Zardari’s support to MQM and PPP’s objectives

ISLAMABAD: Former president Asif Ali Zardari’s decision to stand with the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) in its hard time will serve as a desperately needed support for under-pressure Altaf Hussain but the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also wants to achieve its own objectives by trying to provide succour to him.
Zardari’s first and foremost purpose is to solidly rally MQM backing amid speculations that the governor’s rule may be imposed in Sindh in view of what is being described as the poor performance and spinelessness of the provincial administration vis-à-vis the targeted operation against extortionists, kidnappers for ransom, target killers and mafias in Karachi.
Obviously, Zardari feels that if the PPP and MQM remain united, speak with one voice and are sincere to each other, nobody would dare promulgate presidential rule in Sindh. The MQM may also share the view that no such action can be taken, when the two principal political forces of Sindh join hands.
The second objective that the PPP aims to attain by not leaving Altaf Hussain high and dry is the MQM support and cooperation in the forthcoming local council polls precisely on the pattern of the Senate elections, which facilitated both of them to get all the seats, ceding anything to opposition parties.
As per consensus reports, when Zardari sought the opinion of the PPP Sindh lawmakers about inviting the MQM to join the provincial cabinet in a meeting on Tuesday, no enthusiasm was exhibited by the audience for his proposal. However, he interpreted the silence as their nod to his idea.
Even before the March 11 raid on the MQM Headquarters Nine Zero by the Rangers, talks were going between the two parties on the question of joining of the Sindh government by Altaf Hussain’s colleagues. But some points were yet to be finally settled and sealed.
The PPP has stated that after Zardari’s invitation to the MQM to be part of the Sindh government, the ball is in Altaf Hussain’s court now. The MQM may not take too much time to reach a decision on the offer.
While the Rangers has freed 23 persons including Altaf Hussain’s nephew, detained from Nine Zero, the force got a serious case registered against the MQM chief for threatening its officers, who had conducted the raid.
This implies that the paramilitary force means business this time. However, questions are often raised by different people whether the present campaign would continue with force till realisation of its defined goals or would be left mid-stream as had happened more than once in the past, compelling those who had carried out the operations to face nightmares.
Since the raid on Nine Zero, Zardari and Altaf Hussain have held telephonic conversations at least thrice, which demonstrated that they have remained in constant contact. However, one thing is clear that neither Zardari nor Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah is allowed or in a position to interfere in the actions being taken by the Rangers as per its assigned job. Rather, the chief minister said after the March 11 action that it was for the courts to decide the fate of the arrested MQM leaders and activists.
Although none from the federal government has ever even hinted at imposition of the presidential rule in Sindh, some PPP leaders have frequently angrily spoken against any such eventuality. Maybe, they got some clues about such happening that they worked hard to obviate through public denunciation. Such voices have mostly been heard after high profile meetings on law and order in Karachi, chaired by the prime minister and attended by the top military brass.
Zardari’s solidarity with the MQM at this point of time is very important for Altaf Hussain amid grapevine that minus-one formula is being forced upon the MQM to get rid of its chief.
MQM member of the National Assembly Abdul Wasim from Karachi has spoken on the issue but has not named those who have urged his party to dump Altaf Hussain. “They ask us to discard Altaf Hussain; but he is everything for us; he has a long struggle; and he and his family have rendered sacrifices. It is not known why such a demand is being made.”
The MQM is not the first popular party that is under pressure to suffer the minus-one formula. In the past, it was tested on the PPP and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) but failed.
When a similar machination was bandied about at a deafening pitch, calling for minus Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif during the onslaught of sit-ins last year, Altaf Hussain had unfortunately supported it saying that there was no harm in exit of one person to save the system.
Given the structure of political parties, their heads rule the roost and their word is final. Nawaz Sharif and Altaf Hussain have strong grip on their respective parties and can’t be simply dispensed with.
It was because of the charisma and popular appeal of Nawaz Sharif that he kept controlling the PML-N despite being in Saudi Arabia for seven years with the same influence as if he had been in Pakistan. Likewise, Altaf Hussain’s hold on the MQM remains secure and definite although he has been in Britain for 23 years.
It is a positive development that the MQM is trying to bring down its confrontation with the law enforcement agencies engaged in targeted operation in Karachi. Happy news is that there has been remarkable decline in target killing since March 11.