 15 NGO’s may be engaged to monitor the conduct and transparency of the Elections. The first step will probably be an assessment of the political parties—their current standings and prospects—so that these can be updated as the process moves forward. USAID under its Chief Mr Raju Shah is already in contact with the ECP (Election Commission of Pakistan) to help with funds and technical assistance in the training of polling staff, as well as ECP staff and journalists and HRCP( Human Rights Commission of Pakistan) representatives in places like Multan, Sheikhupura, Quetta and Khairpur—one such program was organized in Sunfort Hotel Lahore.

The British High Commission has a cell in its political division dedicated to the Election monitoring process. An organization called the Church World Services (CWS) will be closely monitoring the political situation and the actual elections. It will probably finance workshops to train journalists, staff and segments of civil society and link up with NGO’s for monitoring and compilation of results. A senior journalist from Punjab may be used to coordinate on their behalf to avoid allegations of interference. There seems to be much interest and interaction with the MQM probably because the MQM leader is in exile in London and is a British citizen. The MQM local leadership has indicated to British diplomats in contact with them that they think the British government is backing the PPP as well as pressurizing the MQM leader in London—and they cited the raid on an MQM facility in London as an example. MQM has reportedly asked the British to help with the situation in Karachi and Sind as various intelligence agencies and the PPP were tarnishing their image. An invitation to the British High Commissioner to visit MQM Headquarters was regretted as it could send the wrong signals but apparently an MQM sponsored Karachi based NGO—Ehsaas Foundation and Raassta Development Consultants—may be funded and used by DFID. MQM leaders have probably indicated a preference for British economic activity in Karachi if they form a government. There are indications that the MQM decision to part ways from the PPP government was not well received by the British though the MQM justified it on grounds of a biased government in Karachi. Most recently an MQM leader Ms Nasreen Jalil met the British High Commissioner to express their reservations over the ‘delimitation of constituencies’ that, according to her, could lead to increased ‘Talibanization’ in Karachi that could further lead to disruption of NATO logistics through the port city. She sought UK support in the UN on this issue. The British will probably draw their own conclusions on the MQM stance.

Not to leave the PML(N) out the British High Commission representatives met with Mr Nawaz Sharif who discussed his concerns about possible US plans to delay elections and extend the interim governance arrangements and the need to ensure timely free and fair elections. The handing over of Gwadar port to China and the Iran-Pakistan pipeline and US concerns over these were also discussed according to reports. Mr. Nawaz Sharif seems to have indicated his fears of foreign and Pakistani intelligence agencies conniving to disturb the law and order situation. Similar allegations about British intelligence colluding with Pakistan Army in the killing of Akbar Bugti seem to have been voiced by the President Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) Mr Talal Bugti in interaction with British diplomats. According to JWP sources they have been promised funding if British interests were looked after though allegation of British involvement in any past event were firmly denied. Similar contacts were made with Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees whose leader Allama Zaheer recently visited the UK on a sponsored visit for which he was thankful and in turn was promised funds through DFID. EU Ambassadors have been in contact with the ANP to get a feel of the situation.

On a broader regional note there are reports of a ‘business consultancy’ in Doha Qatar fronting for a focused media watch in the Gulf, Middle East and South Asia. The funding may be from a foreign intelligence agency as over 300 journalists have been employed with about 20 from Pakistan. Besides Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt and Syria—Pakistan will be of particular interest, especially its active media, to determine and possibly influence trends.

THE PUZZLE

  The Pieces of the Puzzle

#1—Renewed interest by Scotland Yard in the Imran Farooq murder in London

#2—The unconditional and abject apology by the MQM before the Supreme Court of Pakistan

#3—The Qadri intervention

#4—MQM’s prompt and total support of the Qadri intervention.

#5—Surge in US Drone attacks with TTP being targeted.

#5—Pakistan military’s changed threat perception with the internal threat identified as the main threat and a public announcement of this realization.

#6—US/UK/NATO compulsion to exit Afghanistan in an orderly manner and the need to protect Afghanistan from external inroads in the vulnerable post exit period

#7—Pakistan’s centrality in the entire exit strategy including safe passage for logistic movement.

#8—The political situation in Pakistan and the US/UK desire for status quo so that their exit strategy continues to get support.

 

The Mosaic

The US and UK decide that an electoral change in Pakistan that could have unpredictable results is not in their interest at this stage. They need the present political and military set up in Pakistan in 2013-2014 to get out of Afghanistan, push the peace process in Afghanistan forward and not face the ignominy of a post exit chaos in Afghanistan. Pakistan must therefore be accorded a central role and given an assurance of continuity of the status quo.

The US/UK does not favor an internal upheaval in Pakistan and want ‘democracy’ to continue. They sense that the people want change and reform to give them a better future and not more of the same that the elections seem to promise. The US and UK do not want a change that triggers a change in policies that may change the relationship with the US.

Enter Qadri with limitless funds and superb organizational ability. He promises reform and elections under a competent and impartial interim government. The implication being that the interim government will have to be given time for the reforms. The MQM ‘decides’ to join Qadri and clears itself with the Supreme Court—surprising many on both counts. To ward off criticism The MQM leader threatens a political Drone strike—obviously a disclosure of some sort.

The military readies itself to face the new threat and an expected disruption in the already serious internal security situation. Increased Drone strikes ratchet up the pressure on insurgents who may be expected to retaliate in Pakistan’s urban areas heightening the internal threat.

The major power players react as expected. The PPP (government) soft pedals the MQM turnabout and goes along with the evolving situation as status quo suits it. The military and the judiciary are satisfied that the Constitutional provisions are being respected. The PML(N) and the PTI are lost in the fog and likely to remain lost.

The interim government is given access to IMF and World Bank funds and acts to reform not just the electoral process but takes long overdue steps to establish the rule of law, to provide services and security to the people through effective governance, tackles the internal threat and puts the country on the road to economic recovery. The people heave a sigh of relief.

Ominous Silence

Recently the Parliamentary Committee on National Security decided to take Pakistan’s foreign policy to the floor of representatives and argue and debate relatively au courant terms of engagement with USA. While the opposition did sneer at the fact that these recommendations are not binding,non-state actors aka DPC,JI and Al- Zawahiri warned against re-opening NATO supply routes and announced that they won’t shirk from ‘spilling blood’ if the Parliament does give in to US pressure,the fact that for the first time national security and foreign policy was going to be debated and discussed instead of dictated was laudable,with millions of dollars riding on the big question of how far we are willing to go.

Yet the big question was relegated to the back burner at the fourth sitting of the joint session. While questions riddling the common man may not be big enough for our high handed politicians to address,recent developments in the country marked by an escalation of violence that doesn’t have Taliban written all over it is serious enough to have everything else take the back seat.

Karachi’s turf wars and ‘day of mourning’ turned into days of mourning for many families torn asunder in the ANP- MQM crossfire. Grievances festered to the point that henchmen came out to burn effigies of their bosses/representatives and demanded a ‘Swat like’ military operation in the pestilent localities of Lyari,Katti Pahari,North Nazimabad,Benaras,Shah Faisal,Korangi,Malir and Kasba which is in flames today. Rehman Malik splutters out condemnation and vows vengeance every time this happens,yet his faux crackdown did little than tweak whiskers the last time. They’re back,bigger,stronger and armed to their teeth,playing out the aftermath of post Soviet-Afghan war like it happened yesterday. The complicated politics of Karachi will not disentangle on its own like our government hopes it will. Even the top echelons are playing favorites in this cat eat mouse game. Maybe a stringent de-weaponisation crack down is what Karachi needs. Take the lion’s teeth away and it can only meow.

Sind’s epicenter might be a festering pustule,but is Punjab safe from the epidemic? Mass hysteria over endless hours of load shedding,ensued right after Punjab had come to terms with the fact that gas and CNG were relics of past glory. The government’s economic policy clearly isn’t geared towards bolstering the industrial sector as Faisalabad learnt last year;it isn’t agro or livestock oriented as one quarter of Pakistan thrust under the poverty line,that tries to forage for scraps to eat will tell you. A country that hasn’t yet experienced the organic shift from agricultural to manufacturing sectors can’t possibly have a thriving service sector either,it’s easier to picture our economy as a formless entity floating aimlessly in space towards a black hole.

Two provinces down,the third,the biggest in terms of land mass and smallest in terms of population has fingers crossed for balkanization of the region. The level of intrigue and mystique surrounding the third province is interminable. News of bounty being announced for the death of Punjabis straying in Balochistan filters out now and then and people are gripped with fear. The media and other political parties,with PTI at the fore of it have endless capacity and breath to waste on spewing criticism at the government and every preceding government in the past,reinforcing the point that balkanization might indeed be the best solution. Give the Sardars their barren play ground. A province where every provincial assembly member is given an amount set in millions for development in their constituency,but still posts an abysmal income per capita of USD 183 (PKR- 16287) per year cannot blame the federal government for the insurgency and having an ‘apathetic’ attitude towards the province. Not when the Sardars are known for smuggling weaponry worth millions from across the border and run a thriving black market with the parliament’s blessings.

KP once the adorned bride of the country is now the easiest target for terrorist activity,planting seeds of anarchy and home to the largest population of displaced people in the country. It is a province of diametrically conflicting facets where development has taken a back seat because drone attacks and military operations trying to weed out terrorists must rip the place apart first. The Northern Province has seen traumatic times in the past decade,from earth quakes,to floods,to mass terror and ensuing military operations. They have killed and been killed a thousand times over to the point where the peaceful stalemate of Kashmir is an enviable situation compared to Pakistan.

An ominous silence hangs like noxious fumes in the country poisoning corrupting and suffusing the air with mass hopelessness. Will this state of chaos lead to an ultimate implosion removing Pakistan from the equation,may be a revolution along the lines of Arab Spring which can only lead to more instability and is an unlikely possibility as it requires Pakistani’s to first and foremost unite. Building a state requires a skeleton of institutions,the sinew and muscle is later augmented by nurturing the body around the skeleton. What we need is not verbal diarrhea from political parties that have the ability of infusing hope in the populace or promises of rooting out corruption in nine days by politicians creating demigod like personas. It begs merit and sincerity to the people of the country. It requires the level of even headedness and authority that Lee Kwan Yew and Mahathir Mohammed displayed when their countries hit rock bottom. More importantly we the people need to realize we cannot be played against each other to fill some elusive character’s coffers or play out their fantastical ideologies. Pakistan isn’t a lost cause,not yet,not by a long shot. Our external affairs can take a back seat for the moment,we cannot act like jilted lovers and have no one to blame but ourselves,let’s take on the responsibility for slaying these self created dragons ourselves too.

ISI to brief SC on Karachi situation

KARACHI: The hearing of the Karachi violence suo moto case was adjourned till Thursday, Geo News reported. The Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is expected to brief the Supreme Court (SC) on the situation in Karachi on Thursday.

On Monday’s proceedings, Director General Rangers Sindh, Major General Ejaz Choudhry informed the court that militant groups of political and ethnic parties were involved in the violence in the city. He added that the situation in Karachi was worse than Waziristan and a military solution was temporary and could only be resolved through political means. The DG Rangers requested that police powers given to the Rangers should last until peace is restored in the city.

A five-member special bench of the SC comprising Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Justice Sarmad Jalal Usmani, Justice Amer Hani Muslim and Justice Ghulam Rabbani is hearing the case at the Supreme Court Karachi Registry.

Earlier, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) lawyer, Abdul Qadir Jatoi informed the court that the killing in Karachi was being done under the guidance of political parties in order to influence the senate elections. Jatoi added that Zulfiqar Mirza had made important disclosures and was an important witness in the case.

The Chief Justice remarked that if Zulfiqar Mirza said something then his affidavit should be presented in the court and a petition should be filed. He further said that it was not the job of the court to record statements of witnesses and for this a separate petition had to be filed.

“Why should we call Zulfiqar Mirza, if he has something to say he should record his sworn statement” the Chief Justice noted. A CD of Zulfiqar Mirza was also presented by the JI lawyer.

The chief of Awami Tehreek, Rasul Bux Palejo said the present government was a dummy and only wanted to collect tax “the real power is with the US”.

He added that everyone knew that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) was behind the violence but no one was willing to identifying them and even certain judges were scared.

The MQM also submitted a petition to become a party in the case. The lawyer for the party said that a list of people beheaded during the violence had been submitted and 230 MQM activists had been killed since 2008.

Aamir gets Altaf`s pardon, rejoins Muttahida

KARACHI, Aamir Khan, the chief of his own faction of the Mohajir Qaumi Movement (MQM-H), announced that he was rejoining the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) on Wednesday after MQM chief Altaf Hussain accepted his public apology to end the almost two-decade-old internecine warfare and bloodshed.

One of the major developments in the city`s political history was witnessed by a large number of people at the Lal Qila Ground in Azizabad, which houses the MQM headquarters Nine-Zero, where families of the MQM`s slain workers endorsed the party chief`s decision.

“Mr Altaf Hussain announced that he`d pardoned Amir Khan after the family members of the martyrs and missing workers forgave Aamir Khan,” said a brief MQM statement, adding that Mr Hussain also ratified Mr Khan`s reinstatement as an MQM worker.

“Altaf Hussain and family members of the martyrs and missing workers of the MQM have pardoned the former leader of the MQM Aamir Khan at his request to forgive him.”

Workers of the once Aamir Khan-led MQM-H said they would follow their leader`s line and that the “entire set-up” would now be part of the MQM.

“It`s the decision of our leader and we respect that,” said Feroze Haider, a close aide of Aamir Khan.

“From now on we are part of the MQM and no parallel party exists at our end. No separate activity is scheduled after today`s announcement.”

The MQM leadership vowed to pursue the “policy of reconciliation” and said that it was Aamir Khan who had come up with a “request” that was accepted in the interest of peace in the city.

“When we returned to the no-go areas a few years ago, Altaf Hussain had announced a general pardon for all those who were not involved in the killing of our workers and other crimes,” said Syed Faisal Ali Sabzwari, a Sindh minister and the MQM`s deputy parliamentary leader in the provincial assembly.

When asked if the same offer was available to the Afaq Ahmed-led faction of the MQM-H, he said some organisational matters were taken up before any decision, but stressed the “party policy of peace and reconciliation”.

For analysts, who witnessed the city`s volatile law and order very closely from 1992 to 2011, the merger of the MQM-H with its parent party, the MQM, proved how unsuccessful was the “experiment” of the military establishment that only pushed the city into bloodshed.

“This was in fact the army`s plan to cut the MQM down to size,” said Mohammed Hanif, a senior journalist who covered the city`s descent into bloodshed in the aftermath of the split within the MQM.

“The army`s failed political experiment caused the entire city to be plunged into violence for almost two decades.”However, at the same time, he saw Aamir Khan becoming irrelevant after rejoining the MQM as the key man behind the MQM split in 1992, Afaq Ahmed, had not yet shown any interest in any such exercise.

“If we see the political history of Aamir Khan even in the MQM-H, he keeps coming and going. I hope he now plays a positive role in the MQM, but looking back to the 1990s and now, I think it`s one of those sad kinds of experiments.”

The Political Smokescreen

By: Ghalib Sultan
ZoneAsia-Pk

Pakistan’s inept and self-serving politicians are trying to up the ante in the federal political scene, ostensibly to make the people forget and ignore what happened on May 02

On May 02, 2011, the PPP-led federal government swore in two federal ministers, four state ministers and four other members from the PML-Q, the erstwhile murderers of Benazir Bhutto, the PPP chairperson who was assassinated in a terror attack on December 27, 2009. The President of Pakistan and widower of Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, administered the oath. His expressions upon signing the appointment letters were a treat if watched carefully; the President muttered under his breath as he approved the PML-Q legislators as government ministers. PM Gilani, the chief executive of the Pakistan government, sat quietly like the ornamental piece he usually is when his colleague and fellow Co-Chairman is present. And while President Zardari is not shy to repeat the notion that his party and family has suffered from terrorism, it seems highly unlikely that he himself knows what terrorism in Pakistan really is, courtesy the security protocol and box cordon he enjoys as President of Pakistan. Perhaps even the soul of Benazir Bhutto has stopped asking for justice and for the capture and trial of her killers, after it has become apparent that nobody in Pakistan is safe, that any foreign power can come in, strike, and leave as it pleases, and that Pakistan is a country which showers praise and blessings on killers instead of demonizing them and reiterating the call of justice – Mumtaz Qadri is a perfect example.

Pakistan’s ‘free’ media quickly jumped on the story a month before it actually happened – main news channels covered the PPP-PML-Q negotiations on a daily basis, and presented conjecture over the give-and-take of ministries, portfolios and powers. The biggest party to suffer from this alliance, the PML-N, also appeared rudderless because its Quaid, Nawaz Sharif, was recovering after a near-death surgical experience in the UK. Of course, Chaudhry Nisar, the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, continued his tirade against the ‘bandar-baant’ (literally meaning ‘distributing to monkeys’) of ministries and portfolios. His party members said that Zulfikar Bhutto and Zahoor Elahi – political enemies in their day – would be turning in their graves if they could see what their scions and successors are doing. Interestingly, Ch Nisar forgot all about ‘what the ISI was doing’ – as he was repeatedly ranting about it in the last few days of April – after May 02, when the whole world started asking that question – albeit under the ambit of a wholly different issue. But the PML-N is overly glad that if it had to face backlash from the Raymond Davis affair, it can heap blame on the PPP for the Abbottabad operation. Of course, it might have an axe to grind as well – reports suggest that Osama bin Laden was a financier of Nawaz Sharif’s 1997 electoral campaign, in which he incidentally won more than two-thirds of the National Assembly seats and acquired the ability to change the country’s constitution at will.

Pakistan’s political parties – and the inept and self-interested politicians who fill their ranks – are only concerned about their own lives and person. After a dastardly and secret attack on the country’s sovereignty, political parties and politicians continued to play according to a script where their own political games can progress, while the sanctity and respect of the nation went to the dogs.

The PPP defended the Armed Forces and the nation not in its capacity as a political party, but as a begrudging responsibility that it carries as the federal government. Gibran Peshimam accurately states that “it was painful watching our prime minister fumble through a policy statement following the killing of the world’s most wanted man on Pakistani soil”. The PML-Q remained quiet – it became part of the government after Operation Geronimo had already finished – and busied itself with accumulated power and commencing the exercise thereof. The PML-N asked for accountability and transparency in the Armed Forces’ operations, and wants ‘heads to roll’ – its ultimate design is to cash in on the government’s failure over the entire OBL fiasco, according to Irfan Ghauri. Maybe Shahbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif’s younger brother and Chief Minister of Punjab province, would do better if he increased the salaries of Pakistan’s young doctors – maybe then, Nawaz Sharif won’t have to go abroad for treatment.

The crucial question is why the Armed Forces – the Army, the ISI, the Air Force – were silent for a prolonged period after President Obama’s announcement. The answer is simple; they (wrongly) expected the civilian government – which claims that it is politically powerful and exercising oversight over the Armed Forces – to back them up and to defend the country against propaganda attacks and psychological warfare that would commence afterwards. However, Pakistan’s political parties themselves are experts in conducting psychological warfare against their own people – and the media is sometimes a willing participant in this pursuit. The Foreign Office of Pakistan, usually considered an ISI mouthpiece by the ‘liberal’ media, also tried to defend the Army, but made some statements that were later proven wrong (but still not retracted) like the issue of radar coverage, where the PAF denied that radars were jammed or switched off when US helicopters entered Pakistani airspace. On that day, Salman Bashir inadvertently allowed the media and security analysts to bash the FO as well as Pakistan, the Army, the Armed Forces in general, and the people of the country in general. Well, at least the FO tried to clear the air.

PM Gilani proceeded on a trip to France immediately after the dust settled from the Osama assassination – logic dictates that the PM should have cancelled all foreign trips after this shock. But it appears that nobody, not even the Prime Minister, would give up an opportunity to spend a few days outside the terror-infested, electricity-hungry, inflation-ridden country of Pakistan. Agreeing with this logic, President Zardari himself left for Kuwait on an official two-day visit.

Pretty soon, the MQM also joined the federal cabinet (again) after leaving it for the third time in this parliamentary tenure. The MQM’s national political policy seems to be similar to the social life of a ‘simple girl’ – immediately desisting, disengaging, and then running away whenever anyone gets ‘too close for comfort’. The PPP and the MQM need each other to run Sindh successfully and bring peace to Karachi. However, the MQM has a very acrimonious relationship with the ANP in Sindh – the ANP and PPP are also allies in the center, because the ANP carries the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province. The PPP’s ineptitude at politics becomes more evident when the practices of its partners fulfill the following paradigm; that the friend of my friend is my enemy (even though both belong to the same country).

