The case of Wasim Akhtar, mayor-designate of Karachi, has taken a new twist as he has reportedly confessed to his involvement in the May 12, 2007 carnage in Karachi when the former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry arrived in the city to lead a rally. The police have claimed that Akhtar ordered firing on people who had assembled to welcome the then chief justice at the Karachi airport. Akhtar was also booked in two other cases pertaining to charges of facilitating the provocative speeches of MQM chief Altaf Hussain, providing shelter and medical treatment to criminals at the hospitals of detained former petroleum minister, Dr Asim Hussain. After the alleged confession of Akhtar, speculations are rife about the motivation behind this statement. Perhaps he is seeking an early trial and wants to fight his case in the superior courts. There are different aspects to this case. First, the authenticity of the statement in police custody remains doubtful unless it is substantiated with concrete evidence during the trial of the case. Second, the confession has raised concerns about the involvement of mainstream political parties in corruption and terrorism. It could create further complications for the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and its leadership. Being a close aide of Altaf Hussain and a key figure in the party, who has also been nominated as the Karachi mayor, these are serious allegations, and Akhtar should be provided a chance of fair trial. So far, the case is being tried in the court, and the final outcome will appear after thorough investigations. The Rabita Committee of the MQM has termed the allegations against Akhtar as baseless and untrue. This particular case has also raised doubts about the Karachi operation led by the Rangers. There are accusations that this is nothing more than political victimisation, which is being orchestrated against mainstream political parties in Karachi. There is no worth of a confession before the police unless an accused admits his crime before a magistrate. It has become obvious that due process in not being implied in this case. The involvement of the Rangers in this case has led to more problems. It is not the responsibility of the Rangers to get involved in judicial matters. The Rangers need to perform their actual task for which they have been deputed while other state institutions need to work within their purview as per the law. The most important question that arises after this alleged confession is where is all this headed. Is this truly about accountability of the MQM? PPP? The MQM was part of the federal government in 2007, and the reins of power were in the hands of the then president, Pervez Musharraf. The lawyers’ movement, spearheaded by Iftikhar Chaudhry, was against the “draconian” orders of Musharraf, who ultimately lost power as that movement became one of the catalysts that weakened his ostensibly infallible position. The “confessional” statement of Akhtar opens a new murky chapter in the dirty game of politics in Pakistan, and there are many dots that if connected may lead to some uncomfortable truths. The question is: what good would the truth do if the justice being dispensed is partial and selective? *