The time has come

When pushed into a corner, desperate people resort to desperate measures. In a macabre confirmation of the success of the ongoing Karachi operation, terrorists carried out a heinous attack against the Ismaili community on May 13, 2015, leaving at least 45 dead. Speaking fluent Urdu and wearing police uniforms, the attackers of the ill-fated bus left leaflets at the scene with derogatory remarks, condemning the Ismailis as “apostates”. Jundullah, which only last November announced its allegiance to Islamic State (IS), claimed responsibility for the atrocity.
Building on their phenomenal success in Swat and FATA, the armed forces turned their attention inwards, helping the law enforcement agencies target terrorists and their infrastructure, deeply embedded in the vast urban hinterlands of Pakistan. Addressing a recent seminar in Karachi, Corps Commander Karachi Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar said, “The Karachi operation will be taken to its logical conclusion” by “not sparing terrorists, their facilitators, target killers and extortionists, white collar terrorists and their facilitators, and logistics providers will also be eliminated.” He reiterated a well-known truth: “The Sindh police and administration should be free from political interference and hiring should be apolitical and merit-based. Law and order problems have been complicated by political and administrative inefficiency.” In this telling public statement, Naveed Mukhtar emphatically called the politicians and government “incompetent and failures”. He said: “We are living in defining times and failure is not an option. We must act decisively and wholeheartedly to translate our policies into meaningful and coordinated tangible measures that can lead to a stable environment secure from fear, extremism and militancy with a firmly established writ of state and rule of law.”
“Almost every political party uses militant muscle in Pakistan as a self-defence mechanism to fend off its opponents,” said my article ‘Diversionary tactic backfires’ (Daily Times, May 7, 2015). It also said, “Harbouring of militants for enforcing their own version of the law is illegal but that is how feudals stay in power. While the MQM, PPP and ANP are the normal ‘suspects’ for having militant wings in Karachi, did Gullu Butt of Model Town fame appear out of thin air? As a weapon of offence and/or of subjugation to keep the party’s recalcitrant in line, it crosses the failsafe line into criminality. Such criminals depend upon their political bosses to keep them out of jail and, even if they are incarcerated, to be provided with five-star comfort. Potentially they are a sword of Damocles over the heads of their political bosses if they turn state witness, e.g. Saulat Mirza, Zulfikar Mirza and the rumoured 1,500 page statement given by Uzair Baloch to the Dubai police.”
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Pakistan army, General Raheel Sharif, described the surge in operations against terrorists and criminals as apolitical, across the board and focused on achieving peace in the country. Noting that RAW was whipping up terrorism in Pakistan, he vowed to take all measures to eradicate the scourge. Our intelligence agencies seem to finally comprehend the nature of the hybrid warfare being conducted against Pakistan.
The PPP chief, Asif Ali Zardari, claimed that he was “completely satisfied” with the performance of his Sindh chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah, ruling out both the latter’s resignation and the imposition of governor’s rule. “Sindh has never been more peaceful during any of the military regimes,” he said. Commenting directly on Naveed Mukhtar’s statement, Zardari added that “military officials were trained to be aggressive”. This reaction from the PPP was to be expected because it is bracing itself to be held accountable after the MQM. The PPP cannot wish away the People’s Amn Committee (PAC). Can the allegations of the ultimate insider, Zulfikar Mirza, once an all-powerful home minister in Qaim Ali Shah’s cabinet, be brushed aside? In overseeing PAC’s adding to Karachi’s violence, where did Mirza’s instructions come from? The sustained interrogation by the Rangers has uncovered a wealth of information implicating many across the political hierarchy (and the country’s elite) divide. Almost all the ruling politicians in Sindh know that they have repeatedly crossed the line into criminality.
Given the nexus between corruption, organised crime and terrorism, those facilitating terrorism are all equally as culpable as those committing terrorism, regardless of whether they belong to religious factions, political parties or criminal gangs. Those providing political and legal support, and media space to criminals are also guilty. Can the media target any financial institutions for misdemeanours considering their large advertising budgets? Conversely, financial institutions can target anyone. Most corruption is politically facilitated, morphing into its own unique Karachi-specific version of organised crime. Without organised crime providing a platform, terrorism would not be possible. Moreover, it is now common across the world for terrorist attacks to be outsourced. That RAW has been engaged in terrorist attacks in Pakistan through proxies is not news, neither is the fact that those doing its dirty work belong to any one political party. The nexus of the resident evil with our external enemies has provided a convenient platform for terrorists of all kinds to operate.
The principles and standards for honesty and integrity must apply impartially because it is patently unfair to hold only civilians accountable and not target those in uniform. If we are to fight terrorism successfully, the principles and standards for honesty and integrity must apply impartially. When influence is combined with illegally acquired wealth, the power to subvert the course of justice multiplies. The present military hierarchy must sustain their excellent reputation, both professionally and personally, by holding the handful of crooks who besmirched the uniforms they once wore or may be wearing still accountable. The time has come to hold everyone engaged in criminal activities accountable.

The writer is a defence analyst and security expert