In all this tumult, the PTI is continuing its mass contact and social mobilization campaign; its drive against drone strikes and in pursuit of stopping NATO passage through Pakistan was only bolstered when the Osama operation happened, and Imran Khan has been quick to demand the President and Prime Minister’s resignation over the matter. Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the former Foreign Minister, senior party member of the PPP, and custodian of the shrines of Bahauddin Zikriya and Shah-Rukne-Alam, also demanded that the President and Prime Minister resign because they were unable to protect the sovereignty and integrity of Pakistan – which they were sworn to by sacred oath. But the Pakistani media and its pundits are quick to discredit both these politicians, and lump them together as pawns of the ISI. How Shah Mahmood Qureshi of the PPP, Imran Khan of the PTI, and the ISI of the Pakistan Army, can be connected together in a single sentence (let alone under a single political banner) is a subject of inquiry that would baffle many political scientists, but the Pakistani media (with its vested interests) and the Pakistani people (with their love for conspiracies) believe it as matter of fact, and readily gulp down such “truths” on mere face value as and when the media feeds it to them. Nobody sees how a Sufi saint from Multan and a cricketing hero from Mianwali could agree on this point – maybe everyone forgets that both of these individuals are Pakistani, in a country where many citizens are Pakistani just in name; just for the sake of an identity. Maybe if Pakistan had more Pakistanis than N-leaguers and jiyalas, the country would not have been in such a state. Putting party and politics before country has become standard operating procedure for these politicians who lie, cheat and steal to get to the top. They lie to the people’s face, via the media, and claim to be sensitive to their problems when they are not even aware what their constituents’ problems are. Shahbaz Sharif represents the constituency of Bhakkar in the Punjab Assembly, yet has only visited ‘his constituency’ only 4 times since he got elected. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is going to inherit his grandfather’s electoral constituencies in Larkana, when he has barely spent more than 4-5 years of his entire life in Pakistan. So much for good governance and the rule of the people.

The religious parties in Pakistan redoubled their mass contact efforts against the US, and invested more vigor in their extremist campaign of turning Pakistan into a ‘devout and pious Islamic state’ where men will be defined by beards and women by the burka. Again, this is mere politicking – the religious parties know that if they stop haranguing the federal government and reminding the people about America, they will have no cards to play in the bluff game that is Pakistani politics. However, the shrewd Mubasher Lucman was successful in revealing the true face of these ‘America-hating’ religious parties: he showed that higher-level functionaries of these so-called anti-American religious parties were receiving funds from US donors (probably a state institution like USAID) to start up a children’s channel in Pakistan. Of course, when money comes in, religion can be bought and sold too. When the religious leaders of Pakistan have no qualms about declaring one person a Muslim and another an infidel (on the basis of questionable factors, if there are any factors to consider) it becomes more plausible to understand how illiteracy and absence of social safety nets pushes uneducated Muslim families closer to their imam’s and ulema’s, who can proceed to extort and manipulate them in the name of Allah, train their children to kill people and blow themselves up, and be free from prosecution and blame because they are ‘men of the beard’ (like priests are ‘men of the cloth’).

The fact remains that the people of Pakistan will suffer because of Osama’s death: while the government and Armed Forces remain insulated, it is the Pakistani people who will be called terrorists and extremists by the international community. The Pakistani people will be blamed for harbouring terrorists, and the Pakistani people will also continue to be killed by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and Al Qaeda for the ‘betrayal’ of Osama bin Laden.

Ammar Aziz is absolutely right when he says that “this assassination of Osama bin Laden is meaningless unless each one of us kills the Osama within. Otherwise they will keep killing you, me and all of us.” The same security paradigm is true for an effective political ethos; we as Pakistanis must stop blaming an ineffective government and stop depending on it; Pakistanis must resolve to take their problems head on, and resolve them collectively, otherwise other people (Pakistanis and foreigners) will continue to take advantage of the country’s problems and its people’s anger against the status quo.

Right now, the biggest existential threat that Pakistan faces does not come from within; it comes from itself.

Shahbaz wants Karachi province: ANP, MQM, PPP reject statement

DERA GHAZI KHAN / KARACHI, The Sunday calm was shattered by the pronouncements of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif who finally broke his party’s silence on the demand for a Seraiki province.

Mr Sharif, who has been known to issue and later retract controversial statements, said the PML-N would soon formulate a comprehensive policy on the creation of new provinces within Punjab and elsewhere in the country. He then made the explosive suggestion that Karachi should be separated from Sindh and made a province.

“Not only should new provinces be formed in South Punjab, Karachi should also be made a new province,” he said while talking to newsmen in Dera Ghazi Khan after laying down the foundation stone of a public school.

He said this in response to questions about the growing calls for making South Punjab a separate province.

This was PML-N’s first public reaction to the idea of partitioning the Punjab province since Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s recent announcement that the demand for a Seraiki province would be made part of the PPP manifesto.

Although the PPP is yet to formally accept Mr Gilani’s announcement, the prime minister’s words created additional pressure on the PML-N. The latter cannot publicly support the demand for a province in south Punjab – not only will a separate province affect its seat numbers at the national level and the resources it has access to while ruling in Lahore, the party’s leadership from central Punjab is also not in favour of the idea.

This is why Mr Sharif’s statement on Sunday was seen to be a gentle warning to those pushing for Punjab’s division. He was pointing out that the creation of new provinces in Punjab would open a Pandora’s box – other linguistic and ethnic groups in other provinces would also want their own administrative units. And by mentioning Karachi, Mr Sharif was trying to make sure that his message was being heard by those the PML-N views as being behind the demand for a Seraiki province, especially the PPP.

No wonder then that the reaction from Karachi was swift and decisive. Both the PPP and MQM rejected the division of Sindh in general and Karachi’s separation in particular.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that there was no need for a new province in Sindh as there was complete harmony among the people and their representatives in the assembly were striving for the welfare of the people.

He said this to a group of journalists who had drawn his attention to Mr Sharif’s statement.

Mr Shah pointed out that the two provinces were different. “There is a vast difference between Sindh and Punjab. Punjab is two or three times larger than Sindh and there was a demand by people in Punjab for carving out a new province.”
In contrast there was no such call for a new province in Sindh, he said and added that “As far as Karachi is concerned, it is part of the Sindh province.”

The MQM did not lag behind either and a provincial minister, Raza Haroon, said: “We condemn the statement of Shahbaz Sharif… We see his statement as a conspiracy against Sindh and an attempt to create ethnic riots.”

He told reporters that Mr Sharif had no mandate to speak about Sindh. “The PML-N has no MPA in the Sindh Assembly and it has been rejected by the people of Sindh. He is the chief minister of Punjab and he should better give all attention to his province.”

The party’s Rabita Committee also stated that it would not accept Sindh’s division.

However, a committee member, Qasim Ali Raza, explained that the MQM had repeatedly said that a referendum should be held to decide on the formation of new provinces and the demands of people be fulfilled in accordance with their aspirations.
Even the ANP, a new entrant to Karachi politics, supported the MQM and the PPP’s stand as it said that Mr Sharif had hurt the sentiments of the people of Sindh.

“The demand for Karachi province is a continuation of the attitude of exploitation of small province,” said the ANP spokesman in a statement, adding that Punjab ought to avoid issuing irresponsible statements that could create unrest among people.
The ANP was against a division of Sindh and would never support any suggestion aimed at depriving the smaller provinces of their due rights, the spokesman said.

MQM and Altaf Hussain were behind 2009 Ashura Bombings

By Dr Shahid Qureshi

MQM- Altaf terrorist and Indian agent Ajmal Pharee confessed to the Joint Investigation Team of (ISI, IB, Military Intelligence, CID, Special Branch etc) that, “MQM-Altaf was behind the ‘Asura Bombings of 2009′ in Karachi. He confessed to the team that he and other MQM city workers were ordered to wear black Shia mourning clothes on the day in a meeting called three days before the Ashura bombings. The orders were to burn the shops and businesses in and around Light House as well as kill the people. The shop owners of that area refused to give extortion money to the MQM-Altaf. These burnings caused losses of billions to the poor Pakistanis and shop owners in Karachi”.

Mustafa Kamal billionaire – poor former mayor of Karachi become abusive when London Post report published on 31st December 2009, was quoted that, ‘MQM was involved in Karachi bombings with black water’, in a live program by famous anchor Talat Hussain. Faces of the looters were visible on CCTVs footages still available on youtube.

MQM – Altaf terrorist and high value asset Ajmal Pharee also confessed to the JIT that he has received terrorist training in New Delhi from five Indian Army officers. During this training he was informed about Altaf Hussain’s desire to separate Karachi from Pakistan. Altaf Husain is a British Citizen and considered as high value asset by some analysts.

Ajmal Pharee also confessed murdering 55 people as well as receiving training in India by Indian security agencies. In a video statement he said, “I joined MQM in 1988 arrested in 1989 for fire arms offences imprisoned for one year. He was arrested and sentenced for five years again in 2000 for murdering Iqbal Raad, lawyer of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He told the JIT that his handler Nadeem Nusrat is based in MQM – Altaf’s London Secretariat and inner circle man of Altaf Hussain. Ajmal Pharee told the JIT that, ‘Nadeem Nusrat told him to escape from Pakistan to Singapore in 1996 with Zeshan a MQM worker’. He stayed in the Mustafa Market Hotel on his instructions in Singapore, where he was given Singapore Airline tickets and Indian visas by Jamil aka Jimi who lives in South Africa. They travelled to Delhi, stayed there for 15 days and later received terrorist training for one month in a near by jungle by five Indian army officers. He also met other MQM-Altaf workers Noora of Shah Faiasl Colony, Zafar Tension of Buffer Zone, Raju of Nazim-a-Bad, Shakir Chota of Orangi Town. He received terrorist training of AK-47, RPG, MP-5 LMG, hand grenades. He was transported to India-Pakistan border inserted in from Chawanda area of Shakr Gurh (Sialkot) in Pakistan. They later went to Lahore and than Karachi”, said Ajmal Pharee in his confessions.

On 31st December 2009, The London Post, exclusively published the story “Blackwater and MQM’s Hallmarks on Karachi Fire – Bombings”. The above confession by the MQM Terrorist now confirm that MQM – Altaf was behind the fire bombing and criminal damage in Karachi.

“MQM and Blackwater/Xe are US sponsored mafia style mercenary outfits due to their management structure as it is almost the same both groups’ chiefs are out of Pakistan to start with. There is no difference between Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and MQM because both are sponsored by India and USA. Sawat type operation against MQM’s ‘Clean Shaven Taliban’ who are supporting Blackwater/Xe is a must because people will support.

The recent bombings of a religious procession in Karachi and fire bombings of small businesses miles away from the incident reportedly owned by mostly Sunni Tableghie Jamat a non violent religious group, got all the hall marks of ‘private mercenaries’ Blackwater with the support of MQM. According to reports it is physically not possible for any one attending the procession to go miles away, get special fire bombing chemicals and equipment to set fire 300 hundred shops in Bolton Market. It is only possible if one already knows the timing of the bombings and part of the plot. They targeted a Sunni areas where it is almost impossible for an angry ‘Shia protestor’ to reach from the crime scene keeping in the view the distances. So Shia procession was bombed, Sunni business were burnt down and MQM’s fire engines did not arrive. Seems perfect Blackwater Inc style operation?

