Test for Nawaz Sharif

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif may find it difficult to address the grievances of the two major political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), regarding “Karachi Targeted Action,” when he will preside the high powered meeting of the “apex committee” on National Action Plan today.
The national apex committee would take some important decisions about the implementation of 20 points as chiefs of the premier intelligence agencies would give presentation on the prevailing situation. Operation in North Wazirstan, Karachi and Balochistan would figure in today’s meeting.
The PM should not ignore the sudden rise in attacks on media workers including two back-to-back targeted firing incidents in Karachi. Geo DSNG van was attacked in which senior satellite engineer was killed on Tuesday and one journalist was killed on Wednesday, while another journalist was killed in Kyber Agency.
For Nawaz Sharif it may not merely be an issue of national security and how the establishment sees the situation but it will also be a test for him to overcome the rising political tension with PPP and MQM without compromising on the operation and annoying the establishment.
The PML-N government has also completed its half tenure without much opposition other than PTI.
His party can face a joint opposition, if things were not handled in political manner.
So far his relationship with former President Asif Zardari is tense while almost collapsed with MQM. The only advantage he has is the division within the opposition as PTI, PPP and MQM are also not on one page. Thus, chances of any grand opposition alliance in the near future is quite bleak.
The PPP also knows the ground reality and that is why it has withheld the decision of resignation from assemblies or dissolution of the Sindh Assembly. MQM on the other hand committed two mistakes namely resignation from assemblies and confrontation with both PPP and PML.
While there have been no major political resistance which could cause problems for the prime minister, the situation in Karachi has taken a turn after MQM and now the Sindh government have also expressed their reservations. The recent political developments in Balochistan give hope to the government and the Sindh will be a test for the prime minister.
Although the meeting will be attended among others by all the four chief ministers, the Sindh CM, Syed Qaim Ali Shah, has come from Dubai on Tuesday with fresh instructions from the PPP Co-Chairman and former President Asif Ali Zardari. He will be demanding check on the activities of NAB and FIA, which Sindh believes are illegal and extra constitutional.
Although not much has come out in public about the marathon meetings of the PPP leaders held in Dubai, in the last two days they avoided any major criticism of the operation and even against the government.
So will Qaim Ali Shah’s plea to stop FIA from harassing the Sindh government officials be entertained as assured by the PM and interior minister during their visit to Karachi. Its chances looked bleak but Interior Minister Ch Nisar Ali Khan may seek report in case any injustice is done in the case of Dr Asim. He can once again ask FIA DG to address the grievances.
However, the FIA may not stop investigation of cases of money laundering and terror financing.
The government can also do little in the case of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) which is an autonomous body.
Nawaz Sharif’s reported remarks about the former president in response to PPP leader’s hard hitting statement last week has further created tension between the two major parties, but in a positive step to defuse the tension, the PM has stopped his ministers and leaders from using harsh language against Mr Zardari.
Mr Sharif may not be able to provide any major relief to the Sindh government in cases in which its bureaucrats and close aides of Mr Zardari were arrested or are under investigation by rangers, FIA or NAB.
It will be interesting to see what position Syed Qaim Ali Shah will take in the case of Mr Zardari’s close friend and Sindh cabinet member Dr Asim Hussain, who is facing interrogation in cases of money laundering, corruption and terror financing. A Joint Investigation Team (JIT) comprising officials of premier intelligence agencies has already completed his investigation.
If the concerned authorities present a report about the circumstances which led to his arrest in today’s meeting it would determine what position the Sindh chief minister will take.
DG Rangers, Sindh, Major General Bilal Akbar may also give a presentation on Karachi and he is likely to defend his position.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief General Raheel Sharif in their last meeting clearly stated that no “political interference” would be allowed in the Karachi operation.
General Sharif in his speech on September 6 has termed the Karachi operation as success while the prime minister, while addressing his party leaders on Tuesday, announced that the operation would continue till it reaches its logical conclusion.
The situation is far more complicated in the case of MQM and complete deadlock in the talks for the last five days indicate that the government apparently is in no mood to accept its demand regarding airing or printing of live or recorded address of its chief Altaf Hussain.
Talks between the government and MQM broke down after MQM’s sudden boycott unless ban on Altaf Hussain’s address is not lifted and a grievances committee is not announced.
It is important that the government so far has not taken any position in the Lahore High Court in the petition against Altaf Hussain.
MQMs 25 MNAs, eight Senators and 51 MPAs’ resignations are with the Speakers and Chairman Senate. The government now want that MQM should return to the Parliament but has not given any green signal for the resumption of talks.
What is surprising is the fact that if the reservations of the religious leaders regarding “madrassas” could be addressed at the highest level of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Army Chief General Raheel Sharif and DG ISI Lt General Rizwan Akhtar, the issue of MQM could also be addressed so that the operation should not be politicized.
Much responsibility is also on MQM shoulder and they have to take some initiative as they need a political space before the forthcoming local bodies elections. They can leave the case of Altaf Hussain’s address to Supreme Court (as they intend to challenge it) and resume talks with Ishaq Dar.
In a situation where the party is not getting much political support from other parties, it is better if they return to Parliament as situation is not conducive for agitation particularly at a time when their differences with PPP have also sharpened.
It would be a poor political approach to open all fronts, from the establishment to the government at the center and in Sindh.
Let’s wait for the outcome of the national apex committee meeting.
The writer is the senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang.