After the arrest

The press conference by the chief minister of Sindh on Captain (r) Safdar’s arrest has only left the people more confused. He says that MPAs from the PTI put pressure on the Sindh police to register a case against Captain (r) Safdar. He should have either categorically denied or confirmed PML-N Leader Muhammad Zubair’s claim that the CM of Sindh told him that the IG Sindh was kidnapped and forced to sign the arrest warrant. The issue of the alleged kidnapping of the IG has not been cleared, which was a major cause of a furore among the people and the reason for the leave application of top police officers. This particular press conference has created even more doubts. If the PTI’s MPAs were behind the whole episode, the PML-N leader has levelled grave allegations against the law enforcement agency.

The CM’s ambiguous stand also gives more air to the doubts that the PPP is playing a double game – it is protesting with the opposition on the platform of the PDM and is looking for concessions from the PTI government on accountability of its leadership. This also gives some credibility to the PTI’s often repeated allegations that the opposition is putting pressure on the government to get some reprieve. This press conference did the people who are in the survival-of-the-fittest situation under the regressive PTI regime a great disservice. It would have been better had the CM waited for the results of the inquiry ordered by the army chief.

Gulsher Panhwer

Johi