Blackwater, MQM’s Plus plan was meticulous and well timed. (a) Timing of the bombing few days before the end of the term of City Government Term. So City Government building burnt down with the record to cover-up corruption? (b) Selection of the venues to be fire bombed (c) Torching of Light House Market predominantly owned by the Pashtuns who did not pay extortion money to the MQM – Score settled, Job done (d) Torching of Bolton Market mostly business are owned by peaceful Sunni Muslims Memon Community. They refused to be relocated outside the city because shops worth millions. High ups of the current regime allegedly President Zardari & Co had interest in the land to develop and build flats and plazas. (Job done) (e) Why MQM leaders both reportedly Shias Haider Abbas Rizvi and Faisal Sabzwari not in the Ashura procession? (f) Why police and rangers did not stop the arsonists and terrorists? (g) Who ordered them not to act? (h) Remote control bomb was planted in an ambulance which might be carrying a head too? (i) Who is Hasham Al-Zafar (central) and what is his role in the bombing and burning of Karachi? (j) What is his relationship with Saleem Shezad alleged master mind of the operation and why he only reports to Altaf Hussain?

MQM and Blackwater/Xe are US sponsored mafia style mercenary outfits due to their management structure as it is almost the same both groups’ chiefs are out of Pakistan to start with. MQM are the local collaborators of Blackwater/Xe in Pakistan?

According to sources similar kinds of chemicals and fire bombing equipments have been used in Iraq and Lebanon. Pakistan’s security agencies must look into the links between MQM lead City Government and Blackwater. What kind of assistance they are providing to the mercenaries. City mayor Syed Mustafa Kamal and Governor Sind Dr Ashrat Abad Khan recently visited sensitive institutions of the USA related to protection of US national interests aboard. Why would a mayor of a third world country visit US State Department? Did he inform Pakistani’s foreign ministry? He is on the grooming list. “To his credentials it was Mustafa Kamal who opened the door for the assassins came to kill his ‘uncle’ Azeem Ahmed Tariq, leader of the MQM, as it was an inside job. It sounds like nephew shopped his ‘uncle’ according to a source.

Altaf Hussain’s MQM and his mafia have caused more economic and human losses to Pakistan by strikes and terrorist activities then three wars with India. After the incident on Monday December 28, 2009, three thousand shops were burnt; one thousand were burnt after looting which caused loss of Rs. 60 billion to Pakistani economy. Armed men stopped fire engines for over three hours according to reports. Why?

Elements close to MQM were also allegedly involved in the terrorism, arson, and killings after tragic death of Benazir Bhutto on 27th December 2007. Many analysts believe that it was a dry run by the foreign sponsored elements to separate Karachi from the rest of the country. There is another dimension to the burring of some markets with small business. Some people from land mafia were making hostile offers to these old pre partition businesses.

There are reports that MQM has issued thousands of arms licences to its workers and sympathisers in Karachi and some of the licences might have been issued from other provinces. Disarming of the terrorist groups including MQM in Karachi is necessary to avoid future blackmails.

It is also reported that armed gunmen did not allow fire engines to leave the fire stations. All the fire engines and security cameras are under the control of City Government run by MQM whose leader Altaf Hussain controls this group in a mafia style. Within minutes he blamed ‘Taliban’ for the bombings. How did he know it was Taliban and not Indian RAW or Blackwater/Xe? Altaf Hussain deliberately tried to make this a sectarian issue in his live TV broadcast on a news channel, which matches the agenda of private mercenaries and India.

Asia Times Online reported few years ago during Musharraf era, sources says that, “only US diplomatic intervention stopped General Musharraf from taking strong action against the MQM after he received the report on the recent unrest in which the MQM was implicated. Washington indeed has a powerful southern ally in Pakistan’. After September 11, the United States identified even more with the MQM as it was the only party in Pakistan that widely mourned the attacks on the US, openly condemned the Taliban and al-Qaeda, and launched a powerful campaign in support of the US attack on Afghanistan”.

When President Zardari speak about ‘non state & political actors’, probably he also meant Altaf Hussain too? His long distance proactive and dramatic telephonic speeches are more or less what Lord Nelson said, “If you can’t baffle them with brilliance, dazzle them with bullshit!”. He is never been to Pakistan for more then 15 years but did travel to India on his British passport. Most of the members in mafia style ‘Rabita Committee’ are wanted by Pakistani authorities for heinous crimes. He hides behind this ‘kangaroo committee’.

A political analyst said, ‘to get ‘poodle status’ in US administration Altaf Hussain exaggerates things beyond imagination. For example, he claimed his supporters in Karachi increased by 10 million in just two years because he claimed to have 20 million supporters in an interview with Edgware Times in November 1998. But in 2001 MQM claimed to have 30 million supporters when MQM send a fax to Reuters on 22 September 2001. “(MQM leader) Altaf Hussain has offered the unconditional support of over 30 million MQM supporters to the U.S. president and the international community,” its London-based international secretariat said in a statement faxed to Reuters on September 22, 2001″.

According to sources, ‘Altaf group is planning and preparing for armed fight with other groups in Karachi. There might be a plan to divide Karachi on ethnic zones as Rehman Malik mentioned in Dera Ismail Khan? The alleged transfer of money from Karachi to London, Germany, Dubai, South Africa, Canada, and United States is alarming. There reports of increase in the arms sale in Karachi seem serious but what are the authorities doing?

So what is Altaf Hussain up to that is a crucial question to political and security leadership to think about. His alleged close links with the Indian agency and also acting like a mercenary force getting orders from foreign masters. It is time for the government of Pakistan to approach its friends and allies to have a clear cut answers about the real Agenda in Pakistan? Crimes of Altaf Hussain and his party MQM are so heinous that he wouldn’t dare step in Karachi even the whole period of Musharraf and now Zardari rule?

