Daily Times

There are many reasons for PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to be upset. There is an imbibed paranoia that the corrupt are likely to face the music. He is putting on a brave face for his remarks about the military, which he must be secretly ruing as even the PML-N, a signatory to the Charter of Democracy, stood by the military. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif described Asif Zardari’s remarks as inappropriate and other leaders were also critical of his remarks against military. On the first of Ramadan, Asif Zardari invited the political parties to an Iftar, perhaps to seek their support in salvaging the situation. However, almost all participants advised him to avoid confrontation with the military and keep his cool. Chaudhry Shujaat even advised him to withdraw his statement.
In the Central Executive Committee (CEC) meeting of the PPP, the members endorsed Zardari’s speech but PPP leaders Farhatullah Babar and Qamar Zaman Qaira tried in vain to reinterpret his speech as if he said nothing against military, when talking to the media. Sherry Rehman, the Senior Vice President of the party said that the “People’s Party holds General Raheel Sharif in high esteem, and lauds his role”, adding that Asif Zardari was critical of the past military dictators. But even a layman could understand his insinuations and open threats to the military establishment in his speech. He lashed out at the military establishment for overstepping its domain and said: “Stop character assassination of PPP; and if we start then don’t know how many Generals will be exposed starting from inception of Pakistan to date.”
What Zardari was trying to say was that nobody, including the military, should question PPP leaders for their involvement in corruption. The fact remains that Rangers were deployed in Karachi at the Sindh government’s request because it had failed in controlling the criminals, extortionists, target killers and land mafia in the city. They were given all the powers of the police. DC Rangers had informed the apex committee of the people who shared the illegal wealth amassed by the extortionists and those who funded members of the Lyari gang and terrorists. In order to choke the funding to terrorists, action against those elements is within the domain of the law enforcement agencies. There are reports that the agencies of countries inimical to Pakistan are supporting terrorists and mafias to keep its economic hub in turmoil.
The Protection of Pakistan Act 2014 states: “Any person against whom there are reasonable grounds that he acts under the directions or in concert or conspiracy with or in furtherance of the designs of an enemy alien will also be treated as a militant.” In this backdrop, law enforcement agencies have the right to raid, search and arrest the backers of militants, extortionists and those who provide funds to the terrorists. Chief of Army Staff, Raheel Sharif has said time and again that this operation will continue. PPP leaders are complaining that the military and its agencies are not authorised to go after those involved in white collar crimes. If the ministers and government functionaries are involved in corruption, are they working within their domains and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution?
It appears that Zardari’s threat of making the list of generals, who have been involved in wrongdoings or misdeeds since the inception of Pakistan, public will not change General Raheel Sharif’s mind because he does not have any baggage from the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) and has never compromised national interest. He is not likely to intervene if any retired generals, retired judges or politicians are taken to task, provided that there is incontrovertible evidence against them. Undaunted by Zardari’s outbursts, the Rangers have stepped up their operations. The Vice Chairman of the Fishermen’s Cooperative Society (FCS), Sultan Qamar Siddiqui was arrested for charges of extortion and target killing. He reportedly confessed to having given the lion’s share to Bilawal House and also funding members of the Lyari gang.
He was presented before the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Karachi on Thursday and was remanded to the Rangers’ custody on charges of extortion and target killing. Mohammad Ali Sheikh, accused of land grabbing, in collusion with the Sindh Revenue Board, has been arrested. There are many reasons for Zardari’s frustration. For one, the PPP had been almost routed from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan in the 2013 elections because it had failed to deliver during its five-year tenure. It also does not have a significant presence in Gilgit-Baltistan. During its last tenure, the PPP’s image was tarnished because of the Swiss Bank scandal, memogate scandal and corruption scams related to Rental Power Plants, Pakistan steel mills, Railways, PIA, the National Insurance Company limited, Haj affairs, Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan and Evacuee Trust Board.
There is a perception that Asif Ali Zardari is worried about Zulfiqar Mirza and Uzair Baloch’s statements about the involvement of PPP leaders’ in the crimes alleged by the Director General (DG) of the Rangers in his press conference. There is only derision and scorn for the corrupt politicos amongst the people. Reportedly, a close friend of former President Asif Ali Zardari and Karachi Building Control Authority Director General Manzoor Qadir Kaka has been arrested by the Sindh Rangers. The DG Rangers did not say anything new about these crimes. In 2011, the Supreme Court had stated in its verdict on Karachi that “banned outfits including Sunni Tehreek are involved in extortion, while there are allegations of the same offence against parties such as PPP, JI, ANP and MQM.” Instead of repenting and accepting the PPP’s bad governance of Sindh’s affairs, Zardari has started a tirade against the military.

The writer is a freelance columnist. He can be reached at mjamil1938@hotmail.com