Zardari’s tirade against Nawaz not to dilute Karachi operation

ISLAMABAD: Former President Asif Ali Zardari’s hard-hitting attack on Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is primarily meant to force petering out the severity of the Rangers led targeted operation in Karachi, an objective that is unlikely to be achieved.
However, Zardari’s stinging remarks conspicuously missed a direction to his Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to withdraw the powers given by his government to the Sindh Rangers, which are being regularly extended.
The PPP chief’s outburst is intended to pressurise the prime minister to dilute the Karachi operation, which is otherwise immensely popular to all Pakistanis especially the people of Karachi. Public calls are being consistently issued to forcefully continue the campaign till the elimination of all kinds of mafias in Karachi.
The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), whose popularity and street power in the mega city is exceedingly much more than the PPP’s, has failed to weaken the operation although it has relentlessly used different methods for the purpose. When the operation was not watered down due to the MQM’s pressure, it would certainly not be softened because of Zardari’s tirade against the prime minister.
Both Nawaz Sharif and Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif are on record to have repeatedly stated that the Karachi operation would continue unabated come what may.
The former president squarely put the entire blame of arrests of some party leaders on corruption and other charges on Nawaz Sharif. However, previously not only the Sindh chief minister but some other PPP leaders had been scoffing at the Rangers, accusing the force of being partisan against the PPP.
Whatever the reasons behind Zardari’s flare-up, it will create a difficult situation for the prime minister, who is required to do an immediate fire-fighting before it is too late. The official reaction given by Information Minister Pervez Rashid has rejected the charge of victimisation of the PPP in any sense.
Although the drive is going on for quite some time, the arrest of close Zardari aide Dr Asim Hussain has apparently proved to the proverbial last straw that has broken the camel’s back. Zardari’s harangue is unlikely to result in Dr Asim’s quick release.
The PPP chief’s last belligerent statement was aimed at the Rangers and army generals in which he had threatened to destroy everything if he was further cornered. After that, he left Pakistan and is staying abroad since then. The instant declaration had exclusively targeted the prime minister.
No doubt, this is mainly a strong reaction to the Karachi operation by the Rangers and actions being taken by the National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). Will it also help salvage PPP’s sagging political fortunes?
By shunning his much touted ‘reconciliation policy’, Zardari has announced an open confrontation with Nawaz Sharif. However, it is a hard reality that this policy had also greatly benefited Zardari himself and it was because of this strategy that he uniquely succeeded in having his full five-year constitutional term in office. During that five years, Nawaz Sharif had been stoutly defending the democratic dispensation and had been a great bulwark against any likely unconstitutional move.
Zardari specifically mentioned five names and the bureaucrats posted in Sindh, who have either been arrested or feared apprehensions. Among them, Qasim Zia was taken into custody by the NAB on charges of committing fraud through his brokerage house.
It was again the NAB that arrested Shaukatullah Bangash, son of PPP Senator Saifullah Bangash for allegedly selling a banquet hall illegally. It was alleged that he, in connivance with and active abetment and assistance of others, violated NAB’s caution and illegally sold out the property for Rs52.5 million for his personal gains. The proceeds were distributed among all the accused. The NAB has recovered the money from them.
Arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and former Commerce Minister Makhdoom Amin Faheem have been issued by an accountability court in connection with a mega fraud in the Trading Corporation of Pakistan. The case was initiated on the directions of the Supreme Court before the present government came in place.
The investigation and inquiries being conducted some bureaucrats of Sindh, being conducted by the Rangers, are directly related to alleged corruption, implicating prominent PPP leaders.
Although the Rangers were assigned the targeted operation after a consensus was arrived among all the political parties especially those having dominant say in Sindh, the PPP has started strongly opposing it when it has been hurt. The MQM is already loudly protesting against it calling for its wrapping up forthwith.