Until November 1998 Government of Pakistan was reportedly seeking extradition of Altaf Hussain who was said to be wanted in 50 murders and 150 cases of kidnapping and arson. He said in an interview with a newspaper in 1998, “It is my wish that they take me to trial in a British court then I will tell people nationally and internationally what has been happening in Pakistan.” It was Altaf Hussain and MQM who issued a memo to his workers saying,” if there was war between India and Pakistan, MQM workers will be remain neutral”. Why?

MQM’s deputy chief organiser of district Thatta and his wife were arrested by the police for trafficking 120 kilos of A class drugs according to a press report on 16th May 2004. Mohamed Ibrahim and his wife Ayesha Soho who is also member of district government were coming from Bolan area of Baluchistan on Jeep number BC 1248 when they were stopped by Dadar Police who discovered 180 kilos of HASH worth millions of from the secret compartments of the jeep. Police has registered a case number 13/2004 report against deputy chief of MQM and his wife for drug trafficking. Area in charge SHO of the area Police confirmed that suspects have confessed they have been also involved in arms trafficking from Kabul and been to Afghanistan three times. Both were sent to Sibi Jail in Baluchistan.

“MQM has been funded with the drug money apart from the extortion money taken from the top businessmen in the name of support” according to a report published by

The Frontier Post published on December 25, 1998. The report says, “… What is more alarming is that the Narco dollars have been used for funding the (MQM), a responsible source in the provincial government said. He added that such funding was tantamount to fuelling terrorism.” Is the Narco-terror funding still on?

By joining as local collaborator of Blackwater in Karachi MQM has provided the eyes and ears on the ground with smart guns. Even if US-India sponsored ‘Pakistani Taliban’ claim responsibility of Karachi Ashura bombings, the chemicals and smart guns used in burnings of the over 6000 small businesses and loss of Rs. 60 billion have all the hallmarks of Blackwater/Xe.

“There is no difference between Tehreek Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and MQM because both are sponsored by India and USA. Sawat type operation against MQM’s ‘Clean Shaven Taliban’ who are supporting Blackwater/Xe is a must because people will support.”

People must congratulate interior minister Sindh Zulifqar Mirza for his bravery in dealing with MQM-Altaf terrorists on the instructions of President Zardari. The recent murder of the nephew of imprisoned MQM-Haqaqi leader Amir Khan is a clear sign that MQM-Altaf is losing control of the city and panicking. Sooner or later upon the release of the confession videos of the MQM target killers stating the orders were coming from London by allegedly a British Citizen will put British establishment into legal dilemmas as exporting terrorism to Pakistan as well as harbouring terrorists?

“26 target killers belong to MQM-Altaf Hussain based in London said”, Home Minister Zulifqar Mirza who considered as the right hand man of President Zardari and Rehman Malik left hand man. Every one knows what most people do with their left hand in Pakistan?

If killings don’t stop, the president has failed- MQM

By Irfan Aligi

KARACHI: After three more Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) workers were killed on Sunday, the party held a stinging press conference to declare that the violence challenged the writ of the president who had promised to tackle lawlessness in Pakistan’s largest city.

As 16 more people shot dead, Farooq Sattar says party can only take so much.

The sharply worded criticism led the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party to galvanise into action, with Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah ordering the police and paramilitary units to begin cracking down against the violence. It remains to be seen whether the PPP’s actions will be enough to assuage the MQM, which made no secret of its anger on Sunday.

“The MQM had submitted proof to the president on the political patronisation of criminals so now it is his responsibility to ensure action is taken,” said the party’s deputy convener Dr Farooq Sattar at a press conference in Karachi on Sunday evening. “Failing to control the lawlessness would mean that the president has also failed.”

Even during the press conference reports filtered in of more killings. Earlier in the day, hand grenades were lobbed at two of the party’s unit offices. The first office was closed and in the second attack the explosive did not go off. No one was hurt as a result.

While target killings in drive-by shootings have plagued Karachi for years now, this recent spell started ten days ago when a protest took place against a Supreme Court decision to declare invalid the PPP’s appointment of a top bureaucrat. Nearly 16 people have been killed since then.

Sattar remarked that if the president is in the city, the escalation in violence is tantamount to a challenge to his presence and the writ of his government. He said that the president had assured the MQM that the criminals would be dealt with but he has not been able to deliver.

“The MQM’s policy of toleration and forbearance should not be misconstrued as its weakness,” said Sattar. “The government and the people at the helm of affairs must take heed and do something to control the situation.”

The MQM has ordered two ministers, Raza Haroon and Dr Sagheer Ahmed Siddiqui, to concentrate on the day-to-day affairs of the committee put together by the president during his previous visit. However, in order to be effective, the committee needs all of its members to participate. Before Sunday, PPP members of the committee had not been available.

On Sunday, however, Haroon and Siddiqui met with Sindh Local Bodies Minister Agha Siraj Durrani at the chief minister’s mansion in Karachi to put together a joint proposal for tackling the problem of target killing in the metropolis.

The MQM had handed over its recommendations to Durrani who suggested that the proposals be made jointly to the chief minister. The MQM leaders said that they expected the government to begin taking action within 24 hours in order for their demands to be satisfied.

In an apparent response to the criticisms aimed directly at him, President Asif Ali Zardari telephoned the Sindh chief minister to discuss the law and order situation in Karachi.

The chief minister asked the police to provide him with details of the victims of target killing. He also asked the Sindh Police inspector general and the director general of the Rangers to increase patrols in the city and arrest those suspected to be involved in the killings.

Meanwhile, MQM’s Waseem Aftab said that home minister, Zulfiqar Mirza, was directly involved in the ongoing killings.