Roadmap for clean-up in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: What the Corps Commander Karachi Lt General Naveed Mukhtar said on Saturday was just a tip of the iceberg in the context of what the top brass of the army and the Apex Committee have worked out for the crucial 2nd and 3rd phases of the “Targeted Action.”
Importantly, under the new “roadmap” the operation may now be expanded to other parts of Sindh after some revealing details of alleged terrorist activities, their funding and linkages were unearthed, this correspondent gathered from well informed sources.
However, the 3rd phase will be harder and most decisive as they may go for “clean-up” of the corrupt in the government departments hitting some top politicians and bureaucrats.The “roadmap” for the second phase was placed before the Army Chief General Raheel Shareef who spent full two days in Karachi to give the final “go-ahead” in the light of the intelligence reports.
There are a few apprehensions about the fallout of the crucial phase and political consideration can become an hurdle when “big fish” are caught. At present both the prime minister and the army chief have given a “go-ahead.”
Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan’s tension with the prime minister may also ease after the decision to re-open some of the high profile pending cases in NAB. He is coming to Karachi, today (Monday), to take the first hand information from the Rangers and police about the progress in the investigation into the massacre of 47 Ismaili community members. He will also meet their leaders.
His absence was felt last week and his opposition to the demand for Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah’s resignation has further eased the relationship between the Interior Ministry and Sindh government.But if the following plan is implemented according to the “roadmap,” some heads may roll.
The possible plan has following points: (1) Operation to be expanded to interior Sindh after reports that some of the outlawed groups have taken “shelter” and making hideouts in interior of Sindh. While the Rangers will continue to perform operational duties in Karachi, the GOCs will have a more active role in other parts of the province and coordinate with the local administration and senior police officers in the area.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, the captain of the team, who is facing immense pressure particularly after massacre of 47 Ismailis in the city last week has also given his consent to the new plan.
This decision was taken after intelligence reports suggest unusual presence of terrorists, including some of those involved in Karachi’s targeted killings, in some parts of Sindh.
(2) Corps Commander Lt General Naveed Mukhtar will now have a more active role and a special desk has also been set up in the Corps headquarters in this regard.
(3) There will be more vigilance on all entry and exit points of Karachi so that neither the alleged terrorists escape nor suspected criminals enter the city.
(4) A complete plan has been worked out for police reforms. These include screening of the appointments made in the police in the last few years, setting minimum standard for fresh recruits in the light of the counter terrorism strategy, training by the special training corps and fixed postings and transfer.
Sources revealed that the decision for screening appointments made in the police came after reports suggest the presence of “criminals” in the police, some of whom even carried “head money.”
Army has already made a list of policemen who would be trained by them to counter terrorism and a highly trained counter-terrorism police force would be made so that it can come at least to the level of para-military force.
(5) Plugging the funding to some of the terrorists and militant wings from mafias, including underworld and tankers mafia, government departments like Building Control, KMC, Water Board, Excise and Taxation etc.
It was decided that from “bottom to top,” action will be taken against “all corrupt” and supply of money to the alleged terrorist groups will be stopped. If some ministers or other government functionaries were found involved after thorough investigation, they will not be spared.
(6) All pending cases of corruption including those “closed” under NRO would not only be reopened but would also be expedited.
(7) An internal mechanism would be worked out to gather the details and data of corruption in different departments of Sindh government and local governments.
The most revealing details given to the “Apex Committee” were about the millions of rupees, which some of the outlawed groups involved in terrorist activities are getting every month from these departments in the form of regular “extortion.”
There is a clear hint in Corps Commander’s speech, where the provincial government stand, when he said in many words that there is a government but its influence is not there to track down the mafias.
Another major problem which came under discussion on the sidelines of the “Apex Committee,” is the impression that the “parallel” governments are operating in Sindh. Who is really firing the shots and how effective can be the Chief Minister under these circumstances, even if he resigned or replaced.
As for as Governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad is concerned he has been asked to continue and try to address some of the local problems like water crisis and loadshedding.
These were certainly measures, which if implemented in later and spirit can bring good results, but one wonder, why such actions were not taken during the nine years of former president and army chief retired General Pervez Musharraf.
One major issue which the implementing authority and law enforcement agencies can face is the political ownership of the crucial two phases.The kind of data and information already collected by the premier intelligence agencies about certain politicians, groups and their links and sources of fundings, if investigated and prosecuted honestly, it may explode like volcano.The writer is the senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang.