PM gives MQM the cold shoulder

Karachi
The prime minister clearly gave the cold shoulder to the Muttahida Qaumi Movement during his visit to Karachi on Wednesday by chairing a meeting on the law and order situation at the PAF Base Faisal instead of the Governor’s House – the absence of the governor, who belongs to the party, from this gathering further reflecting his intent.
Prime minister Nawaz Sharif arrived in Karachi on a brief visit, mainly to attend a Karachi Stock Exchange ceremony to give away awards to the top 25 performing listed companies. The ceremony was held at the auditorium of PAF Museum near Sharea Faisal in the premises of the PAF Base Faisal.
Sindh governor Dr Ishratul Ebad was present along with chief minister Qaim Ali Shah, federal finance minister Ishaq Dar at the ceremony.
As per the norm, whenever the prime minister visits Karachi, he chairs a meeting to review the law and order situation in Sindh, particularly in the city.
After the KSE ceremony, he held a meeting this time too, but with glaring differences. First, instead of the Governor’s House where these meetings are held, the venue was PAF Base Faisal. Secondly, the governor, who being the top representative authority of the federation in the province is always present at these meetings, was absent.
The first of these meetings was held in early September 2013, wherein it was decided to launch a police and Rangers’ operation against terrorists and other criminals in Karachi.
The absence of the governor gives credence to the rumours that either he will soon be replaced or tender his resignation himself.
These rumours have been circulating since the confessional videotape of death-row prisoner Saulat Mirza was leaked wherein he had levelled serious allegations against MQM leaders including Ebad. Mirza claimed that the Sindh governor patronised and protected criminals.
A section of the media has reported the name of a retired lieutenant general, who has served as a Karachi corps commander, as a likely replacement for Ebad.
The meeting was also significant given the backdrop of Rangers’ raid at MQM headquarters Nine Zero in Azizabad on March 11
The prime minister was present in the city on March 11 for the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the M-9 section of motorway from Karachi to Hyderabad by expanding the Super Highway. However, he had left without holding a meeting on the matter.
Lawmakers also snubbed
To further make his intentions clear that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement is no longer on the ‘welcome list’, the prime minister snubbed meeting with a delegation of the party’s lawmakers on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference at the Sindh assembly building, MQM leader MPA Faisal Subzwari said his party’s parliamentarians had expressed their desire to meet with the prime minister but were not given an “encouraging” response.
The MQM leader said the Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Jamaat-e-Islami were hoping to see the elimination of his party so that they could grab its share in the city.
Subzwari also said the MQM was unduly being criticised both on the traditional and social media.
He said the MQM was a peaceful party and barriers were set up around its headquarters Nine Zero to prevent suicide attacks. However, he added, TV news channels and the social media were indulged in a character assassination campaign against the MQM.
“We will stage protests across the country for our rights and reach out to the masses.”
Subzwari demanded that the government should tell the public as to what charges had been proved against the people arrested in the Nine Zero raid.
Speaking about the bye-elections for NA-246, Subzwari said his party would win this constituency.
Talking to The News, other MQM leaders expressed similar views.
“The parliamentarians of the second largest party in Sindh were ignored by the prime minister,” said MQM central executive committee member Waseem Akhtar.
“The prime minister might be on a tight schedule, but he should have snubbed lawmakers like that.”
Akhtar said the operation against criminals in Karachi was not under way across the board but against one party only.
The MQM leader said now that barriers around the MQM headquarters had been removed leaving it vulnerable to terrorist attacks, those installed outside other special places should also be lifted.
To a question about PTI chief Imran Khan planning to stage a rally in Karachi, Akhtar said he could do so whenever he desired. “However, we will have to see if we will support him this time or not.”