Has Sindh CM lost leadership’s confidence?

Without going into specific details, it can be said that all is not well in Sindh. It seems as if the energetic Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, is also losing the confidence of the leadership like Sindh IGP AD Khawaja who lost the confidence five months back and is now 'unacceptable'.

The Sindh government image had somewhat improved because of Murad Ali Shah and the recent development works despite some controversies in Karachi, but it appears that he too is facing the same problems as former CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah - pressure and influence from the 'same leaders and same mindset’.

This situation is leading to breakdown of confidence between the Centre and Sindh on the one hand and PPP's strain relationship with the establishment on the other, particularly at a time when sustainable measures are required to avoid chances of 'terror return’ in this mega city. A strange decision was taken by the Sindh government, the move which has more to do with the top PPP leadership rather than the chief minister, about the return of controversial Mr Anwar Sial as home minister. The move aggravated the existing tension due to which the apex committee meeting has not been held since February as Sial is not in the 'good book' of relevant quarters. 

The recent target killing of two police officials and that too before Ramazan has altered the law-enforcement agencies about the possible chances of 'terror' to return. AD Khawaja agreed that it’s like a 'wake up' call for the police which will increase patrolling during Ramazan. Thus policemen have been given specific instructions not to 'relax' even when sitting in mobile vans. "There have been a considerable success against major terrorist groups, but some smaller groups are still active and one of them could be behind this incident,” Khawaja told me.

Khawaja believes until we are not able to address the core issue of 'terrorist breeding grounds', the threat will persist. "Everyone knows how this mindset is producing one batch after another. So far, not much has been done on this front,” he added.

Law and order in the last three years has shown remarkable improvement in Karachi, thanks to the overall performance of the Sindh Rangers. But the approach of the Sindh government or the top PPP leadership often created displeasure among Rangers’ rank and file, particularly when it comes to extending their powers under the Anti-Terrorism Act. Karachi has a history of terror, ethnic, sectarian and political killings and is hub of global terror networks like Al-Qaeda. There is still a lot more to be done for sustainable peace. Unfortunately, the political will is not there and instead of moving forward, the Sindh government has taken us backward. Much needs to be done before terror resurfaces. For this, the PPP and the Sindh government must put their “house in order”. In a situation where Khawaja is the IGP because of the Sindh High Court’s 'stay order', how can Sial's return defuse tension? Mr Sial was removed as home minister in the wake of the controversy linked to his relative in Larkana, and former Rangers DG Lt General Bilal Akbar was particularly annoyed with his conduct. It is not difficult to understand what message the PPP leadership has given to the establishment. But, will it help improve law and order or the situation will go from bad to worse.

Secondly, the PPP leadership is also not happy with the chief minister's handling of certain cases linked to close associates of former president Asif Ali Zardari. Like Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Syed Murad Ali Shah is also under pressure to 'do more'.

Sources disclosed that as in the case of Syed Qaim Ali Shah who could not protect people like Dr Asim Hussain, Manzoor Kaka, Nasir Morai and others, the party's top hierarchy is not happy with Murad Ali Shah in the case of raids on the office and residence of Mr Anwar Majeed and his son. The sources said Murad Ali Shah also faced stiff opposition from his leadership in the case of AD Khawaja when the IGP resisted pressure and turned down requests in matters related to transfers, postings and appointments. The matter went worst when three close colleagues of Mr Zardari disappeared, two of them from Sindh. Despite a briefing by the CM over their disappearance, the party leadership was not satisfied.

All this created a gulf between the Centre and Sindh on the one hand and between the PPP leadership and Rangers on the other. When the Sindh government decided to withhold the decision of extending ATC powers to the Rangers, the federal interior ministry asked the Rangers to return to their headquarters. They were withdrawn even from the NED and the Karachi University where they had been deployed since 1989.

The sources said the government finally extended the powers when the establishment gave a strong message to the leaders concerned about the possible outcome if law and order deteriorated as a result of this 'mess up’. 

There has been a constant decline in acts of terrorism and extortion incidents. Terrorism can resurface in this mega city if certain measures are not taken. The Sindh government's non-seriousness towards making the police a professional body has put extra burden on the Sindh Rangers. Nowhere in the world, paramilitary and border forces were engaged for nearly 28 years in one city. Only in the last three years, they got powers under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the result is before us. The kind of terrorism we are facing today is different from the past. It is the outcome of rising extremism in the society. We have to be serious about the breeding grounds available to produce new batches of terrorists. 

But, look to the approach of the Sindh government and the PPP leadership towards addressing this issue. Despite frequent intelligence reports that outlawed groups are pouring in rural Sindh and it’s time to expand Rangers’ powers to the whole of Sindh, the leadership has rejected all such proposals. All this has made Karachi, rather whole of Sindh, very vulnerable where terror can resurface and terror attacks like the one on the shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar are possible.

We have come a long way in making Pakistan's economic hub a safe city. Much more is needed to make this peace sustainable. The year 2018 is most crucial as it’s not only an election year and terrorists can strike back like in 2013 but also a decisive year for the Operation Raddul Fasaad.

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of the Geo News, The News and daily Jang

Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO