Daily Times

After being received amid a cordial atmosphere of reconciliation and ‘desk thumping’ at the Senate, 24 members of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) have returned to the National Assembly following an almost three-month self-imposed hiatus. With the withdrawal of resignations through submitted applications on Thursday, the party is ready to readopt its democratic role and participate in parliament’s proceedings. Protesting the cavalier nature of the Rangers’ operation in Karachi and its alleged extra-judicial killings and disappearances of its party workers, MQM parliamentarians had resigned en masse from the Senate, National Assembly and the Sindh Assembly in August of this year. Our political class has developed an interest in advocating a ‘philosophy of reconciliation’ that includes a refusal to hastily accept resignations and instead attempt to harness a pragmatic space that can foster persuasion and conciliation. A bleak realisation of misguided adventurism, an explicit state of victimisation coupled with unremitting pressure has persuaded the MQM to opt for an avenue that can guarantee its continued functional existence. Due to the backing of the military for the present course, there is an inherent acknowledgement on the part of the MQM that there will be no breathing space given to it courtesy the Karachi operation and that it would be wise to go through political channels to register grievances and protest the alleged discrimination against it. This reality has caused wisdom to dawn at a time when complete ‘political annihilation’ becomes an unwelcome but imminent prospect. By reaching out to PML-N, the party has decided to rejoin the political arena only after signing of an agreement with the ruling party for the formation of a Grievances Redressal Committee (GRC), a gesture aimed at abating MQM’s wounded pride following a ban on Altaf Hussain’s ‘freedom of expression’. The GRC formed on October 17 by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has yet to see the light of day. It is expected to comprise of retired judges, which can lend it credibility and render it effective in resolving MQM’s complaints. The government on its part and in its own interest has not only provided an opportunity for MQM to ‘save face’ through an intensive negotiation process but aspires to promote democratic continuity and an avoidance of unnecessary jolts to the system. In an ever precarious political environment, it is a rare sight to see political forces working together to further a common cause of democracy. Parliament’s functional role and supremacy is the only guarantee to minimise democratic hiccups and empower a civil/political order.

MQM has had to reconsider its assertive identity politics rooted in the brashness of the 1990s. This dawning of gradual wisdom is in part a necessity to move away from an established and accepted form of muscle methodology that invokes fear and violence, and instead vie for survival through realpolitik. Karachi has witnessed more than three decades of violence and instability rooted in a tension between various political factions; it would be wise to learn from this uncommon display of political camaraderie and move away from ‘exclusionary’ politics with unwarranted special privileges. MQM does have some irreducible rights of protesting injustice, vocalising grievances and ensuring socio-political survival, but it would be well to remember, so does every citizen of Pakistan (in theory at least). We need to accredit our legal, political and social institutions that guarantee a swift and rational course to solve issues that more often than not translate into violence, aggression and political immaturity. Altaf Hussain has been fluctuating in his politics lately with MQM painting itself into a corner. This new move should give it much needed time for recovery and introspection. It is high time MQM matures into a political party instead of an ethnic-linguistic pressure group. Even a child grows into an adult, ready to take its socially responsible role. The real test lies in what direction the MQM’s politics take from here. *