As Karachi inches back to normality

Peace in Karachi is retuning gradually after the situation reached an alarming point due to the tussle between the political forces, mainly the ruling PPP, the MQM and the ANP.
Who won and who lost the battle? Political observers believe that all political forces lost their credibility and image.
Initially the situation turned against the MQM after the killing of more than 100 people and the party was left isolated. However, after the outburst of Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, the situation turned against the PPP. Mirza’s remarks did the same damage to the PPP as those of Mumtaz Bhutto as chief minister during late ZA Bhutto’s government and the the Urdu-speaking community reacted in the same manner and ethnic clashes were sparked off in Karachi and Hyderabad.
The same situation was witnessed after Mirza’s remarks but the PPP realised their blunder and took immediate damage control steps. Though the government fulfilled the demand and Mirza first issued a written statement and later he apologised through a video clip issued by the government to TV channels.
However, the question as to whether the damage was really controlled or requires further steps, remains. The PPP leadership from the top to the lower echelons are disturbed by this situation and an impression was created that serious action was going to be taken against Mirza for which he was summoned to the Presidency. However, everyone was baffled to see Mirza accompanying Zardari on his tour of Iran.
The PPP was happy when the Sindh Assembly passed four bills regarding the restoration of the commissionerate system, the old local bodies system, and the Police Act 1861 in the morning.
However, Senior Sindh Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza converted this happiness into acrimony. Mirza’s remarks resuscitated the MQM which played its card very well and converted the situation in its favour. It is a fact that the graph of the PPP was down while the MQM regained its position. Why did Mirza pass these objectionable remarks against the MQM and use derogatory remarks against the Urdu-speaking people?
Sources in PPP circles said that Mirza was not happy with the reports that the negotiation was going on at top level between the PPP and MQM and it was almost final that Dr Ishratul Ebad will come back and take over charge as Sindh governor. His remarks widened the distance between the two parties.
However, the strong protest over Mirza’s remarks forced the PPP leadership to renegotiate with the MQM and make them agree to come back and help the PPP restore peace. The PPP’s circles are very much hopeful that Governor Ebad will come back after direct talks between President Zardari and Altaf Hussain.
There are reports that the commissioners and deputy-commissioners and authorities in local bodies in Karachi and Hyderabad will be posted on the recommendations of the MQM. However, the MQM still insists that the party will not join the cabinet for the time being and shall watch the results of the initial talks.
The MQM initially replied positively and the party announced to support the JUI-F leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Hydery as leader of opposition in Senate against PML-N candidate Ishaq Dar. The MQM chief Altaf Hussain declared in an interview that MQM would cooperate with PML-N conditionally. Political observers hinted that this stand of the MQM was the PPP condition as the President Zardari was not happy with the MQM for political alliance with PML-N and as reaction he ordered the Sindh government to restore the old commissionerate and local bodies systems.
Now the ice is melting on both sides and PPP realised that it was MQM who created crisis for the two previous PPP governments and party could not complete its tenure.
Though the situation is tense, leadership of both parties is coming close. This step is not enough. The ANP is also a stakeholder and there is need to for the MQM and the ANP to come closer too. Both parties engaged in a battle in Karachi. Karachi witnessed the worst clashes between Pashtu and Urdu-speaking people in the 1960s and the 80s. Gen Ayub Khan and his son Gohar Ayub were the masterminds behind the clashes between the two communities. The Urdu-speaking community supported Mohtarma Fatima Jinnah against Gen Ayub Khan and this was the main cause that angered the military dictator. Later in the 80s, Gen Zia created the ethnic crises in Karachi and Hyderabad. It was late Khan Abdul Wali Khan who realised the gravity of the situation and initiated talks with Altaf Hussain and finally the situation returned to normal due to political dialogue. Now the same spirit is required for permanent peace in Sindh. The ANP and MQM must realise that the tension can ease if they agree to sit together and resolve the differences. Next month will be the holy month of Ramazan and people wish peace in this month. The PML-Q and PML-F could play a role in the patch-up between MQM and ANP. Chaudhry Shujaat and Pir Pagara can play their roles would be doing the people of Sindh a mighty service.