Daily Times

Sir: It is for sure that at this point when, under the National Action Plan, or otherwise, the law enforcement agencies of the state, viz, the Rangers and armed forces, that are constitutionally not authorised to carry out the operation against outlawed organisations and terrorist outfits, have started to get on the nerves of political parties, more particularly in Sindh. The people of Sindh evidently seem to be entangled between the devil and the deep blue sea.

I have no concern that corrupt politicians especially those belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) are being nabbed and brought to book. In fact, it is a move that every Sindhi must cheer in a hope to be ultimately freed of a regime where corruption, nepotism, cronyism, hooliganism, and mediocre feudal lords reign supreme.

I believe that all the corrupt including Asif Zardari, Faryal Talpur and their beneficiaries must be held accountable, but the thing about which I seek clarity is that whether the Rangers and NAB have any legal cover over whatever action they are taking and if they are justified to clamp down on politicians of a particular province.

We, the people of Sindh, must rejoice whatever is being done to cleanse Sindh of bad eggs, criminals and a handful of corrupt landlords dominating the political mainstream, but once the operation is completed, then what would happen next? A person residing in Sindh, with a bit of common sense might be shaken up by the thought that the repercussions following this ‘promising’ operation would turn things for the local Sindhis from bad to worse.

Had the same agencies, i.e. the Rangers and NAB initiated the same type of operation against politicians in Punjab, what would have been the reaction there?’ According to my humble knowledge, the big fish and plutocrats of Punjab have amassed billions and trillions of rupees with by establishing their commercial empires not only in Pakistan, but all over the world. As a matter of fact, “Men in Khaki (uniform)” themselves can be liable to be charged with massive corruption in the form of hundreds of acres of land allotted to them illegally.

If the operation is really being conducted in a spirit of goodwill, its scope must be expanded. Criminals should be chased all over Pakistan irrespective of any discrimination. Are the criminals sheltered only in Sindh? It must go across Punjab and Khyberpakhtunkhwa. Further, it would flatly add to the sentiment of deprivation and alienation among the smaller provinces, which are already flaming with anti-state and separatist feelings.

FARRUKH AZIZ ANSARI

Rawalpindi